The Free Rangers: A Story of the Early Days Along the MississippiAltsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
General
The Free Rangers: A Story of the Early Days Along the Mississippi
Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Juvenile fiction; Mississippi River -- Juvenile fiction
Luiz nodded violently, smiled at the boy, and then held out his hand in
quite an American fashion. His face expressed not only understanding but
gratitude as well. Henry, of the acute eye and retentive mind, took a
second look. Then he remembered.
"The man whom the buffalo was about to gore and run over!" he exclaimed.
"Well, I am glad I was there to help you, and it seems that a lucky chance
has made us a friend."
He took the proffered hand and shook it heartily. When Luiz had gone he
explained to the others.
"He is surely a friend," he said, "and we have certainly had a piece of
good fortune."
But Long Jim instantly demurred.
"Henry," he said, "you're a smart fellow, but you're talkin' real foolish.
It wuz your good heart that done it. Ef it hadn't told you to help him
when that mad bull wuz about to run over him an' gore him an' trample him
clean out uv sight in the earth, he wouldn't a-been here now, grinnin' at
you an' with the gratitude oozin' out uv him all over."
Just before the sunset the door was opened again and Braxton Wyatt thrust
in his hateful face. Behind him stood four Spanish soldiers.
"I hope you are enjoying yourselves," he said with irony.
"We'd rather be here, as we are, than be in your place, having done what
you have done," exclaimed Paul passionately.
Wyatt paled a little, but instantly recovered himself.
"A bear can growl a lot when it's in a trap but growling doesn't help it
out," he said airily.
"We kin do more than growl. We've got sharp teeth, too, ez you ought to
know," said Tom Ross, the man of few words.
"I'll admit that you have had some successes in the past," said Wyatt,
smiling maliciously, "but your time is done. We are the victors, and
you'll never get out of this."
The four as if by common consent turned their backs upon him and did not
utter another word. The renegade understood the contempt expressed by
those four silent backs, and the willful flush broke through the tan of
his face. He had never hated them more bitterly.
"Come you, Henry Ware," he said roughly, "Captain Alvarez wishes to ask
you some questions."
"I wouldn't go, Henry," said Long Jim. "I wouldn't hev a word to say to
that Spaniard or to this white Injun either."
"He will go, whether willingly or unwillingly," said Braxton Wyatt. "I've
men enough here to drag him."
"I will go willingly, Jim," said Henry addressing himself to his comrade
rather than to the renegade. "It cannot do any harm, and it may help."
"Yes, it is wiser," said Paul.
"So long, boys," said Henry. "I'll be back pretty soon."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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