Frank in the Mountains

er! You're here ar

y bark, which was drawn tight about his breast and arms. It is hard to tell which was the more astonished, the trapper or Archie. Numerous questions were asked

reed," said he. "This is a leetle the wust scrape I ever seed you in yet; but as long as me an' ol

dy to drop with astonishment when he saw his cousin standing beside the chief's wigwam,

e here?" as

here, 'cause when I get ready I'm goin' to leave, an' any thing that stands in my way will most likely get hurt. You'll he

nce at his friend's bonds, and wondered how he intended to escape from them. If he could break that piece of bark, he must be possessed of the power of a dozen men

the village during this ceremony, which occupied several minutes; and while it was going on, the attention of the boys was attracted by a curious-looking object which suddenly made its appearance before them. They could not tell what it was, either by its size, shape, or movements. Sometimes it went on all fours, and then it looked like a bear with a crane's head; then it threw itself flat on the ground, and waddled along like an alligator, turning its queer loo

medicine-man

ie. "How would you like to have him prowling about your

NE MAN AND

the ground furiously as he moved along, causing the rattles which he wore around his legs to ring out musically, and expended a good deal of strength in flourishing his knife and tomahawk. Wondering eyes followed all his movements, broad-shouldered warriors stepped respectfully aside to let him pass, but he did not appear to notice any thing or any body. He moved with his eyes fastened upon the ground, and all the while singing a low, monotonous song. He ma

, that they had seen the trapper alive for the last time; but he was still erect and unharmed, although the tomahawk had passed so close to his head

early beside himself with rage and alarm that he could scarcely speak plainly. "There would be one

but his compressed lips and

mahawk, and went on. The third time he struck the tomahawk into the post again, if possible a little closer to the prisoner's head than before, and pulled out the knife. And so he kept on, threatening the trapper first with one weapon, and then with the other, to the great amusement of the Indians, and the intense horror and indignation o

ng the ground with it, and others passing it along in silence. The boys knew that a vote was being taken upon some question, but what it was, or how the votes counted, they had not the least idea. They soon found out, however, for when the war-club had come around to the principal chief again, he jumped to his feet, and began shouting some orders in a loud voice; and in an instant the camp was in great commotion. The warriors ran about in all directions, and deafening whoops and yells arose on every side. Some hurried into the woods, and presently returned with their arms filled with dry wood and

"He told me that I would hear something break pretty soon, and if he is going to

said Frank. "One blow with that would kill an iron man. If Dic

dozen warriors standing at the lower end of the ravine w

hat he could stand there and view all these preparations so calmly? An ordinar

Frank. "Those two guards couldn't stop him, and the other warriors are all at the lower e

w his hatchet at Di

ned to look at the trapper again, they were not a little astonished at the scene presented to their gaze. The medicine-man was rolling about on the ground in violent contortions, like some huge reptile which had just received its death-blow; the two warriors who had been guarding Dick lay motionless beside him; the piece of bark with which the trapper had been confined hung d

on the air, and the warriors swept through the village in a body in hot pursuit of the trapper. The cousins could not speak. Dick's escape had been accomplished so suddenly and unexpectedly that it bewildered them. They looked at one another in sil

give something if I could run like that? They'll never catch him, for they are all behind him, and Dick says he never saw the Indian, or white man eithe

account, but also on our own; we stand a chanc

not take the trouble to reply, but grasped the boys by the shoulders, and conducting them around the chi

k, "and here we are like

"Don't you believe you can untie them with your teeth, Frank? You know that was the way Johnny Harri

ng Archie's hands. Then, after the latter had liberated him, the cousins threw themselves upon the buffalo robes to talk over their adventures; but they were not allowed to remain long to thems

you thar?"

me I saw him, he was at the fort. Winters is here,

ave. Come

you want

u to my lodge, where I

have certainly made a mistake

gruff rejoinder. "Jest mind your own bu

t it would not be safe to irritate him, held his peace; and so did Archie, who offered no r

his usual happy faculty for accommodating himself to circumstances, Frank decided that there was no use in keeping awake all night if he was a prisoner; and, stretching himself out on the buffalo robes, he prepared to go to sleep. And he did sleep, in spite of all the dangers and excitements of the day, but not long. He was awakened by a rustling

her or not you can understand English; but, if you can, you had better pay attention to wh

intruder, holding up

f old Bob Kelly. Checking the boy's exclamation of astonishment by an emphatic motion of his hand, the trapper, still humming his song, proceeded to divest himself of the other articles of his disguise; and, as fast as he removed th

self skeerce about here, sudden. Thar aint no danger, if you'll only think so. You're a medicine-man now, an' you

what he ought to do if the guard allowed him to pass out of the lodge, but Bob motioned him impatiently to be off. Calling all his courage to his aid, he lifted the skins at the back of the lodge and crawled out. The guard looked