Frank in the Mountains

n the savages saw us coming out of the fort. At the moment the gate opened they were preparing for a second assault, and we must have taken them by surprise, for they scattered right and left befor

s from the gate, I saw riderl

about me in a sort of stupid bewilderment, while my horse galloped along with the rest. I seemed to be in a sort of trance; and when I came to myself I found that I had become separated from my father and Captain Porter, and that they were nowhere to be seen. I was almost alone. My horse, frightened by the noise and confusion, had left the others, and was going toward the mountains at a rate of speed I had never supposed him capable of. I saw that he was running away with me, but I did not care for that. If he would only take me out of reach of the Indians, and carry me to the willows, where I could conceal myself until daylight, he might run and welcome. I did not try to stop him, but somebody else did. I heard the report of a rifle close behind me, my horse fell dead in his tracks, and I went rolling along the ground like a ball from a bat. I was badly hurt, and stunned by the fall, but still I retained my senses sufficiently to see that the enemy who had unhorsed me so suddenly was an Indian, and that he was approaching to finish the wor

u, boy? What

replied, astonished

plunged into the willows. I did not struggle nor shout for help, nor do I believe I even trembled when, after carrying me perhaps half a mile into the woods, he put me do

ill of you. I made that promise to your father more'n twelve year ago, an' I haint forgot it. When I see you as I have been-hun

r, I was not at all afraid of him. If your cousin, whom he captured last night by mistake, had been safe among friends, I should have felt no uneasiness; but, perhaps, after all, it was a good thing for Archie that Black B

s chances for escape, I did not care what became of me. Black Bill said I would never see him again, and I believed him; and told myself that, if I must live without my father, I might as well be among savages as anywhere else. But I think differently, now that you have rescued me. I hope to be a man some day, and when

wlder, from which a good view of the camp could be obtained. But the figure was there, and it was that of an outlaw-one of Black Bill's mates. His eyes, which swept rapidly over the camp, were open to their widest extent, and on his face, as he raised it cautiously above the bowlder, was an expression of great astonishmen

Adam, catching up the outlaw's rifle, and casting

ed Black Bill, sullenly. "Thar aint nobo

ort, he scented danger. Frank might have been satisfied with Black Bill's reply, and the innocent, surprised expression on his face, but Adam was not. He jumped to his feet, and running across the brook, looked up at the top of the cliffs under wh

but look down at those leav

s keen as an Indian's, had, at a single glance, discovered signs of a

this rock when I first c

hite man, too, for the toes point out. If it had been an Indian, the toes would point in. A friend of Black Bill's was here not m

t Benton," replied Frank, astonished at his friend's skill in woo

he would shout to guide them in the pursuit. Besides, we are completely lost, and how could we tell whet

he will call for help the

behind him, throw your arm around his neck, and choke him with all your power; and I'll cram my handkerchief into his mouth. Then catch him by the shoulders, and drag him to that sapling and tie him there; and while you are doing that,

t with the rifle; but he had never seen him in a situation like this, and he did not know how

e brook, "seen any thing wuth lookin' at? Didn't diskiver

-prints behind that bowlder, and we know who made them. T

Frank's handkerchief, which was passed around his neck and tied to the sapling of which Adam had spoken, and the boys, having possessed themselves of their weapons, and the outlaw's ammunition, were scrambling up the cliff like a couple of goats. They looked back now and then to satisfy themselves that their prisoner was still secure, and both told themselves that if they should be so unfortunate as to again fall into his power,

ir pace to a rapid walk, which they kept up for two hours longer without once stopping to rest. At the end of that time, Frank, being satisfied that they were out of danger for the present, proposed "half an hour for refreshments." The half hour was really not more than ten minutes, for the boys were so much afraid of the enemies who they knew were following them, that they regarded every instant spent in needf

e, that it lay nearly due east of Fort Stockton. A hundred miles from the nearest place of refuge, in the heart of an unbroken wilderness, every step of the way they must travel beset with dangers, and their path waylaid by crafty foes who might spring out on them without a

rank's mind. "But father used to tell me that a fellow never knows how much he can accomplish until he tries.

eyes could reach. Adam stood for a long time with his chin resting on the muzzle of his rifle, and his gaze fixed upon the horizon, thinking of his father and Captain Porter, and wondering if he should meet them if he succeeded in reaching the fort; while Frank, after satisfying himself that there were no Indians in sight, became interested in objects in his immediate vicinity. He thought the place looked familiar. There was a wide, shallow creek flowing through the ravine in which they were standing, and on its left bank arose a rocky cliff, which hung

ding-post to be, "and now comes the dangerous part. If what father said about a general rising of the Indians was correct, the savages are scatte

, for I passed three of the pleasantest weeks of my life in this very ravine. You have heard D

e than one sharp-eyed Comanche had looked for it in vain, and for a long time Frank thought he should meet with no better success; but at last he disco

elow, isn't it?" asked Adam, gazi

ointing to the cliff. "But the question is, Shall we use it, now that we have

e. They won't give

pains to conceal our trail, and t

arp as a hound's nose. If they can track an Indian when he is doing his best to

er in the cave than I should if we camped in the open air. We can't get along without some supper, and we must have a

knots to serve as torches. This done, Adam lighted one of them with his flint and steel, and handed it to Frank, who bac

California, Dick Lewis went into the cave and found that a grizzly bear had taken possession of it. He had a terrible fight with the animal

Must we give up the idea

from the Indians, were old foxes, and had two holes to th

lessed his lucky stars that he had not gone into the cave. It had an occupant, the character of which was proved by the bones that lay scattered about on both sides of the path. It was some ravenous beast of prey, which probably would not feel disposed to abandon his snug qu

here, too," he added, pulling off his hat and digging his fingers into his head to stir up his ideas

fle," said Frank

and to be quiet about what we do. Besides, there may be a whole family of panthers in there, and if you should wound one of them, we'd h

atch the mouth of the passage-way, he turned to observe Adam's movements. He saw him, with a long stick in his hand, kneeling before the opening at the foot of the cl

presently Frank heard a great roaring and crackling in the cave, and a thin wreath of smoke came curling out. With the smoke came the panther, which was evidently very much alarmed by this unexpected assault upon his home, for he fle