Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-04-26

pIcycle, drew out the smart OF the iance
and swung himself awkwardly into the
seat. The safety toppled over with him
Is soon as he tried to set his moccasined
feet on the pedals. A laugh greeted his
failure. but comrade came to his as
sistance. and the discounted Yuma tried
again.
He seemed to find 4. great fun to sit in
the saddle and be wheeled about on the
sand, but it was impossible for him 10
keep his seat and work the wheel with
but aid.
Another and another tried il, with no
better success.
If the entire performance had not been
30 exasperating, Percy might have seen
in it much TO amuse him. IL was really
q most Imaginable exhibition of awkward
ness. These Yumas would have had no
trouble In mounting and riding the
widest pony that ever bounded across
that desert, but here they found their
skill at fault. What looked so easy
proved to be entirely beyond them all.
Grunts of delight or derision arose at
each failure, and when one Of the fellows
was shot head first into the sand and got
up digging it out Of his mouth and eyes
and making a wry face the yells Of his
companions rose in an ecstatic chorus.
They spent more than an hour in an
endeavor to conquer the 'little white
boys" steed, but at the end Of that time
were forced to give it up as hopeless.
Little iron pony heap buck one OF
them explained, CT ossing over to where
Percy reclined on the sand and pointing
to the unmanageable safety. white boy
show lnjun how to ride um."
This was an opportunity Percy had
begun to fear would never come.
"Oh. ride it yourself" he said. with
show Of scorn and indifference. You'll
learn SOON"
But when the Yuma gravely shook his
head and pointed once more to the BIZ
cycle Percy arose and walked toward
with assumed indifference, though he
felt his limbs trembling under him.
He examined the injured wheel leisure
ly and saw that practically it was as good
as if sound. Nevertheless he pointed to
the twisted spokes as though the trouble
the Yumas had experienced lay in them.
The Yumas were watching him, and
with evident suspicion. Some of them
took up their lances and stationed them
selves near, plainly to prevent any effort
to escape.
Percy mounted. At first he rode the
bicycle round and round in little cir
clio. AL the while causing il to wabble as
If it were out Of order. Uhder his indif-
ference he was closely watching with
wildly beating heart for a chance to
break past the line of lances and ser j
his wheel spinning across the sani.
Slowly he increased the circle. adding a
yard or two to its diameter at evl J
sweep. Suddenly seeing an opening he
made sharp, quick turn, and throwing
all his strength into the rush made
dash for liberty.
A threatening yell arose behind, and
several lance points whizzed past him,
but the haste with which they were
thrown caused them to fly wildly. NcNe
touched him, and in another moment the
young bicyclist had spun well out bo-
yond the yelling circle and was flying
with all speed across the gravelly waste,
the Yumas in pursuit.
Being splendid runners, the Indians
crowded him uncomfortably close or
the first 100 wards. At that point the
earth became yet tirmer, and with tho
advantage Of this better roadway Percy
rapidly increased the distance between
himself and these very unpleasant ac-
quaintances.
They hung persistently on the track,
however, though at the end Of half an
hour they had dwindled to mere specks.
At the expiration of an hour they were
no longer visible, and then Percy threw
himself on the sand, feeling that he
could not propel the safety another yard
If his life depended on it.
The Yumas did not come into view
again, probably having abandoned the
useless chase, and the next afternoon
Percy reached Barbazon safe and sound.
John II. W Whitson in New YORK Press.