Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-09-20

air. The major had expected Randy
to turn into the cove, but the boy
pushed sturdily ahead.
"How much further, Randall?" he
asked in low tone
1.-Two hundred yards or so. father
There's pitahaya right opposite the
place"
4 Then fora moment more the click,
click of the ironshod hoofs along the
stony trail and the soft rush of the
waters were the only sounds to break
the silence of the night. Dark and
shadowy, still in single fle, the party
rode unerringly on, Randall leading
The boys heart was bounding with
hope and eagerness. The grief which
! had overcome him when told of Icons
probable fate had given place TO high
and spirited resolve to play mans
part in the effort to rescue him. What
boyswith a drop of soldier blood in his
veins would not rejoice in being
! leader of men" amid such surround
ings and on such quest? No trooper
could see more than the dim outline of
his file Leaders but Maj Cullen's eyes
rejoiced in the alert, soldicrly bearing
of his son, They had almost passed the
1 cove and were once more entering the
/ black shadow of the cliff when Ran
j dall's horse SHE'D suddenly stumbled
and went down ON his knees. The boys
deft, practiced hand had him up in an
4Tinstant, but something went Sinking
away down the bank, and over on the
opposite shore the wild, weird cry of
<1~<
1 above the rush Of the stream. Some
I where further down the echoing can.
yon the cry was taken up and repeated
!. and old Kelly growled aloud; 1.-THE
major knows best, sir, but If there's
i Apaches hanging about here anywhere,
that's the way they'd be signaling may
be. and ] wouldn't like to have them
Z heaving rocks down on Masther RAN
y dali. -
/ Were Rl.nost 5nere now, father"
spoke the BOY for himself. ''They can't
/ roll rocks on US once get you in there.
/ There's our landmark now" And
i right ahead, around another abrupt
shoulder of the cliff, there. doomed up
/ through the night the shaft of tall
cactus-the cereus giganteus of the
ella basin--and mere again the heights:
broke away, and through broad open
1 ing to the right the stars peeped down
in-silvery splendor Unhesitatingly the
/ boy led on into this nook of the noun
! tains One after another the click of
hoofs on the rocks gave place to soft
'thud upon the yielding turf, and pres
emily as Randall refined in and threw
himself from the saddle, the party
gathered in silence around him.
It's quite climb from here" he
i said. Twill you come, father - and.
! Kelly? The rest had,better stay"
A trooper took their reins. Silently
the boy led on, bending low and search
ing the foot trail In minute they
were climbing some steep ascent, slow
". cautiously. Presently they reached
Y the little ledge of rock and stopped to
4 breathe. Down in the depths of the
cove trooper struck a match to light
his pipe, and the stern voice Of Sergt.
i Charlton reproved him with: Don't
I you know that if there are Indians
5sabout that's sure way of telling them
ISwhere to fire?''
i've got to light a match in min
ute, father, said Randall, ''but it will
be SO far in the cleft it won't be seen
above" Then once again he pushed on,
still climbing some old game trail.
/ About two hundred feet above the bot
tom he stopped, his heart beating hard.
i I'm going to give our signal, he whis-
pered. sits one we had when we
played scout"
i "A moment of silence and then, in
low, mellow whistle, two notes. not
unlike the Bob White pipe of our quail,
/ were lifted on the night air. Breath
/ less all the troopers far below and the
little party on the hillside waited the
result. ~
"The boys right, . .muttered old Kelly
to himself. ."lf Icons in hiding from
IApaches anywhere here he'll welcome
4 that call" No answer came, and once
again, little louder, Randall piped
| anew. Still no result, and with a sob
In his voice the boy turned.
"A ''I1l not give up till I've searched the
cave" he said, ''but he'd have answered
! if he'd heard" and SO once more led
on. Presently they came to a deep
cleft in bold'foutcropping of rock, and
! into this cautiously Randall turned.
] keep a few yards behind me-" he
whispered. five got to light my
match"
One moment, and with snap and
4 fare the blue flame of the lucifer
flashed upon their sight, slowly turned
to yellow red, and was lifted toward a
i dark aperture in the rock. One instant
/ of hesitation, Of doubt and bitter dis
/ appointment, and the boy passed
stealthily ia. Then something seemed
! to stir far back in the dark. There
/ was sudden start-a stifed gasp
i Then the simultaneous cries: "Leonl
Randy and in confusion of sound Of
scralnbling and hugging, and some
thing suspiciously like sobbing and
i laughter intermingled, the match went
/ out. sf
When, after moments lull, old KEEL
! " struck a light and peered with
! 1v4niS4 oria1 ox,ac# fha h0uc vuarn q ma r.