The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-06-07
SELECTED STORY,
The Captured Bicycle.


The desert stretched on every hand
until it was lost in The vast distance.
The grassless treeless hills seemed to
heave to and fro under the hot sun like
billows-a strange, spectral landscape.
The previous morning Percy had start
ed out ON his wheel from The Needles, a
town near the California and Arizona
line. intending to make the run to Bar
bacon in the desert, instead of waiting to
take passage on the weekly stage. The
distance was considerable, but he felt he
ought to have no trouble in making it on
his safety.
He had first fancied crossing the desert
on a bicycle, and not all the discussions
of his friends at The Needles had been
sufficient to induce him to abandon the
idea. He wished now he had paid some
heed to what had been told him.
He had dismounted for a rest and was
sitting on a gravelly hillock. He un-
slung his water bottle and took short
pull at it. The water was warm and dis
agreeable, and worst of all it was alarm
ingly low, and he had no knowledge of
how soon he might get more. He had
missed the only spring in that section,
and for all he knew there might not be
another on the entire Barbazon route.
His progress had been slower than he
had anticipated. The sand was SO deep
in places that wheeling was out of the
question; so far the work had been ex-
tremely fatiguing instead of being an ex-
hilarating exercise.
Gov bo op1 ouoiro cot ont
in the direction indicated as the right one
by the little pocket compass he had been
thoughtful enough to take. He would
have felt better if there had been any
way to determine the distance yet to be
traversed. He hoped he would not be
forced to make another night campin the
desert.
As he set the wheels in motion he heard
singular clucking sound. Turning half
around in the saddle, he saw three In
dams rise from behind a low mound and
come running toward him.
The sight almost took away Percy's
breath Although he knew at glance
they were Yumas and had been told that
the Yumas were peaceably disposed,
there was something in their bearing
that filled him with fear. He felt even
more nervous when he saw two others
rise from another mound a short distance
ahead and place themselves in position
to intercept him.
He could not doubt that they had
stolen on him while he rested and were
now trying to hem in and capture him,
Why they should desire to do this he
could not guess, but their actions did not
look friendly.
The wheeling was fairly good at that
point, and Percy sent the bicycle for
ward at a round gait and hoped he would
elude or dash by the two Indians il
front. AS the bicycle obediently leaped
ahead under the strong propulsion he
began to feel sure he could do it.
He swerved to the right as he nearet
the two Indians, and when they rushed il
that direction, too, he gave quick turn
and sent the safety spinning away on {
new tack. Meanwhile the three in the
rear were hurrying up with all theil
might and yelling in a manner to dis
concert the bravest, and the two i'll from
now added their wild cries to the hideou
chorus.
yell away there, you red scoundrels'
Percy shouted as with a squirt he spec
by, beginning to feel he would make al
easy escape yell away there an(
catch me if you can"
He had seen that none of them ha(
fire; ms, carrying only long lances o
hard wood and tipped with iron.
But he had boosted too soon. TIL
Yuma nearest lifted his lance and hurled
it through the air with marvellous fore
and skill. Percy glimpsed it shooting
tow ard him, and with cry of fear ben
down to escape it.
4he weapon had not been hurled a
him, however. The willy Yuma ha,
aimed at the forward spinning wheel o
the safety. The blade of the lane
passed between the spokes and down
ward into the sand, where it stood i'm
bedded, the shaft between the spokes
One Of the .pokes had been broken an
several others bent, and Percy had bee
pitched headlong over the wheel into tn
sand.
Before he could rise the Indians hand
held him in vicelike grip.
Pleased grins rested ON the ugly face
of the Yumas as they gathered aroun
their captive and glanced from him t
the injured bicycle.
"What do you want with me?' Perc
demanded, struggling to sitting pos
ture and making a show of bravery
"Why did you wreck my safety tina
way? I'll have you punished for it,"
The Indians chuckled with delight a
his anger.
want to see um iron pony" one @
them condesceIrled to explain. "Inju
want to ride UNI iron pony! Injun wan
nm iron pony! Savvy? I'm iron pom
no eat, no drink, no git tired, no g
sleepy. Make bully pony for pore II
jun"
Light dawned on Percy. These Yuma
wanted the bicycle for their own us,
Perhaps they had seen him wheelin
around The Needles on it. If so, the
probably had logged him all the way
His spirit rose. He vowed he woul
thwart them. He saw that, though SON
OF the spokes were ruined, the wheel wa
still strong enough to do good service.