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Full Title
The Girl Cowboy Captain; or, The Skinners of the Carolina Swamps / by Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
Author
Badger, Jos. E. (Joseph Edward), 1848-1909.
Date Added
9 January 2014
Format
Journal
Language
English
Publish Date
1889-05-18
Publisher
New York : Beadle and Adams
Series
Beadle's Boys Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure > v. XXI, no. 266
Source
Dime Novel and Popular Literature
Alternate Title
Beadle's Boys Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure, v. XXI, no. 266, May 18, 1889. Skinners of the Carolina Swamps.
Topic
Dime novels > Specimens.
About
More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
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The Girl Cowboy Captain, 23
One by one the scouts returned, and the miser-
able spy lying helplessly. bound, jealously
eyed the faces gathered round them, to learn if
possible whether’ they had made the discovery
that would seal his fate. “Cut and bruised as he
was, Winkle more than ever longed for life and
freedom, now; he would live for revenge.
One by one the scouts gave in their reports,
The trail made by old Ben Duncan after leading
them for over a mile, became lost, nor could
their utmost endeavors recover it. One brought
in a partial solution of the firing heard just be-
fore day-dawn. He had found where a desper-
ate and bloody conflict had taken place. One
party had been British soldiery, from the ca-
parisons of several dead horses that lay upon
the field.- Who the others were, nothing re-
» mained to show.
After waiting until past noon in hopes that
Duncan would return, Maria gave the word,
and mounting, rode away from the island, fol-
lowed by all save two Cowboys, who were left
behind to keep watch over Ham Winkle. And
then, with Maddox riding ahead as guide, the
party followed their girl leader in silence.
.“ We're only a few hundred yards from the
Spot, now, captain,” at length uttered Maddox,
falling back,
» “Very well; you know my plan. Take the
right fork and put the men in ambush. On no
account are you to leave it, unless you hear my
call, . If it sounds twice, you alone are to come;
three times—then lead your men forward at
ou understand?”
The faithful fellow did. understand, and soon
-had his men snugly in the ambush, while Maria,
-ina brief time, had gained the, hut and force
‘an entrance by her imperious demands.
4 - -Old- Mother Winkle literally cowered before
tlie: Girl Captain’s presence, and when Maria
discovered on the bed the poor captive, Miss
Brand, andlearned her story, she was like some
fierce tigress; and then. all -her lovo for Arnold
came rushing over ber, and her agony was in-
tense, for now she knew, what before she had
never dared even to acknowledge to her heart,
that she loved this captain of rangers, though
she had met bim but twice—when both inter-
views were mingled with bloodshed. .
At sunrise he was to die—and ’twas now mid-
afternoon. The end was hours since. Sick at
heart, she bowed her head and forgot her sur-
roundings. She did not weep, for that: time
had passed. The fountains of her eyes were
seared and dead. oo
“When do you expect another visit from
Will Dixon?’ she at length suddenly demanded,
springivg to her feet and confronting the cowed
old woman.
“Dixon? What do you want with hin?”
eagerly.
‘To kill him—even as he murdered my father,
mother and brother! Blood for blood! Oh!
that he had a thousand lives in one—and even
then my vengeance would be unsatisfied!”
CHAPTER XII. _
WARM QUARTERS.
Capfrain ARNOLD and Max Corgell stared at
each other aghast. But then, snatching the one-
loaded pistol from his belt, Limber-twig glared
‘and—”
through the chinks; not a living being was in
sight. The two soldiers lay upon the ground,
ead,
The taunting laugh came again, and then the
scout located its owner, \He stood close pressed
against the thick slab door, knowing that it was
bullet-proof,
“ Cap'n, will you _take_and load this pistol?—
the rifle lays onder, It’s like we’ll need ’em
afore long, an’ I want to be ready for this var-
mint when he breaks cover,”
‘But I’m not going to break cover, ye ras-
cal,” said an irascible voice from without.
‘Tm going to stay here until Major Tracy re-
turns, and then you'll be rewarded richly—you
and that rascal with you who sneaks round try-
ing to steal honest gentlemen’s daughters,”
“It’s old Brand, by thunder!”
“Yes, it’s old Brand, you irreverent varlet,
and he'll see you hanged, so he will! I know ye
—you're the one who led the major off on a wiid-
goose chase. I saw ye shoot the sentinels—then
I ran and fastened you in, and I’ll see—”
““Shet up, old clickety-clack. Better be
thinkin’ over your pra’ers, for you cain’t move
an inch from whar you be now, ’thout tastin’
ead,
A low cry from Arnold startled Corgell at
this moment, The tones seemed to tell of some
new misfortune or threatening peril.
‘What is’t, cap’n?”
‘* Red-coats—they’re leaping the fence. It’s
likely they'll give us our hands full, now.”
‘* Don’t ye see anythin’ o’ the boys?” eagerly.
‘No; what boys?” asked Arnold, in surprise,
He had not yet heard of the events of the past
night, Until now he had been content to accept
the service without asking questions. -
‘‘Our boys—I left’em playin’ ge’lory ’th tho .
lobsters. See, Iwas not far off when you were
tuck, an’ heerd him sw’ar to hang ‘ye as a.
spy. Sol tuck your hoss, met Shag-bark in tho
swamp, sent him to hurry up the boys while T. ‘
kem back to bamboozle the red-coats. I played ** ,
Luke Barton—told all *bout the wagons we eap-* *-:
tured yes’day—got him to goa’ter them; Tho -~
boys laid a ambush—we rid: right in. Then.I °:.
left’em hard at work, an’—here I be,” hastily.‘
explained Limber-twig, o :
“But™ how would it end? They numbered SS
nearly three to one,” and Arnold seemed ies
anxious. he
“‘Tsee’l a dozen or more go down the first gee
fire. The boys hed it pretty much tha’r own bs
way when I left. Hellow! thar’s the head var- ‘
mint! Lord! ’t ’d ’a’ did you good jest to see
me keel him over in the mud! I lent him one
behind the ear, an’ he dropped out o’ the secdle
like be was shot! He, he! ho, ho, ho!”
“Youll laugh out o’ tother side of your
mouth, soon, my crazy spy,” snarled Brand,
from his post without; then raising his voice, be .
called to the soldiers who were riding toward, OE
the house, ‘ Major Tracy—be careful! I’ve_ qe
got you two spies locked up in here, but they’re pe
armed—they’ve sworn to shoot you—and I can’t pe
get away. What am I to do?” 3
“Hal who—” ra
“ Arnold is one—the other, the man who call-
ed himself Luke Barton, He killed the sentinels
°