Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-11
--9>

II you move hand or foot, III kill you deadei
than a mackerel; and, l really was, hopping
notion to shoot him. Now said l. be care
dead mani
" Fire ahead' said he. I've nothn to
',,'Well, said I, put your left hand down
lie did as l told him, but watched me
close as cat would mouse, to see If my
aim wavered a bit; but l was squirting along
the barrel in way that couldn't have af
the belt towards me-
Now. drop those reins' said (he was
stiu holding them in his right hand above
his head, and the fellow dropped them with
out word.
Now, walk back in the direction you came
'front.' was the next order.
He turned and left me, and / watched
MN until he was over the hill and out OF
sight.
81 then picked up the revolvers and crossed
turned to feed. | had no trouble in securing
them, and mounting the pony struck down
the creek until ] came to the route that leads
here, and here am"
We had listened with breathless interest to
Charles remarkable story, and great was
our wonder at what could have become Of the
other thief.
eff it wasn't ALI Salinger," said Jerry, II
should think the fellow you had fixed had shot
him somewhere along the trail but, Lord!
he'd never dare try such a game on ALI, be-
cause there amt horse thief in the North
west but what would shoot him at sight if he
did. But you're a good one, youngster =.
speaking to Charlie-"you're a frst-class thief
catcher, and if everybody in this country was
like you, horse thieves would be precious
scarce"
Charlie bore the praise with becoming mod
nCtv rlxad hat bo
boy was brave fellow, no doubt, but that
discretion was often the better part of valor,
and in this case the old adage would most
decidedly have applied. However" he added,
81 am inclined to think that these boys can
take care of themselves pretty well now,
and as my business is pressing, | think | had
better start for Omaha on the first boat that
goes down the river and leave you boys at
the fort, to recruit the animals and come
down at your leisure; provided, OF course,
that you will come on boat and not attempt
to make the trip again through that hostile
country on horseback"
"I'll stay here with Them" said Jerry IT
haven't anything in particular on hand now,
and maybe l can scare up some fun for
them"
Both Uncle Ben and ourselves were de
lighted at this proposition from the scout,
and Jud and l agreed to Uncle Ben's plan
with greater readiness, on account of this
generosity. But, then, we were not sur
prlSed, and said that 1t was just like jerry.
Besides we had, though unintentionally, al
ready consumed too much of uncle's valuable
time.
After another hour of pleasant compan.
ionship, while lying upon the soft carpet of
grass, we recrossed the river and made our
way back to Fort Rice. We took. quar-
tiers" in an old, empty log barrack, and picket
ed our animals outside the 'lines."
In just three days Uncle Ben left us and
took a boat which came down from Fort Ben
ton. We parted from him with sorrow, for
our renewed acquaintance had greatly en-
deared him, and increased the admiration
which we always had conceived for him.
That same night Jerry took our Assiniboin
out away from the fort and turned him
loose" pony, weapons and all. The little
savage was very grateful and shook the scout 8
hand before parting, talking rapidly all the
time in his own tongue.
Here, for the present, we must close this
chapter in our lives, merely adding that we
did not go down the river on the 'next boat, "
nor for many a long month afterward; that
our adventures were by no means at an end /:
that two years from that time found us in an
Eastern college, hard at work upon Greek.
Latin and mathematics, and our paths since
that time have widely diverged from the plain
track which we thought we saw ahead when
boys.
Thus ends my boyish story, mostly written
while resting at Fort Rice, just after our ad-
venturous trip "Up the Missouri"
(The End)