The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-12-02

It lCIO W % IA bAiS AeSDAN
of appearing just in time to rescue any
band of white people who might be in
danger of destruction by the countless
horde of savages. Then, with a re-
volver in each hand, he would dash up
to the foe, shooting right and left, never
missing his mark, while his terrible
battle-cry of "Red Men of the West,
the White Fiend Comethn' sent down
terror to the hearts of the Indians, who,
yelling ''Mak-le Klak jig-lum Klam
how-wassyr (meaning THE Invisible
Catamount of the Crags is upon u.s. }
would break for the mountains, leaving
Catamount Bill in possession of the
field.
My! But wasn't he brave, though?''
exclaimed Charley, after reading the
description of a scene similar to the
above.
.'Guess he WASH said Ben. "Wouldn' t
like to've been there?"
''Pshaw! Ben, your old pepper-hOX
revolver wouldn't kill ningenn'
"H'mr' calculated Ben. "Td run
up behind the old chief, m hit him over
the head with club, m grabbed his rifle,
N blow his brains out
ME toon' chimed in Charley.
"Say Charley, l know something"
said Ben, mysteriOusly.
arch Jones n Bush Shackleford n
Lem Burton N me are going to run off.
"Me too?" asked Charley, eagerly.
"Of course, you'll go, if do" said
Ben.
Where are you going to run to,
Benz"
ITO the Rocky Mountains, of course"
" But, Ben, what'l IL we do for revOlv-
ers m rifles m things
90! we're going into camp on Wolf
Island, m hunt m trap, m sell hides
m furs It'll we get money enough to buy
everything we need. Itell you, Charley,
you and [ were not made to hoe corn
and weed onions. Pa likes to do it, and
We'll let him"
but, Ben, he will be sure to find us,
if we 90 to shooting"
Him! D'you suppose that, if Cata-
mount Bill could stay rightin the Black
foot Indian village month and they
not know it, we can't hide on Wolf
Island? What kind of scout are you,
any how? You never mind. We've
got it all fixed up. We'Hshow EN- what
Stragetyis."
Just then tall man, with comical,
laughing eyes, stole softly down the
ladder, where he had been standing,
listening to every word the boys had
said.
"Stragetyr' he repeated to himself,
with a curious smile. 'Stragety!'
That's pretty good for twelve-year-old
boy, but | will show him the difference
between 'stragety' and strategy"
During the next few days there We're
some very mysterious consultations be-
tween the boys of The Expedition" as
they termed it, who managed to come
together in a cornfield several times.
One moonlight night, soon afterward,
Ben and Charley Marble stole softly
away from their fathers house and hlu-
ried down the road toward the river.
They had gone two miles when they
came to the first patch of timber.
"Halt! Who comes there?" rang a
voice in the bush before them.
They had expected to hear the voice
at this place; yet it startled them and
they stopped instantly.
"Who comes there?" repeated the
voice, and they heard the sharp click of
a gunlock.
''Bush. it's as! Don't shootr' cried
Charley, quickly,
'Who comes there, them" demanded
Bush.
The Invisible boz Catamount of the
Crags,n acclaimed Ben.
"And who is with you?"
The Hyena of the Plains" answered
Charley.
Nov, who are you that dares to
challenge usg exclaimed Ben, fiercely,
swapping his empty pepper-box revolver
at the sentinel.
1.-The Crockerdile of the Mountings,'
answered Bush, whose education had
been very much neglected.
"All right!'' ''All rightr' and the
three boys sat down to await reinforce
ments.
'Shn' breathed Charley. "Some one
is coming"
DbIiiiOuiJ pCll ldlu Ills car 10 IUG
ground after the manner of Catamount
Bill, when listening for savages.
"White men, he whispered, mvsteri-
Ously. II can he0r their toes turned out.
Indians always walk with their toes
turned in"
Halt" commanded Bush, "who
comes thereP''
1.-The Cabot of the Amazon" replied
Archy Jones, who supposed he had
chosen the name of some dangerous
South American animal.
Halt! Who comes there?" again
commanded Bush.
"The Capricorn of the Arctic Zone"
piped little Lem Burton, his big, wonder
ing eyes and delicate white face, framed
with yellow, waving hair, seeming to ap
pear from the darkness before his body
was visible.
The Catamount, the Hyena, the Croco-
die, the Cabot and the Capricorn all
being present, the company was com
plete and proceeded through the ..bip
woods" to the river
The country was full of wolves and
wildcats in those days, and, as the bows
walked stealthily along, they more than
once thought they saw fiery eyes in the
shadows of the giant trees, and, although
they did not acknowledge it, were very
glad when they reached the river.
/ L