The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-08-09

desert on foot, would pass before their mental vision. And so the long night ours wore away, with nothing more alarming than these reveries to dis turb them.
 It was not until an hour after sum- rise that anything was seen of either Jack or the Indians, and then both came together
 | Far away to the north mere black speck appeared moving over and around, and in and out among the hills of sand, gradually growing larger and larger. Close behind this object was a cloud of dust out of which came band of horsemen.
 "Apaches!"
 The exclamation explained it. Ger tainly trained eyes could never mis- take them even at that great distance | Clearly the first object was not Q horseman, it was too near the ground for that; neither could it be man afoot for the progress was much more | rapid than could be made by a man running The distance between the two objects did not materially lessen The latter were undoubtedly Indians, but whether the former was Jack or | not, they could not make out. If it was, he was most certainly riding a strange mount instead of his Bess, the swiftest and pluckiest little horse in | the carol.
 Nearer and nearer they came. There was evidently trouble ahead for them all. The men at the camp were prepared to sell their lives dearly if escape was impossible.
 But aid was nearer than they thought. In the ravine, half mile to the west, troop of blue-coated cavalry was forming.
 Forward guide center march," The captains voice rang out as clear as if ordering his men to dress parade instead of an encounter with the terrors of the southwestern plains "Gallop-March! Charger
 The line of hardy troopers with raised sabers came down at right an- gles upon the path of the Indians and their intended victim.
 The red devils saw the trap they had fallen into and, with half a dozen parting shots, they wheeled their po- nies and started for the north again. But it was too late for the troopers were onto them. and the few who es- capped in safety to the reservation had learned lesson they did not soon for get.
 As for Jack-for it was Jack, moupted on a pneumatic-tired safety as soon as he saw that help had ar rived; that his long race was over, and that he had won, rolled over, entirely exhausted, onto the ground. We will take Jacks story of his trip, as related to the boys, after he had re- vived that morning, as an explanation of his strange experience. "I suppose you're looking at that | affair l rode in on, and wondering what sort of thing it is, where gathered it in, and whether it would be any good as COW pony or not" said Jack, by way of introduction to l his story.
 Well, boys, it's quite an experience, and, Atkins, if you will kindly favor me with a bracer from that flask of yours to wash down bit of this Ari- zona sand, which that devilish thing has lodged in my throat, will relate it. By the way, you might dish up a | goodly supply of the most wholesome i food you have, as l have been living principally on hope for the past few hours
 Now I'm ready. Are you? If so, here goes. As beginner, I will com mence back few years In this end of the world am known as Jack An drews, poor devil of a COW puncher, with about money enough each month to carry me through one night at po- ker, if don't play too much loser from the start, and to buy an occa- sional drink for myself and friends. By the way, Atkins, another drink from that flask of yours wouldn't be bad. Thanks.
 But, boys, like yourselves, l wasn't always a COW puncher. Once upon a time wore dude clothes in New York city, and, while I didn't ride thing just like that, rode something simi- lar, and which answered the same pur- pose. None of you have been away from civilized community so long but that you can remember one of those things they called bicycle, although they were not very numer- ous in our days. We'll, that thing there, according to my way of think ing must be a new-fangled bicycle.
 "As I was saying, rode bicycle over New fork city streets in the days when was younger than am now. Mine was what they called fifty-cight-inch wheel; that is, big wheel ffty-eight inches high. with the pedals fastened to it, and a small one that travelled along behind In those days the governor was a broker on Wall street, with money enough to buy half of this blasted territory. Coin was rolling into his office vaults hand-over-fst, and 1 rolled it out again at about the same pace, until along in 1877, when it became so scarce that the governor had to shut up shop and go to farming for liv- ing. It was soon after that that l drifted out west and learned to ride COW ponies in place of bicycles, an occupatiOn I have found if convenient