The Mysterious Cave. (continued 2)

And they went into the cave, as he had directed them. But they came out sorrowing, and said that the Great Spirit had told them that he, and his army should be utterly destroyed, and the whole nation scattered to the four winds.

And again he laughed at them, and called them fool, and deceivers.

And he collected another great army, and went to war again. But by this time the other nations, seeing the danger they were in, united against him as a common enemy.

He was overthrown, killed, and his army entirely cut to pieces.

The conquering army now entered this country, and laid it waste, as theirs had been laid waste before.

And the war was carried on for many years, until the prophesy was fulfilled that had been spoken by the Great Spirit, and the people of this once mighty nation were scattered to the four winds.

This people as a great nation are known no longer, but a remnant still remains scattered among the other tribes. Occasionally some of them visit this cave, to whom alone its mysteries are known, or were, Lightfoot said, until she had brought Captain Flint there in order to escape their pursuers.

"Is the voice of the Great Spirit ever heard here now?" enquired Hellena.

Lightfoot said the voice of the Great Spirit had never been heard there since the destruction of his favorite nation, but that the spirits of the braves as he had said before, did sometimes come back from the spirit-land to speak comfort to the small remnant of the friends who still remained upon the earth. To those she belonged.

This narrative of the Indian woman somewhat satisfied the curiosity of Hellena, but it did not quiet her fears, and to be imprisoned in a dreary cavern haunted by spirits, for aught she knew, demons, was to her imagination, about as terrible a situation as she could possibly be placed in.

CHAPTER X.

When there were none of the pirates in the cave, it was the custom of Lightfoot, and Hellena to spread their couch in the body of the cavern, and there pass the night. Such was the case on the night following the day on which Lightfoot had related to Hellena the sad history of her people.

It is hardly to be expected that the young girl's sleep would be very sound that night, with her imagination filled with visions, hob goblins of every form, size, and color.

During the most of the forepart of the night she lay awake thinking over the strange things she had heard concerning the cave, and expecting every moment to see some horrible monster make its appearance in the shape of an enormous Indian in his war paint, and his hands reeking with blood.

After a while she fell into a doze in which she had a horrid dream, where all the things she had been thinking of appeared and took form, but assuming shapes ten times more horrible than any her waking imagination could possibly have created.

It was past midnight. She had started from one of these horrid dreams, and afraid to go to sleep again, lay quietly gazing around the cavern on the ever varying reflections cast by the myriads of crystals that glittered upon the wall and ceiling.

Although there were in some portions of the cavern walls chinks or crevices which let in air, and during some portion of the day a few straggling sunbeams, it was found necessary even during the day to keep a lamp constantly burning. And the one standing on the table in the centre of the cave was never allowed to go out.

As we have said, Hellena lay awake gazing about her.

A perfect stillness reigned in the cave, broken only by the rather heavy breathing of the Indian woman who slept soundly.

Suddenly she heard, or thought she heard a slight grating noise at the further side of the cavern.

Can she be dreaming? or can her eyes deceive her? or does she actually see the wall of the cavern parting? Such actually seems to be the case, and from the opening out steps a figure dressed like an Indian, and bearing in his hand a blazing torch.

Hellena's tongue cleaves to the roof of her mouth, and her limbs are paralyzed with terror. She cannot move if she dare.

The figure moves about the room with a step as noiseless as the step of the dead, while the crystals on the walls seem to be set in motion, and to blaze with unnatural brilliancy as his torch is carried from place to place.

He carefully examines everything as he proceeds; particularly the weapons belonging to the pirates, which seemed particularly to take his fancy. But he carefully replaces everything after having examined it.

He now approaches the place where the two women are lying.

Hellena with an effort closed her eyes.

The figure approached the couch; for a moment he bent over it and gazed intently on the two women; particularly on that of the white maiden. When having apparently satisfied his curiosity, he withdrew as stealthily as he had come.

When Hellena opened her eyes again, the spectre had vanished, and everything about the cave appeared as if nothing unusual had happened.

For a long time she lay quietly thinking over the strange occurrences of the night. She was in doubt whether scenes which she had witnessed were real, or were only the empty creations of a dream. The horrible spectres which she had seen in the fore part of the night seemed like those which visit us in our dreams when our minds are troubled. But the apparition of the Indian seemed more real.

Could she be mistaken? was this, too, only a dream? or were the two scenes only different parts of one waking vision?

To this last opinion she seemed most inclined, and was fully confirmed in the opinion that the cavern was haunted.

Although Hellena was satisfied in her own mind that the figure that had appeared so strangely was a disembodied spirit, yet she had a vague impression that she had somewhere seen that form before. But when, or where, she could not recollect.

When in the morning she related the occurrences of the night to Lightfoot, the Indian expressed no surprise, and exhibited no alarm. Nor did she attempt to offer any explanation seeming to treat it as a matter of course.

Although this might be unsatisfactory to Hellena in some respects, it was perhaps after all, quite as well for her that Lightfoot did not exhibit any alarm at what had occurred, as by doing so she imparted some of her own confidence to her more timid companion.

All this while Black Bill had not been thought of but after a while he crawled out from his bunk, his eyes twice their usual size, and coming up to Hellena, he said:

"Misses, misses, I seed do debble last night wid a great fire-brand in his hand, and he went all round de cabe, lookin' for massa Flint, to burn him up, but he couldn't fine him so he went away agin. Now I know he's comin' after massa Flint, cause he didn't touch nobody else."

"Did he frighten you?" asked Hellena.

"No; but I kept mighty still, and shut my eyes when he come to look at me, but he didn't say noffen, so I know'd it wasn't dis darkey he was after."

This statement of the negro's satisfied Hellena that she had not been dreaming when she witnessed the apparition of the Indian.

On further questioning Bill, she found he had not witnessed any of the horrid phantoms that had visited her in her dreams.

As soon as Hellena could do so without attracting attention, she took a lamp and examined the walls in every direction to see if she could discover any where a crevice large enough for a person to pass through, but she could find nothing of the sort.

The walls were rough and broken in many parts, but there was nothing like what she was in search of.

She next questioned Lightfoot about it, asking her if there was any other entrance to the cave beside the one through which they had entered.

But the Indian woman gave her no satisfaction, simply telling her that she might take the lamp and examine for herself.

As Hellena had already done this, she was of course as much in the dark as ever.

When Captain Flint visited the cave again as he did on the following day, Hellena would have related to him the occurrences of the previous night, but she felt certain that he would only laugh at it as something called up by her excited imagination, or treat it as a story made up for the purpose of exciting his sympathy.

Or perhaps invented for the purpose of arousing his superstition in order to make him leave the cave, and take her to some place where escape would be more easy.

So she concluded to say nothing to him about it.

CHAPTER XI.

About a week after the occurrence of the events recorded in the last chapter, Captain Flint and his crew were again assembled in the cavern. It was past midnight, and they evidently had business of importance before them, for although the table was spread as upon the former occasion, the liquors appeared as yet to be untasted, and instead of being seated around the table, the whole party were sitting on skins in a remote corner of the cavern, and conversing in a suppressed tone of voice as if fearful of being heard.

"Something must be done," said one of the men, "to quiet this darn suspicion, or it's all up with us."

"I am for leaving at once," said Old Ropes; "the only safety for us now is in giving our friends the slip, and the sooner we are out of these waters the better it will be for us."

"What, and leave the grand prize expecting to take care of itself?" asked the captain.

"Darn the prize," said Old Ropes, "the East Indiaman ain't expected this two weeks yet, and if the suspicions agin us keep on increasin' as they have for the last ten days, the land pirates'll have us all strung up afore the vessel arrives."

This opinion was shared by the majority of the men. Even the Parson who took delight in opposing Old Ropes in almost every thing, agreed with him here.

"Whether or not," said he, "I am afraid to face death in a fair business-like way, you all know, but as sure as I'm a genuine parson, I'd rather be tortured to death by a band of savage Indians, than to be strung up to a post with my feet dangling in the air to please a set of gaping fools."

"Things do look rather squally on shore, I admit," said the captain, "but I've hit upon a plan to remedy all that, and one that will make us pass for honest men, if not saints, long enough to enable us to finish the little job we have on hand."

"What is that?" enquired a number of voices.

"Why, merely to make a few captures while we are lying quietly in the harbour or a little way up the river. That'll turn the attention of the people from us in another direction, in the mean while, we can bide our time.

"It can," said the captain. "We must man a whale boat or two and attack some one of the small trading vessels that are coming in every day. She must be run on the rocks where she may be examined afterwards, so that any one may see that she has falling in the hands of pirates. None of the crew must be allowed to escape, as that would expose the trick.

"All this must take place while I am known to be on shore, and the schooner lying in port."

This plot, which was worthy the invention of a fiend, was approved by all but Jones Bradley who declared that he would have nothing to do with it. For which disobedience of orders he would have probably been put to death had he been at sea.

The plan of operations having been decided upon, the whole party seated themselves round the table for the purpose as they would say of making a night of it.

But somehow or other they seemed to be in no humor for enjoyment, as enjoyment is understood by such characters.

A gloom seemed to have settled on the whole party.

They could not even get their spirits up, by pouring spirits down.

And although they drank freely, they drank for the most part in silence.

"How is this?" shouted captain Flint, "at last have we all lost our voices? Can no one favor us with a song, or toast or a yarn?"

Hardly had these words passed the lips of the captain, when the piteous moan which had so startled the pirates, on the previous evening again saluted them, but in a more suppressed tone of voice. The last faint murmurs of this moan had not yet died away, when a shout, or rather a yell like an Indian war whoop, rang through the cavern in a voice that made the very walls tremble, its thousand echoes rolling away like distant thunder.

The whole group sprang to their feet aghast.

The two woman followed by Black Bill, terror stricken, joined the group.

This at least might be said of Hellena and the negro. The latter clinging to the skirts of the white maiden for protection, as a mortal in the midst of demons might be supposed to seek the protection of an Angel.

Captain Flint, now laying his hand violently on Lightfoot, said, "What does all this mean? do you expect to frighten me by your juggling tricks, you infernal squaw?" At these words he gave her a push that sent her staggering to the floor.

In a moment he saw his mistake, and went to her assistance (but she had risen before he reached her,) and endeavored to conciliate her with kind words and presents.

He took a gold chain from his pocket, and threw it about her neck, and drew a gold ring from his own finger and placed it upon hers.

These attentions she received in moody silence.

All this was done by Flint, not from any feelings of remorse for the injustice he had done the woman, but from a knowledge of how much he was in her power and how dangerous her enmity might be to him.

Finding that she was not disposed to listen to him, he turned from her muttering to himself:

"She'll come round all right by and by," and then addressing his men said:

"Boys, we must look into this matter; there's something about this cave we don't understand yet. There may be another one over it, or under it. We must examine."

He did not repeat the explanation he had given before, feeling no doubt, that it would be of no use.

A careful examination of the walls of the cave were made by the whole party, but to no purpose. Nothing was discovered that could throw any light upon the mystery, and they were obliged to give it up.

And thus they were compelled to let the matter rest for the present.

When the morning came, the pirates all left with the exception of the captain, who remained, he said, for the purpose of making further investigations, but quite as much for the purpose of endeavoring to find out whether or not, Lightfoot had anything to do with the production of the strange noises. But here again, he was fated to disappointment. The Indian could not, or would not, give any satisfactory explanation.

The noises she contended were made by the braves of her nation who had gone to the spirit world, and who were angry because their sacred cavern had been profaned by the presence of the hated palefaces.

Had he consulted Hellena, or Black Bill, his investigations would probably have taken a different turn.

The figure of the Indian having been seen by both Hellena and the black, would have excited his curiosity if not his fears, and led him to look upon it as a more serious matter than he had heretofore supposed.

But he did not consult either of them, probably supposing them to be a couple of silly individuals whose opinions were not worth having.

If any doubt had remained in the minds of the men in regard to the supernatural character of the noises which had startled them in the cave, they existed no longer.

Even the Parson although generally ridiculing the idea of all sorts of ghosts and hobgoblins, admitted that there was something in this affair that staggered him, and he joined with the others in thinking that the sooner they shifted their quarters, the better.

"Don't you think that squaw had a hand in it?" asked one of the men: "didn't you notice how cool she took it all the while?"

"That's a fact," said the Parson; "it's strange I didn't think of that before. I shouldn't wonder if it wasn't after all, a plot contrived by her and some of her red-skinned brethren to frighten us out of the cave, and get hold of the plunder we've got stowed away there."

Some of the men now fell in with this opinion, and were for putting it to the proof by torturing Lightfoot until she confessed her guilt.

The majority of the men, however, adhered to the original opinion that the whole thing was supernatural, and that the more they meddled with it, the deeper they'd get themselves into trouble.

"My opinion is," said Old Ropes, "that there's treasure buried there, and the whole thing's under a charm, cave, mountain, and all."

"If there's treasure buried there," said the Parson, "I'm for having a share of it."

"The only way to get treasure that's under charm," said Old Ropes, "is to break the charm that binds it, by a stronger charm."

"It would take some blasting to get at treasure buried in that solid rock," said Jones Bradley.

"If we could only break the charm that holds the treasure, just as like as not that solid rock would all turn into quicksand," replied Old Ropes.

"Did you ever see the thing tried?" asked the Parson.

"No; but I've seen them as has," replied Old Ropes.

"And more than that," continued Old Ropes, "my belief is that Captain Flint is of the same opinion, though he didn't like to say so.

"I shouldn't wonder now, if he hadn't some charm he was tryin', and that was the reason why he stayed in the cave so much."

"I rather guess the charm that keeps the captain so much in the cave is a putty face," dryly remarked one of the men.

CHAPTER XII.

While these things had been going on at the cavern, and Captain Flint had been pretending to use his influence with the Indians for the recovery of Hellena, Carl Rosenthrall himself had not been idle in the meantime.

He had dealings with Indians of the various tribes along the river, and many from the Far North, and West, and he engaged them to make diligent search for his daughter among their people, offering tempting rewards to any who would restore her, or even tell him to a certainty, where she was to be found.

In order to induce Fire Cloud to restore her in case it should prove it was he who was holding her in captivity, he sent word to that chief, that if he would restore his child, he would not only not have him punished, but would load him with presents.

These offers, of course made through Captain Flint, who it was supposed by Rosenthrall, had more opportunities than any one else of communicating with the old chief.

How likely they would have been to reach the chief, even if he had been the real culprit, the reader can guess.

In fact he had done all in his power to impress the Indian that to put himself in the power of Rosenthrall, would be certain death to him.

Thus more than a month passed without bringing to the distracted father any tidings of his missing child.

We may as well remark here, that Rosenthrall had lost his wife many years before, and that Hellena was his only child, so that in losing her he felt that he had lost everything.

The Indians whom he had employed to aid him in his search, informed him that they could learn nothing of his daughter among their people, and some of them who were acquainted with Fire Cloud, told him that the old chief protested he knew nothing of the matter.

Could it be that Flint was playing him false?

He could hardly think that it was Flint himself who had stolen his child, for what motive could he have in doing it?

The more he endeavored to unravel the mystery, the stranger and more mysterious it became.

Notwithstanding the statements to the contrary made by the Indians, Flint persisted in giving it as his belief, that Fire Cloud had carried off the girl and was still holding her a prisoner. He even said that the chief had admitted as much to him. Yet he was sure that if he was allowed to manage the affair in his own way, he should be able to bring the Indian to terms.

It was about this time that the dark suspicions began to be whispered about that Captain Flint was in some way connected with the horrible piracies that had recently been perpetrated on the coast, if he were not in reality the leader of the desperate gang himself, by whom they had been perpetrated.

Those suspicions as we have seen, coming to Flint's own ears, had caused him to plan another project still more horrible than the one he was pursuing, in order to quiet those suspicions until he should have an opportunity of capturing the rich prize which was to be the finishing stroke to his achievements in this part of the world.

The suspicions in regard to Captain Flint had reached the ears of Rosenthrall, as well as others, who had been secretly concerned with him in his smuggling transactions, although in no way mixed up with his piracies.

Rosenthrall feared that in case these suspicions against Flint should lead to his arrest, the whole matter would come out and be exposed, leading to the disgrace if not the ruin, of all concerned.

It was therefore with a feeling of relief, while joining in the general expression of horror, that he heard of a most terrible piracy having been committed on the coast. Captain Flint's vessel was lying in port, and he was known to be in the city.

There was one thing too connected with this affair that seemed to prove conclusively, that the suspicions heretofore harboured against the captain were unjust.

And that was the report brought by the crew of a fishing smack, that they had seen a schooner answering to the description given of the pirate, just before this horrible occurrence took place.

Captain Flint now assumed the bearing of a man whose fair fame had been purified of some foul blot stain that had been unjustly cast upon it, one who had been honorably acquitted of base charges brought against him by enemies who had sought his ruin.

He had not been ignorant, he said, of the dark suspicions that had been thrown out against him.

But he had trusted to time to vindicate his character, and he had not trusted in vain.

Among the first to congratulate Captain Flint on his escape from the danger with which he had been threatened, was Carl Rosenthrall.

He admitted that he had been to some extent, tainted with suspicion, in common with others, for which he now asked his forgiveness.

The pardon was of course granted by the captain, coupled with hope that he would not be so easily led away another time.

The facts in regard to this last diabolical act of the pirates were these.

Captain Flint, in accordance with the plan which he had decided upon, and with which the reader has already been made acquainted, fitted out a small fishing vessel, manned by some of the most desperate of his crew, and commanded by the Parson and Old Ropes.

Most of the men went on board secretly at night, only three men appearing on deck when she set sail.

In fact, no one to look at her, would take her for anything but an ordinary fishing smack.

They had not been out long, before they came in sight of a vessel which they thought would answer their purpose. It was a small brig engaged in trading along the coast, and such a vessel as under ordinary circumstances they would hardly think worth noticing. But their object was not plunder this time, but simply to do something that would shield them from the danger that threatened them on shore.

The time seemed to favor them, for the night was closing in and there were no other vessels in sight.

On the pirates making a signal of distress, the commander of the brig brought his vessel to, until the boat from the supposed smack could reach him, and the crew could make their wants known.

To his surprise six men fully armed sprang upon his deck.

To resist this force there were only himself, and two men, all unarmed.

Of these the pirates made short work not deigning to answer the questions put to them by their unfortunate victims.

When they had murdered all on board, and thrown overboard such of the cargo as they did not want they abandoned the brig, knowing from the direction of the wind, and the state of the tide, that she would soon drift on the beach, and the condition in which she would be found, would lead people to believe that she had been boarded by pirates, and all on board put to death.

After having accomplished this hellish act, they turned their course homeward, bringing the report that they had seen the notorious piratical schooner which had committed so many horrible depredations, leading every one to conclude that this was another of her terrible deeds.

Captain Flint, satisfied with the result of this last achievement, felt himself secure for the present.

He could now without fear of interruption, take time to mature his plans for carrying out his next grand enterprise, which was to be the crowning one of all his adventures, and which was to enrich all engaged in it.

CHAPTER XIII.

Captain Flint's plan for the accomplishment of his last grand enterprise was, as soon as it should be announced to him by those he had constantly on the lookout, that the expected vessel was in sight, to embark in a large whale boat which he had secretly armed, and fitted for the purpose.

After killing the crew of the vessel they expected to capture, he would tack about ship, and take her into some port where he could dispose of the vessel and cargo.

As, in this case, it was his intention to abandon the country for ever, he removed under various pretences, all his most valuable property from the cavern.

The schooner he was to leave in charge of Jones Bradley, under pretence that it was necessary to do so, in order to divert suspicion from him when the thing should have been accomplished.

The fact was, that as he should have no further use for the schooner, and having for some time past, feared that Bradley seemed to be too tender-hearted to answer his purpose, he had determined to abandon him and the schooner together.

At last, news was brought to Captain Flint that a vessel answering the one they were expecting was in sight.

Flint who, with his crew of desperators, was lying at a place now known as Sandy Hook, immediately started in pursuit.

Everything seemed to favor the pirates. The doomed ship was making her way under a light breeze apparently unconscious of danger.

There was one thing about the ship, that struck the pirates as rather unusual. There seemed to be more hands on board than were required to man such a vessel.

"I'm afraid there's more work for us than we've bargained for," said one of the men.

"They seem to have a few passengers on board," remarked Flint, "but we can soon dispose of them."

The principal part of Flint's men had stretched themselves on the bottom of the boat for fear of exciting the suspicion of those on board the ship by their numbers.

As the pirate craft approached the merchant man, apparently with no hostile intention, those on board the ship were watching the boat as closely as they were themselves watched.

As soon as they came within hailing distance, the man at the bow of the boat notified the captain of the ship that he wished to come along side, as he had something of importance to communicate.

The captain of the ship commenced apparently making preparations to receive the visit, when one of the men on deck who had been observing the boat for some time came to him and said:

"That's he. I'm sure I can't be mistaken. The man on the bow of the boat is the notorious pirate Flint."

The pirates were approaching rapidly.

In a moment more they would be along side, and nothing could prevent them from boarding the ship.

In that moment the captain of the ship, by a skilful movement suddenly tacked his vessel about just as the pirates came up, coming in contact with the boat in such a manner as to split her in two in a moment.

A dozen men sprung up from the bottom of the boat, uttering horrid curses while they endeavored to reach the ship or cling to portions of their shattered boat.

The greater portion of them were drowned, as no efforts were made to rescue them.

Three only succeeded in reaching the deck of the ship in safety, and these would probably have rather followed their comrades had they known how few were going to escape.

These three were Captain Flint, the one called the Parson and Old Ropes.

These were at first disposed to show fight, but it was of no use. Their arms had been lost in their struggle in the water.

They were soon overpowered and put in irons.

Great was the excitement caused in the goodly little City of New York, by the arrival of the merchant ship bringing as prisoners, the daring pirate with two of his men whose fearful deeds had caused all the inhabitants of the land to thrill with horror.

And great was the surprise of the citizens to find in that terrible pirate a well-known member of the community, and one whom nearly all regarded as a worthy member of society.

Another cause of surprise to the good people of the city, was the arrival by this vessel, of one whom all had long given up as lost, and that was Henry Billings, the lover of Hellena Rosenthrall.

He it was who had recognized in the commander of the whale boat, the pirate Flint, and had warned the captain of the ship of his danger, thereby enabling him to save his vessel, and the lives of all on board.

Captain Flint made a slight mistake when he took the vessel by which he was run down, for the India man he was looking out for. It was an ordinary merchant ship from Amsterdam, freighted with merchandise from that port. Though in appearance she very much resembled the vessel which Captain Flint had taken her for.

The reason young Billings happened to be on board of her was this:

It will be remembered that when the ship in which Billings had taken passage for Europe, was attacked by the pirates, he was forced to walk the plank.

By the pirates, he was of course supposed to have been drowned, but in this they were mistaken. He had been in the water but a few moments when he came in contact with a portion of a spar which had probably come from some wreck or had been washed off of some vessel.

To this he lashed himself with a large handkerchief which it was his good fortune to have at the time.

Lashed to this spar he passed the night.

When morning came he found that he had drifted out to sea; he could not tell how far.

He was out of sight of land, and no sail met his anxious gaze.

His strength was nearly exhausted, and he felt a stupor coming over him. Then he lost all consciousness.

How long he lay in this condition he could not tell. When he came to himself, he found that he was lying in the birth of a vessel, while a sailor was standing at his side.

The whole thing was soon explained.

He had been discovered by the Captain of a ship bound for England, from Boston.

He had been taken on board, in an almost lifeless condition, and kindly cared for.

In a little while he recovered his usual strength, and although his return home must necessarily be delayed, he trusted to be enabled before a great while to do so and bring to justice the villains who had attempted his murder.

Unfortunately the vessel by which he had been rescued, was wrecked on the coast of Ireland, he and the crew barely escaping with their lives.

After a while, he succeeded in getting to England by working his passage there.

From London, he made his way in the same manner, to Amsterdam, where the mercantile house with which he was connected being known, he found no difficulty in securing a passage for New York.

Billings now for the first time heard the story of Hellena's mysterious disappearance.

It immediately occurred to him that Captain Flint was some way concerned in the affair not withstanding his positive denial that he knew anything of the matter further than he had already made known.

The capture of Captain Flint, and the other two pirates of course led to the arrest of Jones Bradley who had been left in charge of the schooner.

He was found on board of the vessel, which was lying a short distance up the river, and arrested before he had learned the fate of his comrades.

He was cast into prison with the rest, though each occupied a separate cell.

As no good reason could be given for delaying the punishment of the prisoners, their trial was commenced immediately.

The evidence against them was too clear to make a long trial necessary.

They were all condemned to death with the exception of Jones Bradley, whose punishment on account of his not engaged in last affair, and having recommended mercy in the case of Henry Billings, was committed to imprisonment for life.

When the time came for the carrying out of sentence of the three who had been condemned to death, it was found that one of them was missing and that one, the greatest villain of them all, Captain Flint himself!

How could this have happened? No one had visited him on the previous day but Carl Rosenthrall, and he was a magistrate, and surely he would be the last one to aid in the escape of a prisoner!

That he was gone however, was a fact. There was no disputing that.

But If it were a fact that he had made his escape, it was equally true, that he could not have gone very far, and the community were not in the humor to let such a desperate character as he was now known to be, escape without making a strenuous effort to recapture him.

The execution of the two who had been sentenced to die at the same time, was delayed for a few days in the hope of learning from them, the places where Flint would most probably fly to, but they maintained a sullen silence on the subject.

They then applied to Jones Bradley with, at first, no better result. But when Henry Billings, who was one of those appointed to visit him, happened to allude to the strange fate of Hellena Rosenthrall, he hesitated a moment, and then said he knew where the girl was, and that she had been captured by Captain Flint, and kept in close confinement by him.

He had no wish he said to betray his old commander, though he knew that he had been treated badly by him, but he would like to save the young woman.

Captain Flint might be in the same place, but if he was, he thought that he would kill the girl sooner than give her up.

If Captain Flint, was not there, the only ones in the cave besides the girl, were a squaw, and Captain Flint's negro boy, Bill.

For the sake of the girl Bradley said he would guide a party to the cave.

This offer was at once accepted, and a party well armed, headed by young Billings, and guided by Jones Bradley, set out immediately.

CHAPTER XIV.

When Captain Flint made his escape from prison, it naturally enough occurred to him, that the safest place for him for awhile, would be the cave.

In it he thought he could remain in perfect safety, until he should find an opportunity for leaving the country.

The cave, or at least the secret chamber, was unknown to any except his crew, and those who were confined in it.

On leaving the cave, the last time, with a heartlessness worthy a demon, he had barred the entrance to the cavern on the outside, so as to render it impossible for those confined there to escape in that direction.

In fact, he had, be supposed, buried them alive—left them to die of hunger.

Captain Flint reached the entrance of the cave in safety, and found everything as he had left it.

On reaching the inner chamber where he had left the two women and the negro boy, he was startled to find the place apparently deserted, while all was in total darkness, except where a few rays found their way through the crevices of the rocks.

He called the names first of one, and then another, but the only answer he received was the echo of his own voice.

How was this? could they be all sleeping or dead?

They certainly could not have made their escape, for the fastenings were all as he had left them.

The means of striking fire were at hand, and a lamp was soon lighted.

He searched the cave, but could discover no trace of the missing ones.

A strange horror came over him, such as he had never felt before.

The stillness oppressed him; no living enemy could have inspired him with the fear he now felt from being alone in this gloomy cavern.

"I must leave this place," he said, "I would rather be in prison than here."

Again he took up the lamp, and went round the cave, but more this time in hopes of finding some weapon to defend himself with, in case he should be attacked, than with the hope of discovering the manner in which those he had left there had contrived to make their escape.

It had been his custom, lately, on leaving the cavern, to take his weapons with him, not knowing what use might be made of them by the women under the provocation, to which they were sometimes subjected.

The only weapon he could find was a large dagger. This he secured, and was preparing to leave the cavern, when he thought he saw something moving in one corner.

In order to make sure that he had not been mistaken, he approached the place.

It was a corner where a quantity of skins had been thrown, and which it had not been convenient for him to remove, when he left the cavern.

Thinking that one of these skins might be of service to him in the life he would be obliged to live for some time, he commenced sorting them over, for the purpose of finding one that would answer his purpose, when a figure suddenly sprang up from the pile.

It would be hard to tell which of the two was the more frightened.

"Dat you, massa," at length exclaimed the familiar voice of Black Bill. "I tought it was de debil come back agin to carry me off."

"What, is that you, Bill?" said Flint, greatly relieved, and glad to find some one who could explain the strange disappearance of Hellena and Lightfoot.

"Where are the rest, Bill?" he asked; "where's the white girl and the Indian woman?"

"Debble carry dim off," said Bill.

"What do you mean, you black fool?" said his master; "if you don't tell me where they've gone, I'll break your black skull for you."

"Don't know where dar gone," said Bill, tremblingly, "Only know dat de debble take dem away."

Flint finding that he was not likely to get anything out of the boy by frightening him, now changed his manner, saying;

"Never mind, Bill, let's hear all about it."

The boy reassured, now told his master that the night before while he was lying awake near the pile of skins and the women were asleep, he saw the walls of the cavern divide and a figure holding a blazing torch such as he had never seen before, enter the room.

"I tought," said Bill, "dat it was de debble comin' arter you agin, massa, and I was 'fraid he would take me along, so I crawled under de skins, but I made a hole so dat I could watch what he was doin'."

"He looked all round a spell for you, massa, an' when he couldn't find you, den he went were de women was sleepin' an woke dem up and made dem follow him.

"Den da called me and looked all ober for me an' couldn't find me, an' de debble said he couldn't wait no longer, an' dat he would come for me annudder time, An den de walls opened agin, an' da all went true togedder. When I heard you in de cave, massa, I tought it was de debble come agin to fetch me, an' so I crawled under de skins agin."

From this statement of the boy, Flint come to the conclusion that Bill must have been too much frightened at the time to know what was actually taking place.

One thing was certain, and that was the prisoners had escaped, and had been aided in their escape by some persons, to him unknown, in a most strange and mysterious manner.

Over and over again he questioned Black Bill, but every time with the same result.

The boy persisted in the statement, that he saw the whole party pass out through an opening in the walls of the cavern.

That they had not passed out through the usual entrance was evident, for he found everything as he had left it.

Again he examined the walls of the cavern, only to be again baffled and disappointed.

He began to think that may be after all, the cavern was under a spell of enchantment, and that the women had actually been carried off in the manner described by the negro.

The boy was evidently honest in his statement, believing that he was telling nothing that was not true.

But be all this as it might, the mere presence of a human being, even though a poor negro boy, was sufficient to enable him to shake off the feeling of loneliness and fear, with which he was oppressed upon entering the cavern.

He now determined to remain in the cavern for a short time.

Long enough at least to make a thorough examination of the place, before taking his departure.

This determination of Captain Flint's was by no means agreeable to the negro boy.

Bill was anxious to leave the cave, and by that means escape the clutches of the devil, who was in the habit of frequenting it.

He endeavored to induce Flint to change his resolution by assuring him that he had heard the devil say that he was coming after him. But the captain only laughed at the boy, and he was compelled to remain.

CHAPTER XV.

For several days after the departure of Captain Flint, the inmates of the cavern felt no uneasiness at his absence; but when day after day passed, until more than a week had elapsed without his making his appearance they began to be alarmed.

It had uniformly been the practice of Captain Flint on leaving the cave, to give Lightfoot charges to remain there until his return, and not to allow any one to enter, or pass out during his absence.

This charge she had strictly obeyed.

Singularly enough he had said nothing about it the last time. This, however, made no difference with Lightfoot, for if she thought of it at all, she supposed that he had forgotten it. Still she felt no disposition to disobey his commands, although her feelings towards him, since his late brutal treatment had very much changed.

But their provisions were giving out, and to remain in the cavern much longer, they must starve to death. Lightfoot therefore resolved to go in search of the means of preventing such a catastrophe, leaving the others to remain in the cave until her return.

On attempting to pass out, she found to her horror that the way was barred against her from the outside.

In fact, they were buried alive!

In vain she endeavored to force her way out. The entrance had been too well secured.

There seemed to be no alternative but to await patiently the return of the captain.

Failing in that, they must starve to death!

Their supply of provisions was not yet quite exhausted, and they immediately commenced putting themselves on short allowance, hoping by that means to make them last until relief should come.

While the two women were sitting together, talking over the matter, and endeavoring to comfort each other, Hellena noticing the plain gold ring on the finger of Lightfoot, that had been placed there by Captain Flint during her quarrel with the Indian, asked to be allowed to look at it.

On examining the ring, she at once recognized it as the one worn by her lost lover.

Her suspicions in regard to Flint were now fully confirmed. She was satisfied that he was in some way concerned in the sudden disappearance of the missing man.

Could it be possible that he had been put out of the way by this villain, who, for some reason unknown to any but himself, was now desirous of disposing of her also?

The thought filled her with horror.

That night the two women retired to rest as usual. It was a long time before sleep came to their relief. But it came at last.

The clock which the pirates had hung in the cave, struck twelve, when Hellena started from her slumber with a suppressed cry, for the figure she had seen in the vision many nights ago, stood bending over her! But now it looked more like a being of real flesh and blood, than a spectre. And when it spoke to her, saying, "has the little paleface maiden forgotten; no, no!" she recognized in the intruder, her old friend the Indian chief, Fire Cloud.

Hellena, the feelings of childhood returning, sprang up, and throwing her arms around the old chief, exclaimed:

"Save me, no, no, save me!"

Lightfoot was by this time awake also, and on her feet. To her the appearance of the chief seemed a matter of no surprise. Not that she had expected anything of the kind, but she looked upon the cave as a place of enchantment, and she believed that the spirits having it in charge, could cause the walls to open and close again at pleasure. And she recognized Fire Cloud as one of the chiefs of her own tribe. He was also a descendant of one of its priests, and was acquainted with all the mysteries of the cavern.

He told the prisoners that he had come to set them at liberty, and bade them follow.

They had got everything for their departure, when they observed for the first time that Black Bill was missing.

They could not think of going without him, leaving him there to perish, but the cavern was searched for him in vain. His name was called to no better purpose, till they were at last compelled to go without him, the chief promising to return and make another search for him, all of which was heard by the negro from his hiding place under the pile of skins as related in the preceding chapter.

The chief, to the surprise of Hellena, instead of going to what might be called the door of the cavern, went to one of the remote corners, and stooping down, laid hold of a projection of rock, and gave it a sudden pressure, when a portion of the wall moved aside, disclosing a passage, till then unknown to all except Fire Cloud himself. It was one of the contrivances of the priests of the olden time, for the purpose of imposing upon the ignorant and superstitious multitude.

On passing through this opening, which the chief carefully closed after him, the party entered a narrow passageway, leading they could not see where, nor how far.

The Indian led the way, carrying his torch, and assisting them over the difficulties of the way, when assistance was required.

Thus he led them on, over rocks, and precipices, sometimes the path widening until it might be called another cavern, and then again becoming so narrow as to only allow one to pass at a time.

Thus they journeyed on for the better part of a mile, when they suddenly came to a full stop. Further progress appeared to be impossible.

It seemed to Hellena that nothing short of an enchanter's wand could open the way for them now, when Fire Cloud, going to the end of the passage, gave a large slab which formed the wall a push on the lower part, causing it to rise as if balanced by pivots at the center, and making an opening through which the party passed, finding themselves in the open air, with the stars shining brightly overhead.

As soon as they had passed out the rock swung back again, and no one unacquainted with the fact, would have supposed that common looking rock to be the door of the passage leading to the mysterious cavern.

The place to which they now came, was a narrow valley between the mountains.

Pursuing their journey up this valley, they came to a collection of Indian wigwams, and here they halted, the chief showing them into his own hut, which was one of the group.

Another time, it would have alarmed Hellena Rosenthrall to find herself in the wilderness surrounded by savages.

But now, although among savages far away from home, without a white face to look upon, she felt a degree of security, she had long been a stranger to.

In fact she felt that the Indians under whose protection she now found herself, were far more human, far less cruel, than the demon calling himself a white man, out of whose hands she had so fortunately escaped.

For once since her capture, her sleep was quiet, and refreshing.

CHAPTER XVI.

Black Bill, on leaving the captain, after having vainly endeavored to persuade him to leave the cave, crawled in to his usual place for passing the night, but not with the hope of forgetting his troubles in sleep.

He was more firmly than ever impressed with the idea that the cavern was the resort of the Devil and his imps, and that they would certainly return for the purpose of carrying off his master. To this he would have no objection, did he not fear that they might nab him also, in order to keep his master company.

So when everything was perfectly still in the cavern excepting the loud breathing of the captain, which gave evidence of his being fast asleep, the negro crept cautiously out of the recess, where he had thrown himself down, and moved noiselessly to the place where the captain was lying.

Having satisfied himself that his master was asleep, he went to the table, and taking the lamp that was burning there, he moved towards the entrance of the cave. This was now fastened only on the inside, and the fastening could be easily removed.

In a few moments Black Bill was at liberty.

As soon as he felt himself free from the cave, he gave vent to a fit of boisterous delight, exclaiming. "Hah! hah! hah! Now de debile may come arter massa Flint as soon as he please, he ain't a goun to ketch dis chile, I reckan. Serb de captain right for trowin my fadder in de sea.

"Hah! hah! hah! he tink I forgit all dat. I guess he fin out now."

Thus he went on until the thought seeming to strike him that he might be overheard, and pursued, he stopped all at once, and crept further into the forest and as he thought further out of the reach of the devil.

The morning had far advanced when captain Flint awoke from his slumber.

He knew this from the few sunbeams that found their way through a crevice in the rocks at one corner of the cave.

With this exception the place was in total darkness, for the lamp as we have said had been carried off by the negro.

"Hello, there, Bill, you black imp," shouted the captain, "bring a light."

But Bill made no answer, although the command was several times repeated.

At last, Flint, in a rage, sprang up, and seizing a raw hide which he always kept handy for such emergencies, he went to the sleeping place of the negro, and struck a violent blow on the place where Bill ought to have been, but where Bill was not.

The captain started. "Has he, too, escaped me?" he exclaimed.

Flint went back, and for a few moments sat down by the table in silence. After awhile the horror at being alone in such a gloomy place, once more came over him.

"Who knows," he thought, "but this black imp may betray me into the hands of my enemies. Even he, should he be so disposed, has it in his power to come at night, and by fastening the entrance of the cavern on the outside, bury me alive!"

So Flint reasoned, and so reasoning, made up his mind to leave the cavern.

Flint had barely passed beyond the entrance of the cave, when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. He crouched under the bushes in order to watch and listen.

He saw a party of six men approaching, all fully armed excepting one, who seemed to be a guide to the rest.

Flint fairly gnashed his teeth with rage as he recognised in this man his old associate—Jones Bradley.

The whole party halted at a little distance from the entrance to the cave, where Bradley desired them to remain while he should go and reconnoitre.

He had reached the entrance, had made a careful examination of everything about it, and was in the act of turning to make his report, when Flint sprang upon him from the bushes, saying, "So it's you, you traitor, who has betrayed me," at the same moment plunging his dagger in the breast of Bradley, who fell dead at his feet.

In the next moment the pirate was flying through the forest. Several shots were fired at him, but without any apparent effect.

The whole party started in pursuit. But the pirate having the advantage of a start and a better knowledge of the ground, was soon hidden from view in the intricacies of the forest.

Still the party continued their pursuit, led now by Henry Billings.

As the pirate did not return the fire of his pursuers, it was evident that his only weapon was the dagger with which he had killed the unfortunate Bradley.

For several hours they continued their search, but all to no purpose, and they were about to give it up for the present, when one of them stumbled, and fell over something buried in the grass, when up sprang Black Bill, who had hidden there on hearing the approach of the party.

"Lookin' arter massa Flint?" asked the boy, as soon as he had discovered that he was among friends.

"Yes; can you tell us which way he has gone?" asked Billings.

"Gone dat way, and a-runnin' as if de debble was arter him, an' I guess he is, too."

The party set off in the direction pointed out, the negro following.

After going about half a mile, they were brought to a full stop by a precipice over which the foremost one of the party was near falling.

As they came to the brink they thought they heard a whine and a low growl, as of a wild animal in distress.

Looking into the ravine, a sight met their gaze, which caused them to shrink back with horror.

At the bottom of the ravine lay the body of the man of whom they were in pursuit, but literally torn to pieces.

Beside the body crouched an enormous she bear, apparently dying from wounds she had received from an encounter with the men.

Could his worst enemy have wished him a severe punishment?

"De debble got him now," said Black Bill, and the whole party took their way back to the cave.

On their way back, Billings learned from the negro that Hellena in company with Lightfoot, had left the cave several days previous to their coming. Where they had gone he could not tell.

He was so possessed with the idea they had been spirited away by the devil, or some one of his imps in the shape of an enormous Indian, that they thought he must have been frightened out of his wits.

Billings was at a loss what course to take, but he had made up his mind not to return to the city, until he had learned something definite in relation to the fate of his intended bride.

In all probability, she was at some one of the Indian villages belonging to some of the tribes occupying that part of the country.

For this purpose he embarked again in the small vessel in which he had come up the river, intending to proceed a short distance further up, for the purpose of consulting an old chief who, with his family, occupied a small island situated there.

He had proceeded but a short distance when he saw a large fleet of canoes approaching.

Supposing them to belong to friendly Indians, Billings made no attempt to avoid them, and his boat was in a few moments surrounded by the savages.

At first the Indians appeared to be perfectly friendly, offering to trade and, seeming particularly anxious to purchase fire-arms.

This aroused the suspicions of the white men, and they commenced endeavoring to get rid of their troublesome visitors, when to their astonishment, they were informed that they were prisoners!

Billings was surprised to find that the Indians, after securing their prisoners, instead of starting up the river again, continued their course down the stream.

But what he learned shortly after from one of the Indians, who spoke English tolerably well, astonished him still more. And that was, that he was taken for the notorious pirate Captain Flint, of whose escape they had heard from some of their friends recently from the city, and they thought that nothing would please their white brethren so much as to bring him back captive.

It was to no purpose that Billings endeavored to convince them of their mistake. They only shook their heads, as much as to say it was of no use, they were not to be so easily imposed upon.

And so Billings saw there was no help for it but to await patiently his arrival at New York, when all would be set right again.

But in the meantime Hellena might be removed far beyond his reach.

CHAPTER XVII.

Great was the mortification in the city upon learning the mistake they had made.

Where they had expected to receive praise and a handsome reward for having performed a meritorious action, they obtained only censure and reproaches for meddling in matters that did not concern them.

It was only a mistake however, and there was no help for it. And Billings, although greatly vexed and disappointed, saw no course left for him but to set off again, although he feared that the chances of success were greatly against him this time, on account of the time that had been lost.

The Indians, whose unfortunate blunder had been the cause of this delay, in order to make some amends for the wrong they had done him, now came forward, and offered to aid him in his search for the missing maiden.

They proffered him the use of their canoes to enable him to ascend the streams, and to furnish guides, and an escort to protect him while traveling through the country.

This offer, so much better than he had any reason to expect, was gladly accepted by Billings, and with two friends who had volunteered to accompany him, he once more started up the river, under the protection of his new friends.

War had broken out among the various tribes on the route which he must travel, making it unsafe for him and his two companions, even under such a guide and escort as his Indian friends could furnish them.

Thus he with his two associates were detained so long in the Indian country, that by their friends at home they were given up as lost.

At last peace was restored, and they set out on their return.

The journey home was a long and tedious one, but nothing occurred worth narrating.

Upon reaching the Hudson, they employed an Indian to take them the remainder of the way in a canoe.

Upon reaching Manhattan Island, the first place they stopped at was the residence of Carl Rosenthrall, Billings intending that the father of Hellena should be the first to hear the sad story of his failure and disappointment.

It was evening when he arrived at the house and the lamps were lighted in the parlor.

With heavy heart and trembling hands he rapped at the door.

As the door opened he uttered a faint cry of surprise, which was answered by a similar one by the person who admitted him. It was Hellena herself!

The scene that followed we shall not attempt to describe.

CHAPTER XVIII.

At about the same time that Henry Billings, under the protection of his Indian friends, set out on his last expedition up the river, a single canoe with four persons in it, put out from under the shadow of Old Crow Nest, on its way down the stream.

The individual by whom the canoe was directed was an Indian, a man somewhat advanced in years. The others were a white girl, an Indian woman, and a negro boy.

In short, the party consisted of Fire Cloud, Hellena Rosenthrall, Lightfoot, and Black Bill, on their way to the city.

They had passed the fleet of canoes in which Billings had embarked, but not knowing whether it belonged to a party of friendly Indians or otherwise.

Fire Cloud had avoided coming in contact with it for fear of being delayed, or of the party being made prisoners and carried back again.

Could they have but met, what a world of trouble would it not have saved to all parties interested!

As it was, Hellena arrived in safety, greatly to the delight of her father and friends, who had long mourned for her as for one they never expected to see again in this world.

The sum of Hellena's happiness would now have been complete, had it not been for the dark shadow cast over it by the absence of her lover.

And this shadow grew darker, and darker, as weeks, and months, rolled by without bringing any tidings of the missing one.

What might have been the effects of the melancholy into which she was fast sinking, it is hard to tell, had not the unexpected return of the one for whose loss she was grieving, restored her once more to her wonted health and spirits.

And here we might lay down our pen, and call our story finished, did we not think that justice to the reader, required that we should explain some things connected with the mysterious, cavern not yet accounted for.

How the Indian entered the cave on the night when Hellena fancied she had seen a ghost, and how she made her escape, has been explained, but we have not yet explained how the noises were produced which so alarmed the pirates.

It will be remembered that the sleeping place of Black Bill was a recess in the wall of the cavern.

Now in the wall, near the head of the negro's bed, there was a deep fissure or crevice. It happened that Bill while lying awake one night, to amuse himself, put his month to the crevice and spoke some words, when to his astonishment, what he had said, was repeated over and over, again.

Black Bill in his ignorance and simplicity, supposed that the echo, which came back, was an answer from some one on the other side of the wall.

Having made this discovery, he repeated the experiment a number of times, and always with the same result.

After awhile, he began to ask questions of the spirit, as he supposed it to be, that had spoken to him.

Among other things he asked if the devil was coming after master.

The echo replied, "The debil comin' after master," and repeated it a great many times.

Bill now became convinced that it was the devil himself that he had been talking to.

On the night when the pirates were so frightened by the fearful groan, Bill was lying awake, listening to the captain's story. When he came to the part where he describes the throwing the boy's father overboard, and speaks of the horrible groan, Bill put his mouth to the crevice, and imitated the groan, which had been too deeply fixed in his memory ever to be forgotten, giving full scope to his voice.

The effect astonished and frightened him as well as the pirates.

With the same success he imitated the Indian war-whoop, which he had learned while among the savages.

The next time that the pirates were so terribly frightened, the alarm was caused by Fire Cloud after his visit to the cave on the occasion that he had been taken for the devil by Bill, and an Indian ghost by Hellena.

Fire Cloud had remained in another chamber of the cavern connected with the secret passage already described, and where the echo was even more wonderful than the one pronounced from the opening through which the negro had spoken.

Here he could hear all that was passing in the great chamber occupied by the pirates, and from this chamber the echoes were to those who did not understand their cause, perfectly frightful.

All these peculiarities of the cavern had been known to the ancient Indian priests or medicine men, and by them made use of to impose on their ignorant followers.

BEADLE'S FRONTIER SERIES

1. The Shawnee's Foe. 51. Madman of the Ocont.

2. The Young Mountaineer. 52. Slim Jim.

3. Wild Jim. 53. Tiger-Eye.

4. Hawk-Eye, the Hunter. 54. The Red Star of the Seminoles.

5. The Boy Guide. 55. Trapper Joe.

6. War Tiger of the Modocs. 56. The Indian Queen's Revenge.

7. The Red Modocs. 57. Eagle-Eyed Zeke.

8. Iron Hand. 58. Scar-Cheek, the Wild Half-Breed.

9. Shadow Bill, the Scout. 59. Red Men of the Woods.

10. Wapawkaneta, or the Rangers of the Oneida. 60. Tuscaloosa Sam.

11. Davy Crockett's Boy Hunter. 61. The Bully of the Woods.

12. The Forest Avenger. 62. The Trapper's Bride.

13. Old Jack's Frontier Cabin. 63. Red Rattlesnake, The Pawnee.

14. On the Deep. 64. The Scout of Tippecanoe.

15. Sharp Snout. 65. Old Kit, The Scout.

16. The Mountain Demon. 66. The Boy Scouts.

17. Wild Tom of Wyoming. 67. Hiding Tom.

18. The Brave Boy Hunters of Kentucky. 68. Roving Dick, Hunter.

19. The Fearless Ranger. 69. Hickory Jack.

20. The Haunted Trapper. 70. Mad Mike.

21. Madman of the Colorado. 71. Snake-Eye.

22. The Panther Demon. 72. Big-Hearted Joe.

23. Slashaway, the Fearless. 73. The Blazing Arrow.

24. Pine Tree Jack. 74. The Hunter Scouts.

25. Indian Jim. 75. The Scout of Long Island.

26. Navajo Nick. 76. Turkey-Foot.

27. The Tuscarora's Vow. 77. The Death Rangers.

28. Deadwood Dick, Jr. 78. Bullet Head.

29. A New York Boy Among the Indians. 79. The Indian Spirit.

30. Deadwood Dick's Big Deal. 80. The Twin Trappers.

31. Hank, the Guide. 81. Lightfoot the Scout.

32. Deadwood Dick's Dozen. 82. Grim Dick.

33. Squatty Dick. 83. The Wooden-Legged Spy.

34. The Hunter's Secret. 84. The Silent Trapper.

35. The Woman Trapper. 85. Ugly Ike.

36. The Chief of the Miami. 86. Fire Cloud.

37. Gunpowder Jim. 87. Hank Jasper.

38. Mad Anthony's Captain. 88. The Scout of the Sciota.

39. The Ranger Boy's Career. 89. Black Samson.

40. Old Nick of the Swamp. 90. Billy Bowlegs.

41. The Shadow Scout. 91. The Bloody Footprint.

42. Lantern-Jawed Bob. 92. Marksman the Hunter.

43. The Masked Hunter. 93. The Demon Cruiser.

44. Brimstone Jake. 94. Hunters and Redskins.

45. The Irish Hunter. 95. Panther Jack.

46. Dave Bunker. 96. Old Zeke.

47. The Shawnee Witch. 97. The Panther Paleface.

48. Big Brave. 98. The Scout of the St. Lawrence.

49. Spider-Legs. 99. Bloody Brook.

50. Harry Hardskull. 100. Long Bob of Kentucky.

THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. Cleveland, U.S.A.