Skip to main content <#maincontent> We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us! Internet Archive logo A line drawing of the Internet Archive headquarters building façade. Search icon An illustration of a magnifying glass. Search icon An illustration of a magnifying glass. Upload icon An illustration of a horizontal line over an up pointing arrow. Upload User icon An illustration of a person's head and chest. Sign up | Log in Web icon An illustration of a computer application window Wayback Machine Texts icon An illustration of an open book. Books Video icon An illustration of two cells of a film strip. Video Audio icon An illustration of an audio speaker. Audio Software icon An illustration of a 3.5" floppy disk. Software Images icon An illustration of two photographs. Images Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape Donate Ellipses icon An illustration of text ellipses. More Hamburger icon An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. Internet Archive Audio Live Music Archive Librivox Free Audio Featured * All Audio * This Just In * Grateful Dead * Netlabels * Old Time Radio * 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings Top * Audio Books & Poetry * Computers, Technology and Science * Music, Arts & Culture * News & Public Affairs * Spirituality & Religion * Podcasts * Radio News Archive Images Metropolitan Museum Cleveland Museum of Art Featured * All Images * This Just In * Flickr Commons * Occupy Wall Street Flickr * Cover Art * USGS Maps Top * NASA Images * Solar System Collection * Ames Research Center Software Internet Arcade Console Living Room Featured * All Software * This Just In * Old School Emulation * MS-DOS Games * Historical Software * Classic PC Games * Software Library Top * Kodi Archive and Support File * Vintage Software * APK * MS-DOS * CD-ROM Software * CD-ROM Software Library * Software Sites * Tucows Software Library * Shareware CD-ROMs * Software Capsules Compilation * CD-ROM Images * ZX Spectrum * DOOM Level CD Books Books to Borrow Open Library Featured * All Books * All Texts * This Just In * Smithsonian Libraries * FEDLINK (US) * Genealogy * Lincoln Collection Top * American Libraries * Canadian Libraries * Universal Library * Project Gutenberg * Children's Library * Biodiversity Heritage Library * Books by Language * Additional Collections Video TV News Understanding 9/11 Featured * All Video * This Just In * Prelinger Archives * Democracy Now! * Occupy Wall Street * TV NSA Clip Library Top * Animation & Cartoons * Arts & Music * Computers & Technology * Cultural & Academic Films * Ephemeral Films * Movies * News & Public Affairs * Spirituality & Religion * Sports Videos * Television * Videogame Videos * Vlogs * Youth Media Search the history of over 835 billion web pages on the Internet. Search the Wayback Machine Search icon An illustration of a magnifying glass. Mobile Apps * Wayback Machine (iOS) * Wayback Machine (Android) Browser Extensions * Chrome * Firefox * Safari * Edge Archive-It Subscription * Explore the Collections * Learn More * Build Collections Save Page Now Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. Please enter a valid web address * About * Blog * Projects * Help * Donate * Contact * Jobs * Volunteer * People * Sign up for free * Log in Search metadata Search text contents Search TV news captions Search radio transcripts Search archived web sites Advanced Search * About * Blog * Projects * Help * Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape * Contact * Jobs * Volunteer * People Full text of "Wild West Weekly n772 [1917-08-03] " See other formats ANK :/TOUSEY, PUBLISHER, 168 WEST 23D STREET, NEW YOR No. 772. NEW YORK, AUGUST 3, 1917. Price SIX Cents. DUNG WILD WEST'S oF A KIND; OR, A CURIOUS COMBINATION . “Here thay are, “boys,” said Wild, pointing to the tramps. “What do you think of that for a com- bination?” “They'll beat a fuil hand, all right, ror they're four of a kind,” answered Cheyenne Charlie with a laugh. WILD WEST WEEKLY A Magazine Containing Stories, Sketches, Etc., of Western Life Issued Weekly—By Subscription $3.00 per year. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1917, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C., by Harry E. Wolff, Publisher, 166 West 23d Street, New York. Entered at the New York, N. Y., Post Office as Second-Class Matter. No. 772. NEW YORK, AUGUST 3, 1917. Price 6 Cents. Young Wild West’s Four of a Kind ee LOR A CURIOUS COMBINATION By AN OLD SCOUT CHAPTER I. FOUR OF A KIND. It was a very warm day in early summer a few years ago that a dashing young horseman might have been seen riding along a dusty trail in the mountains of southern Colorado. A single glance at the handsome, boyish face would have told that he had not yet attained his majority, though his well-knit and athletic form should have been sufficient to convince the casual observer that he was every inch a man, as far as strength and agility went. The attire of the young fellow was as neat as it was attractive. Buckskin breeches, trimmed with red silk fringe, blue silk shirt, riding-boots and a broad sombrero of a light color was what it consisted of. A belt about his waist contained a couple of holsters, from which protruded the butts of a brace of six-shooters and a hunting-knife, Dark-eyed, with clean-cut features and a wealth of chestnut hair hanging over his shoulders, the boy was certainly a fine specimen of a young American of the great wild West. The steed he rode with such ease and grace was in perfect accord with the boy. It was a clean-limbed sorrel stallion with flowing mane and tail and had all the looks of a thor- opore racer that could stand endurance, as well as put up speed. . This boy was Young Wild West, the Prince of the Saddle and Champion Deadshot of the West. f His home was in a little mining town called Weston, which was located in the Black Hills of Dakota, but he had come to the Southwest with some friends a couple of months be- fore the opening of our story to try and better their fortunes. Young Wild West had made large sums of money in min- ing, but a slump in real estate had taken nearly all his ready cash to meet his obligations, and hence the trip to other re- gions where gold was to be found. As we find him on this hot and uncomfortable day, the dashing young Prince of the Saddle was on his way to the post-office at Gold Fork, which was fifteen miles from the mining camp called Spot Cash, where he and his two part- ners, Cheyenne Charlie and Jim Dart, were working a claim, Wild, as we shall call him, had some letters to mail, and he wanted to stock up with cartridges and a few mother little necessaries, so he Riad left the camp, early in the morning so he could get back by noon. He was now within about five miles of Gold Fork and was riding along the trail at an easy gait. The trail was not traveled a great deal, since the popula- tion of Spot Cash, which was a new camp, by the way, did exceed fifty just then, and the majority of them were of | too, the rougher element, who, so long as they could get what they wanted to eat and plenty of whisky, were satisfied to stay there and work their claims, or loaf, as they saw fit. ‘I must say that I am rather glad that we came up here,” Young Wild West mused, as he rode along. “The climate is so much better than that in Arizona and New Mexico. And I guess our claim at Spot Cash is going to pay pretty good, Well, we haven’t done so badly since we left Weston, though. I wonder—hello! What is this I see?” È „He reined in his horse suddénly, and as he looked ahead of him an amused smile came over his face. 7 Young Wild West was used to seeing all sorts of charac- tova in his travels through the West, but the four-men he now beheld wending their way slowly toward him capped the climax! F They were common, every-day tramps, such’ as are often seen in country towns, but at the time of which we write sel- gpa drifted out to the mining camps of Colorado and other places, ; Ragged, dirty and lazy-looking, but ‘decidedly comical withal, no wonder the sight amused the dashing young fellow on the sorrel stallion! i “Go on, Spitfire,” he said to his steed. “We will see who and what they are. That quartet is certainly a curious combination.” 4 The horse started forward on a trot, and when the four tramps suddenly caught sight of the young horseman they stopped and showed signs of uneasiness. They were fitted out with the usual tin cans and dirty lit- tle bundles that such men are wont to carry, and when Young Wild West came to a stop before them his face wore a smile that was gradually growing broader. “Hello, strangers!” he called out pleasantly. “Which way lare you traveling?” “Oh!” exclaimed the foremost of the four, with a sigh of relief. “So you ain’t a highwayman, then?” “Highwayman? Why, no! What in the highwayman want with such fellows as you? “He might want ter rob us,” spoke up one of the others, with a grin. “It ain’t nice ter be held up and cleaned out of all your hard-earned cash, yer know.” Then they all broke into a laugh, and the fellow who made this venture ha dodge the playful cracks that were aimed at his head by*his companions. ee “You asked us where we was goin’, didn’t yer?” said the man who had spoken first, after a pause. “Well, we’ve voted unanimously to go to work. Kin yer put us onto a job—an easy job, I mean, ’cause we wasn’t born to do hard work, yer know.” é å “If you really want work, just keep right in’ the direction you are going. This trail leads to Spot Cash, and if no one else ST pus you to werk when you get there I will.” „world would a 2 | YOUNG WILD WEST’S FOUR OF A KIND. : “That’s what we’re lookin’ fur,” remarked the fellow, who, for some reason, had kept well in the rear of his companions. “Tt is, eh?” “Yes, we're lookin’ fur ‘spot cash’ every time, ain’t we, boys? We don’t believe in waitin’ fur our dough.” Then they laughed again, and one of them threw down his hat and executed a few steps of a breakdown. “Go right on and you'll get to Spot Cash before noon,” said Wild. “It is only about-ten miles from here.” “All right, boss. Say! you ain’t got anything to drink about yer, I s’pose?” “You suppose just right, for, I haven’t.” , “That’s too bad! But never mind. I reckon we’ll have ter make out.” F “You'll find a brook just above. You can get all you want to drink there. And you might take a good wash, too; it wouldn’t hurt you, in my opinion.” The four tramps held up their hands in horror. “Wough!” they cried in unison. “Don’t mention water ter us, boss,” added the spokesman, “as we ain’t used to it.” “Well, if you stay around this country very long you'll get used to a whole lot of things you never experienced, I-guess. How long have you been in the West?” “Only four days, boss. We come in a freight from Chi- cago which was billed to a town down ther railroad about forty miles from here. We had plenty of grub an’ whisky with us, an’ we jest had a royal time in that old ear, you kin bet! But we got chucked out when they opened ther car, an’ we've been goin’ ever since. Good-by, boss! We’ll see yer in ther place yer call Spot Cash.” Young Wild West laughed and rode on. He rode into Gold Fork, visited the post-office, bought what he wanted, and then, after a short rest, set out for the mining camp. wa a ride as he was taking was nothing to Young Wild est. He was used to being in the saddle all day, and many a time had he been pursued by hostile Indians for more than a day and a night at a single stretch. It was very warm just now, but he was also used to that. The boy rode on back, allowing his intelligent steed to ` choose his own pace. Spitfire liked to go. j erefore it was no mean gait that he put up of his own accord. s Wild kept on, and at length he only had a mile further to go to reach Spot Cash. It was just then that he heard a pistol-shot, followed by a series of yells. The yells were not those of delight, or defiance, either; they were of genuine terror. Our hero could understand that plainly. . As another shot rang out he spoke to his horse and darted forward like a shot. : Just around a little turn in the trail he came in sight of the four tramps he had met going over. They were dancing in the middle of the trail, while seated on a piebald horse before them was a man holding a re- volver leveled at them. The man was quite a dashing-lookingyfellow, since he wore a fancy ridign-suit and had a big black sombrero, into which was stuck three or four eagle feathers, tipped back upon his head. “Dance, you galoots, danee!” Wild heard him say as he came upon the scene. “If you ,don’t dance faster than that I’ll riddle you with bullets!” Wild was right upon the stranger before he was seen by m The sorrel came to a halt, and as the man locked around the tramps stopped dancing. r s “Here! you git in theer an’ dance!”. cried the stranger. “Don’t stop cause this here boy has got here.” Crack! $ : He fired a shot and the bullet went through a tin can one of the wretched-looking mortals had hanging to a string that went over his shoulder and around his neck. : “Save us, young feller!” howled one of them. “We ain’t done nothin’ to him. We was takin’ a rest here when he come along an’ ordered us to git up an’ dance. Don’t let him shoot us!” : ó “Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the man, firing another shot which just grazed the ear of the fellow who had appealed to Wild. “Jest as if this boy could help you any! Why, if he was 4 af to interfere I’d make him git down off his horse an’ jine you in dancin’!” . “Is that so?” queried Young Wild West, looking at the stranger as coolly as though it was simply the rehearsal of a play he was going through. “Well, I say for you to let those four tramps be! Now let’s see you make me get off my horse and dance!” ` 5 $ The words of the man had nettled the boy just sufficient to make him assert himself. With a look of surprise the horseman swung his broncho around. 8 Then he made a move to bring his revolver about so it covered the young Prince of the Saddle. “Drop that shooter!” The command rang out sharp and clear. na Young Wild West had whipped out one of his own pistols as quick as lightning, and it was now on a line with the fellow’s heart. “What in thunder are you tryin’ to do?” gasped the astonished man, as he let his weapon fall'to the ground. “I was only foolin’, young feller.” “You might have been fooling with the tramps, but you can’t fool with me,” was the calm rejoinder. “See here, boy! I don’t want any trouble with you. You’ve got ther drop on me, but you wouldn’t have done it if I’d thought you was looking fur trouble. My name is Rod Ryder, an’ I’m a bad man sometimes! I’m goin’ on about my business. Good-day! We’ll meet ag’in, maybe.” “Well, look out that you don’t try to cover me if we do,” answered our hero. “Wait! You can have your shooter pee you go. One of you fellows pick it up and hand it o him.” The tramp nearest to it hastened to obey, and then Rod Ryder, as he called himself, rode along in the direction of Spot Cash. i Young Wild West followed a couple of minutes later, bidding the four tramps to hurry after him as fast as they could, Our hero soon reached the camp and stopped at the claim he was working with his partners and some other help. Jim Dart was a boy of about his own age, while Cheyenne Charlie was a tall man of thirty, with long black hair and mustache. Charlie was a well-known government scout and | Indian fighter, and was always ready to die fighting for Young Wild West. Wild put his horse away and then came out to where his partners were working and proceeded to tell them about the tramps. He had just finished when they came in view. “Here they are, boys,” said Wild, pointing to the tramps, “What do you think of that for a combination?” “They'll beat a full hand, all right, for they’re four of a kind,” answered Cheyenne Charlie, with a laugh. CHAPTER II. THE FOUR OF A KIND ARE INTRODUCED TO WATER. The four dirty, ragged men grinned-at the remark of the tall man with the long hair and black mustache when ~ he said they would beat a full hand because they were four of a kind. “That’s right, boss,” said the more talkative one of the lot; “you knows somethin’ about poker, I guess.” “Well, I know enough about it to know that four of a kind is a putty good hand. You are about ther sickest, an’ at ther same time, most comical-lookin’ set of, what they call men I’ve seen outside of a theater. Jest spit out your names, if you’ve got any.” “They calls me Lazy John, boss.” “An’ I’m Tired Tom,” spoke’ up the fellow next to him. “Hungry Walker is ther nom de plume I sail under,” the third hastened to say. “On account of my great beauty folks calls me Hand- some Pete,” added the fourth and ugliest-looking of the lot, Young Wild West and his partners laughed outright when they heard the names. A The two miners who were helping them work the claim dropped their picks and were almost convulsed with mirth. “Didn’t you say you would put us ter work, boss?” asked Lazy John, turning to our hero. Bee “Yes,” was the reply. “Charlie, just take care of them, won’t you? Show them the first thing they’ve got to do. “All right,” replied Cheyenne Charlie, who was rather set in his ways. “Come on, you measly” coyotes!” YOUNG WILD WEST’S FOUR OF A KIND. 3 The tramps appeared to be the least bit uneasy at this command. “What are you goin’ to set us at first?” queried Hungry Walker, “Come on!” This was said in such a tone of voice that the tramps no longer hesitated. ere was a broad grin on the face of Cheyenne Charlie as he led the way around a big pile of dirt and came to a stream of water, aes four of a kind looked aghast when they saw the water. “You’re goin’ to take a good wash, first of all,” said the scout. “Git off your cotas!” “But we ain’t used to it,” answered Tired Tom, holding up his hands in horror. i “Then it'll do you all ther more good. Hurry up, now! You've got to take a wash. Then you kin have dinner with us. “But I don’t want to,” persisted the wretch. “Well, that-makes no difference. Here you go, anyhow!” 5s Before the tramp knew what was coming Cheyenne Char- a ene him up bodily and threw him on his back in the rook, The water was about two feet deep, so the consequence was that Tired Tom went about all under. The others started to run, but they were caught by Young Wild West and Jim Dart before they got ten feet from. the spot, Wild tossed Handsome Pete in with the greatest of ease, and then turned his attention to Hungry Walker, while Jim Dart upset Lazy John and rolled him from the bank on top of the other two. Cheyenne Charlie sprang to the assistance of Wild, for Hungry Walker was putting up a fight. $ In less than a second he was in the water, too! _“Now, then,” observed Charlie, pulling a revolver from his belt, “ther first man what gits out of that brook till I tell him to will git a hair-cut with hot lead!” The four “knights of the dusty road” got upon their feet and stood in the brook, the water dripping from them. If they looked comical before, they certaintly. appeared ludierous now. “Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho!” laughed the two miners, fairly doubling themselves with merriment. “Look at ’em, Dave,” said one. “I—I can’t, Jack,” answered the other. ever see sich a funny sight in your life? thunder do ite make out of it, anyhow?” Young Wild West and his partners were laughing, too, but never once did Cheyenne Charlie meve his revolver. “Take off your clothes and give yourselves a good wash!” he roared out, as soon as he could be serious again. “Hurry up! i The four proceeded to obey without any further loss of ime. Thev evidently realized that they had to do it, so do it they did. . Charlie kept them at it for ten minutes, and then he told them to wait until the two miners got them something dry to put on. Meanwhile, Jim Dart had kindled a fire and was getting the noonday meal ready in- the little shanty they had erected near the brook a few yards distant. } It was now twelve o’clock, so they had quit their work for an hour. The four of a kind soon came up to the shanty. They had wrung the rags they had worn as dry as they could, and, touching his forehead politely, Lazy John said: “Has yet got anyt’ing we kin use fur a clothesline—we want ter dry our togs?” “Why don’t you throw them away?” asked Wild. “Don’t say dat!” and the man looked frightened. “Boss, if yer was ter make us discard our uniforms we’d die. We're used ter ’em, yer know, an’ we couldn’t git along without ’em. We don’t want no better rigs, we don’t.” “All right, then,” and our hero soon got a lariat and gave it to them. X Our friends watched them as they hung out their wash. They were simply attired in shirts and trousers, and their wet, unkempt hair and beards gave them a decidedly be- draggled appearance. When the dinner was ready they were called to get their “Oh! did yer What—what in share, 3 “This is ther second part of ther programme,” observed Cheyenne Charlie, with a grin. “After dinner you kin have a rest, an’ then comes ther work.” ¢ “An’ then comés ther pay,” added Hungry Walker. + “And that will depen on the amount of work you do,” said Wild. The tramps made grimaces at this. Work was not to their liking, that was plain, Spot Cash was not a very large place, nor did it have any mines operated by machinery. But the chances were that it would have before long, as theer seemed to be plenty of dust to be found there. It was not the purpose of Young Wild West to remain there very long. He wanted to make all he could by what is called sur- face mining. Then he would sell the claim to some one else. When one o'clock came picks and shovels and washing- pans were furnished the four tramps and they were started to work. “You want to remember one thing when you work for me,” said our hero, as they started in, “and that is that ‘honesty is the best policy.’ If we find that you try to con- ceal anything you find on this claim about you and get away with it, it will go hard with you. I hardly think that you fellows would steal, but I think it is a good idea to tell you, that’s it.” “You kin bet we won’t try ter lug any gold away,” ret torted Lazy John. “I’ve never carried any of it around, but I’ve always heard it was a wery heavy metal.” The others grinned and nodded at this. “Were honest, boss,” they declared. . They worked pretty good until iť was time to quit for the day, and in washing over the dirt they had dug out our friends found that they had been pretty van “They’ve panned out jest about three hundred dollars’ worth for us,” Charlie whispered to his partners. “Just about, I should say,” answered Jim Dart, as he looked at the pile critically. “Well,” said Wild, “I will pay them good wages, and if they-want to stay and work they can do so.” , Before supper the scout made the four take another wash, and then, when they insisted on it, they were permitted fo put their own clothing again. They ate ravenously, showing that the work they had done that afternoon had done them good. After supper they went aside and held a sort of consul- tation, Wild and his partners watching them with no little obi as they talked and gesticulated among them- selves. Finally Lazy John came up and said: “Boss, I don’t suppose you could let us have a little change, could yer? We want ter take a walk around der willage an’ see what it is like.” : Wild happened to have four silver dollars in his pocket, so he promptly tossed them each one. “My!” cried Tired Tom, snapping his fingers delight- edly; “that’s der first whole dollar I’ve had in a dog’s age! I jest guess we'll see der sights of dis blamed old willage ter-night,, boys!” The claim of our friends was a quarter of a mile from the heart of the camp, so just before sunset the four of a kind set out to see what was there. j “Pd jest like to foller them fellers an’ see what they’ll do,” observed Cheyenne Charlie, “Well, we'll take a walk over,” replied Wild. “Our two men will stay and look after things. Jim, have the horses been seen to?” , “Yes,” replied Dart. “Jack looked after them.” “All right, then. Well go over—the three of us.” There was a long shanty occupied as a saloon—or tavern, as it was called—and on one side of this was a blacksmith shop and the other a store which had for sale the crude necessities of a man engaged in the occupation of digging for gold. é When Wild and his partners struck the trail that led up to the center of the collection of shanties and tents they noticed that a heavy- wagon had lately passed. “Something has arrove, anyhow,” remarked Cheyenne Charlie. “Yes,” answered our hero. “Some man has moved his household effects into camp probably.” It was not yet dark when they got to the headquarters of the miners, which was around the saloon and store, and 4 YOUNG WILD WEST’S FOUR OF A KIND. then they saw half a dozen men at work putting up a rude shanty. On a piece of canvas stretched between two trees was painted the following: “Dave Robins will open his concert hall here positively to- morrow night. The Best Show on Earth! Admission a dollar a head.” “That’s putty good,” observed the scout. “Robins is what I call an enterprising feller, he is. This is jest what we want in this here camp. It will be bound to liven things up a bit. Wild looked around and saw that part of the crowd was engaged in watching the building of the shanty and part was near the corner of the blacksmith shop, grinning and watching something that was going on around the corner of it. The four tramps were nowhere to be seen, so he judged that they must be inside the saloon. However, he led the way to the blacksmith shop, and Charlie and Jim wondered what was amusing the miners so. The next minute they found out. As they game to a point where they could see around the corner they beheld the four of a kind seated on a log talking and sipping from one of the rusty-looking cans they had brought to the camp with them. No wonder the miners were amused! The quartette was taking things as easy as was possible, dnd they were not paying the least attention to the look- ers-on, Our friends had scarcely got there when a half-drunken fellow eame out of the saloon yelling and flourishing a revolver, He was Rod Ryder, the bad man Wild had met on the trail. $ “Where is ther four ragged galoots?” he bawled out in a loud tone. “I met ’em to-day an’ made ’em dance, an’ now PI! make ’em stand on their heads! Where are they?” “Right around here,” retorted a miner, who evidently wanted to see some fun. \ PE ee, The mad man hurried up and soon caught sight of the mps. Wow” he yelled, discharging his revolver in the air. “What do yer think of that? That is what I call awful, aint it? They've got whisky in a tin can. Why don’t > some one upset ther can an’ stop ’em from gittin’ drunk? I'll shoot it full of holes! Jest watch me!” He was in the act of raising the revolver when it was struck from his hand. : “Hold on!” said Young Wild West, who had cleverly stopped the man from firing. “You are drunk, and you can’t shoot straight enough to fill that can full of holes. You might hit one of the tramps, and that wouldn’t be right, because none of them ever did you any harm.” Ryder turned and looked at the boy, his face paling slightly as he did so. “You are ther young galoot I met on ther trail when I was havin’ some fun with them fellers, ain’t yer?” he asked. “That is just who I am,” was the quiet rejoinder, “Well, you know what I told yer when I left yer there!” “Yes, I know.” i “Well, before I does anything worse I'll jest take yer by their heels an’ knock them tramps over with yer!” “Go ahead and do it, Mr. Ryder,” said Young Wild West, smiling at the blustering bad man. CHAPTER III. OUR FRIENDS’ HORSES DISAPPEAR, Rod Ryder made a leap for Young Wild West, but the boy cleverly stepped aside and he came near falling to the ground from the force of the effort. “You are too drunk to think of fighting. The proper thing for you to do just now is to go to sleep,” said Wild, tauntingly. “If you was sober you wouldn’t bother me; you must have forgotten what I did to you out on the trail. | hi I don’t want to hurt you now, so take my advice and let me alone.” The villain caught sight of his revolver lying on the ground just then and he made a dive for it He had just touched his lit into me like chain lightnin’.” ees “mat so? I know Young Wild West. He’s a danger- ous boy, too. TIl bet he made you think something had ruck you, didn’t he?” senor I reckon he did. He knocked my shooter from a bullet in. no time!” “He can send a bullet just where he wants to, I guess.” “Tt reckon he kins I had a muss with him jest afore dark, too.” “You did?” ; : A “Yes;-it was. about them same tramps. “How. did you make out that time?” «Well, I was too drunk to put up a fight, so he got ther best of me. But I jest swore ter myself that Pd git even with him.” : 3 ; “Tt would be a good idea if some one was to drop him ith a bullet.” i wewell, I’m ther galoot what’s goin’ ter do it ther first time I git a chance.” The to villains now began to walk about the cave as they talked. 1 k The rest of the men had turned in again, and some of them were snoring loudly. ; “So the four tramps made you think about Young Wild West, did they?” YOUNG WILD WEST’S FOUR OF A KIND. “Yes. Say! that Young Wild West has got a horse that. I’m goin’ ter have.” “We need some horses, Rod.” “How many are yer short?” “Well, counting yours, we’ve only got three.” “Then yer need jest three more?” “Ves,” “Good! Well have ’em afore daylight.” “Where are you going to get them?” and the captain 1ooked interested. “We'll go over ter ther shanty of Young Wild West. Jest back of it there’s a shed, an’ under that shed there’s three as good,horses as you’d be apt ter find in a month of Sundays,” Andy Drake shook his head. “We wouldn’t dare to show up around these diggings — the horses of Young Wild West and his pards,” he said. j “Well, we could show up with ’em somewhere else, then. Didn’t you write to me that you was goin’ ter operate all along ther trail between here an’ Gold Crust?” _ “That is right. By Jove! I believe it would be a good idea to get those horses. They would be just the thing | for hold-ups along the trail after dark. Do you think you could steal the horses, Rod?” “Easy enough. You go with me, an’ I'll soon show yer how soon we'll have ’em.” i “I guess I will, Rod.” “Come op, then. I feel wide awake now.” “So do I. Vil go. But I tell you what I’ll do; we'll throw dice to see who takes Young Wild West’s horse.” “Good enough! I'll take my chances with yer.” “Pd like to have the animal. He is certainly as fine a specimen of horseflesh as I have ever seen.” “What sort of a horse have you got now, Andy?” “A very fine black.” “But not as fine a critter as Young Wild West’s, eh?” “No, nothing like as fine.” 2 “Well, well see who wins ther sorrel stallion. If you do you en, ae let me have my choice of what's left.” “Certainly, Rod. You and I have always been friends, and I sent for you to come here and help me in this venture. You can consider yourself my lieutenant.” “Good enough!” f The two now went out of the cave, taking the rear en- trance. Andy Drake carried a lighted lantern through the zigzag | passage, © ; _ Rod Ryder nodded with satisfaction when they reached | *the end of it and came out into the narrow ravine. | “That’s what I call fine, Andy!” he exclaimed. “How did yer come ter find this place?” “It was only by accident,” was the reply. ; “Well, it- was a lucky thing yer come across it, There ain’t no one else outside of ther gang what knows about it, is there?” “No.” “Does them four tramps know how to get in an’ out?” “No, not yet. But they are all right. Such men as they | are will do anything that’s bad, you know. They have signed the paper and taken the oath of allegiance.” “Which are more than I have done yet.” “That’s so. But you can do it in the morning, just to satisfy the rest of the men, you know. They all had to do it, and they would think it strange if you were to come ae and take part with them without binding yourself to em. % “Oh, that’s all right! I want ter do ther same as ther rest has done. I’m all right, Andy, an’ don’t yer forgit it!” “I know you are, Rod, or I shouldn’t have sent you word to come here,” The two had reached the end of the crooked passage now, and they paused as they came out in the starlight. Then Andy turned the wick of the lantern low and placed it a few feet in the passage. . This done; they started to walk along over a bed of solid rock through the ravine. A turn to the right, and then a sharp one to the left and they came to a monster rock that towered above their heads and appeared to reach clear across the ravine, which was rather narrow at that point. It was light enough for Rod Ryder to get a pretty good view of the rock. “How do we git over that?” he asked. “We won’t get over it; we'll go around it. See! here' is just room enough for a horse and rider to pass through!” He had stepped to the left and was pointing to a sort of cave. ; ; Into this he went, followed closely by his companion, Then around the end of the rock they stepped and came out of the little cave on the other side. | “Now step back here and take a look,” said Drake. “Who eee think that the ravine ran any farther than the rock? “No one wouldn’t,” was the reply. “It’s all right. was in luck when you found that place, old feller!” “Well, come on, then. We'll get the horses and have them safe in the cave before any one knows they are miss- ing. They won’t be able to track us here, for the botton of the ravine is nothing but solid rock. Looks to me as though it is lava rock, too. There must have been an erup- tion from one of the peaks many years ago, and the melted rock must have run through here in a regular river,” “Pye heard tell about sich things, but I don’t take much stock in ’em,” was the reply. g “Weli, never mind. It may have been made just for us,” and the captain of the newly-organized gang of outlaws laughed. The ravine was not a very long one, and they came out upon the comparatively level country in less than ten min-. utes. Rod Ryder looked around him and could see the shanties of the camp half a mile away. “Which way are we headin’?” he asked. turned around,” “Young Wild West’s shanty is right over there, and Drake pointed to ‘a little hill with a clump of trees at the foot of it. “There’s a brook that runs right through it, so we cer lead the horses up the brook a distance, and then take ~ them out and ride straight for the ravine.” “That'll throw ’em off the track, all right,” “Oh, I rather think so.” : 5 But the two villains did not stop to think that they might be tampering with those who were not so easily deceived as > some might be. ENa Young Wild West was a hard one to throw off a trail. But let us follow the two. : They worked their “way.along until they were right «t= You “lve got all ‘the side of the shanty occupied by our friends. They listened for about five minutes, and, coming to the se daa that all were sound asleep, they made for the shed, - ? rho horses were untied and led to the brook in short order, > Then the villains mounted two of them and led the other behind them up the course of the brook. When he thought they had gone far enough to throw any one who might search for them off the track, Andy Drake selected what he thought was a good place to take to the bank, and did so. í “The ground is so hard here that they’ll hardly find thp tracks of the horses,” he said. i “That’s right,” answered Rod Ryder. “Ain’t yer glad I> spoke about stealin’ ther horses?” “Yes, to tell the truth, I am, Rod, We will have to take our chances, though, for Young. Wild West will try pretty hard to find them. I’ve heard that he thinks an awful lot of this sorrel.” The villain was mounted on Spitfire, and he was having considerable trouble to keep him under control. . The stallion was not used to having any one ride him. but his master, and when he chose he could be quite vicious. But Andy Drake was a thorough horseman, so he man- aged to keep the sorrel under control. The villains made their way rather slowly, for they did not want to arouse any of the miners with the clattering of hoofs. They were not long in getting to the ravine, and then, single file, they rode to the rock and dismounted. ‘the horses were led around the sharp turn into the cave and then out the other side. : ae the two outlaws breathed a- simultaneous sigh of relief. “We've got ther horses, anyhow,” observed Rod Ryder. “That’s one point agin’ Young Wild West, anyhow. He ary do a little worryin’ about his sorrel, an’ then he'll git a bullet.” “That’s right,” retorted his companion, as he reached the passage and turned up the wick of the lantern so they could see their way. ’ YOUNG WILD WEST’S FOUR OF A KIND. Five minutes later they were in the cave and the stolen horses were sécurely tied by their halters so they could not -break loose. Rtas Andy Drake and Rod Ryder lay down and went to sleep. It must have ‘been two hours after daylight when ‘they got up, owing to excited voices of the men. “What’s the matter?” asked Drake. “Ther four tramps have skipped out!” was the reply from one of the men. “We can’t find ’em anywhere!” “Well, that is all right. They will come back again, don’t be alarmed about them.” “But they never said they was goin’.” “That will be all right.” The captain spoke with such an air of confidence that his followers became reassured at once. “How did they find their way out, anyhow?” spoke up Rod Ryder. y “I don’t know,” was the reply. “Well, they may come back, an’ they may not.” a Be aig will come back!” exclaimed Andy Drake, confi- ently. k "CHAPTER VI. THE HORSES ARE FOUND. “Here is where the horses left the brook, sure enough,” said Jim Dart, as Young Wild West discharged his rifle. “That’s right,” retorted our hero. “Now well wait for Charlie to come up, and then we’ll follow the trail. and soon haye the horses.” ~The scout had heard the signal shot and he was not long in getting there. “I reckon we'll soon catch ther measly coyotes, Wild, unless they’ve skipped out of town.” “That is the only thing that will stop us,” was the re- ply. “But something tells me that they haven’t gone far.” “Well, if them tramps has got ’em, you kin bet that they'll keep right on goin’.” “Well, we don’t know that the tramps have got them, _ Charlie.” D Phe scout said no more cn, that point. b Š He could tell that Wild was firm four ragged wanderers were innocent of the crime, and he “was not going to argue the question. The trail, though the villains thought it would be a hard one to follow, was quite easy for our three friends. They kept on, and by careful examinations of the hard, stony ground they finally reached the mouth of the narrow ravine. 4 Then they came to a sudden halt. : “Great gimlets!” exclaimed Cheyenne Charlie. eyes deceive me or am I dreamin’?” _-~Goming toward them were the four tramps. leading the stolen horses! “My four of a kind are all right, Charlie,” said Wild, with a smile. “They have found the horses and are bring- ing them back.” “That’s just what’s the matter!” cried Jim Dart. “Changed their minds, I s’pose,” muttered the scout. “Thought they’d git caught, so started to fetch ’em back.” Young Wild West now started to meet Lazy John and his men. A faint cheer went up from the ragged crowd when they saw this. nee “Where did you fellows get the horses?” demanded our hero as he met them. Ses “Back there a ways,” replied Lazy John. tied in a cave.” “Tied in a cave!” echoed the young deadshot. “Yes, boss.” i “Tied in a cave that we slept in all night,” added Hand- some Pete. “An’ we knowed who owned ’em, so we thought we’d bet- “Does my $ “They was " ter fetch ’em back to you,” spoke up Tired Tom. . “That’s right, boss!” exclaimed Hungry Walker, as though it would take his evidence to convince our hero that it was the truth that had been stated. i “Do you know who it was what took ther horses from our shed?” Cheyenne Charlie asked. j “Yes, we know jest who it was,” retorted Lazy John. “Well, who was it, then?” + Sete “Ther feller called Rod Ryder, an’ a friend of his’n dat’s named *Andy Drake.” y convinced that the i Our three friends were surprised: “I. guess we had better let yer know all about it,” went on the spokesman of the tramps, and then he related just what had happened since they had been left to themselves near the blacksmith shop the evening before. Young Wild West was amazed. Y „Used to meeting all sorts of persons and all sorts of villainy, he could not help thinking that this gang of out- laws, as they chose to call themselves, was about as auda- cious as any he had ever heard of. “So you fellows joined the band, then?” he asked, looking at the ragged specimens of humanity before him. “Yes, we j’ined ter keep from bein’ killed, boss.” ° Cheyenne Charlie was grinning now. > “I reckon you fellers is all right,” he remarked. “I did think that’ you was ther ones what took ther horses. But now I reckon that you’re a putty good lot. You jest stick to us, an’ well make real men of you.” The tramps: looked pleased. “What are you going to do now, Wild?” asked Jim. “We'll go back to our claim,” was the reply. “And, not hunt down the horse thieves?” ~ “Not just now. We'll give them a chance to think they are all right, and then when the proper time comes we'll make them think they are all wrong.” “That’s it, Wild!” exclaimed the scout, who liked the idea of giving a villain a real surprise now and then. Wild took Spitfire by the bridle, patted his glossy neck, and then proceeded to lead him back to the shed. The four of a kind walked along, and Lazy John took pains to get right at the side of our hero. , “Them fellers will most likely try ter kill us, won’t they?” he said anxiously. “Yes, I suppose they will. won’t let them kill you.” “I thought you’d see to it that we didn’t git hurt.” k “Since ‘you told a lie to them onee it won't hurt to do-it again. You can make them think that you have not breathed a word about them. If they should meét yous and grion you just say that you made us believe hae you Gund the horses in the Yavines-or you čan say that you told us you stole the horses youself, and thought the màt- ter over and had started to take them back.” + “But do yer think they would believe that?” »“T guess so, You can make the excuse that we were the only ones to befriend you since you reached the West, and that you couldn’t go back on us altogether,” __ “I don’t hardly think that would work,” and Lazy John shook his head doubtingly. s “Well, it won’t make any difference whether it works or not. You fellows just make it a point not to go to the saloon unless one or more of us are close by. Then I guess they won’t be apt to kill you.” eee “All right, boss.” “I suppose you are ready to go to work again, then?” “Yep! Weve made up our minds ter work an’ try ter save up some money. When we goes back East we don’t intend ter be tramps no more.” hy “Well, just stick to that determination and you’ll be bound to win out.” The claim was soon reached. When the two miners left in charge saw the party coming with the horses they were astonished. They naturally thought that the tramps were the thieves, and that Young Wild West was bringing them back as pris- oners. ý But they were soon informed that such was not the case. Wild told them that the tramps had slept in a cave all night, and that on their way to the claim they had found the horses. He did not care to make public that a newly-organized gang of outlaws had located close to the mining camp and intended to steal all they could from the miners. Wild wanted to see the villains begin operations, and then he intended to nip them right in the bud. The four who made such a curious combination were given their breakfast and then they started in to work. They settled down to it in earnest and kept at it until noon. Then they had their dinner with the rest, and when one o’clock came they went at it again. ; “Tt ain’t very nice ter have ter work fur a livin’,” said Lazy John, as he leaned on his shovel to take a blow, “but But don’t fear about that; we. 10 ee YOUNG WILD WEST'S FOUR OF A KIND. I reckon a feller can’t never Gapeet ter git ahead very far unless he «does work.” His companions nodded. What Lazy John said went with them. aiy five o’clock Wild gave the word to quit work for the e had superintended the washing of the dirt himself, and he found that they were making about five hundred dollars a day out of the claim. “In about a week we'll be ready to sell out,” he said to ' Charlie and Jim, as they were washing up preparatory to getting their supper. “That’s right. Well git all that’s to be got off ther surface, anyhow,” answered Charlie. “It will be a good claim for some one who cares to go to the expense of sinking a shaft, I guess,” remarked Jim. “There is no doubt about that.. We must get a pretty good figure for the claim,” retorted our hero. “We don’t want to stay here too long; there is only one place for a real home, and that is Weston, up in the Black Hills.” “That’s right. There’s where we struck it rich once, an’ ther- time may come when ther property we invested our ` money in will be worth a whole lot,” and Cheyénne Charlie “nodded as though he really believed it. The tramps cleaned themselves up without being told, and though ‘they stuck to their ragged apparel, they were not so very obnoxious to our friends. “Are yer goin’ to der show to-night, boss?” asked Hand- some Pete, after supper was over. “Yes,” was the reply. like to take, it in, too?” * “You bet we would!” Eo I guess the whole crowd can go.” S ETN re the admission.” * he four of a kind fairly rolled their eyes with delight. “You, see, we sorter likes teaters,” remarked Handsome Pete.” We is somethin” in der line of artists ourselves.” . “You don’t mean that you were ever on the stage?” spoke p Jim, “Tired Tom was, an’ he’s learned us a whole lot about * der biz. «Tom was a first-class comedian onct.” “Dat’s right,” spoké up the man in question. ~ “Ii had a ' putty ond ting of it on der Bowery in New York at one time, but I lets der red-eye git der best of me, an’ so come ter be ajknight of der road.” Awt “dey might let us go on an’ do der turn we used i e” said Lazy John. cs $ $ Chey ine Charlie grinned. ee ya „You w yuldn’t want no costumes, anyhow,” he remarked. e s looked at their tattered garments with pride. -o “Dey.is all right, boss,” Hungry Walker retorted. “Say! if dey“: wil pie out here in dis part of a country I could do an act dat would s’prise der natives.” “Pie!” echoed Jim. “Yes, veal old-fashioned mince pie, or apple, or lemon, or pumpkin—sum! oh, my! My mouth’s waterin’ fur some of it!” “A&n’ you've jest swalleréd enough grub at supper fur four ordinary men,” spoke up the scout in disgust. “Can’t help it, boss! I used ter be der champion pie- eater of der town I was born in. Why, if dey had pie here in Spot Cash, I would give an exhibition of how a feller kin eat, providin’ some one would pay fur der pies. I could git awa ith twenty in less dan an hour, an’ I wouldn’t be trou lad wid der dispepsy, either.” 4 “You’re a hog!” said the scout. T ght; Pm willin’ tef admit it.” Wild and Jim laughed at this and Charlie shook his head. Of course the men Bill and Jack wanted to see the show, too, so Wild concluded to take the horses over to the tavern wie them and leave them there until it, was over. t be that the villains would take a notion to steal AX again. © Their gold-dust was hidden in a place where it would not. be found very easily, so he decided to risk all hands ` going away at one time, He meant to get Lazy John to point out the four men he did not know, who belonged to the outlaw gang, and if any of them left the show they would be followed. It was a little before seven o’clock when Wild and his partners went over to the tavern, followed by Bill and Jack and the curious combination. Almost the first persons they saw when they got there! could worr, were Rod Ryder and Andy Drake. “I suppose you four fellows would | Our friends knew the latter was a gambler, but they had never heard that there was anything worse than that about him until the tramps told their wonderful story. The ragged combination kept close together, and “they showed signs of great uneasiness when they saw the mem- bers of the band they had joined looking at them. But Wild and his partners did not pay any particular attention to the villains. Andy Drake seemed to be much puzzled about something. Finally he edged over to Lazy John and whispered: ; “If you have gone back on us you will die patore sunrise!” * ce. “We ain’t gone back on yer, boss!” retorted the tramp, in $ ; a low tone of voice. “We ain’t said a word.” “What did you take the three horses back to them for?”, “Well, we thought it would only get you an’ all ther “pest of us in trouble. We ain’t as green as we look, boss. We knows a thing or two, We don’t wanter git hung a A this juncture Wild moved over and Drake stepped aside. But he was evidently satisfied. ś e It occurred to our hero that it would be best to kéep the- scoundrels guessing, so he went to the counter, and, ducing a piece of paper and pentil from his pocket, AAA the following: “$100 REWARD!—I will pay the same to learn who took three horses from my claim last night. —YOUNG WILD WEST.” ~ A khs CHAPTER VII. HANDSOME PETE DOES SOME GAMBLING. When Wild had finished writing the notice he walked over and attached it to the wall. by means of a small nail _. eng had been used to put a notice of some kind there ore. He had not told his two partners what he was doing, © } but they imagined when they saw him writing. Of course, the action of the boy was bound to attract the attention of the miners iw the placè, and he had seareeiys, placed the paper to the wall when they gathered close tors it to read it. : One accommodating fellow read it aloud for the benefit” of those who were not close enough or could not read. Š “There’s horse thieves in town, gents!” he bawled out, “I reckon there’ll be some stringin’ up done afore long. Some PORE ER NE. galoots stole ther hosses of Young Wild West an’ his pards jast night!” i “That is a fact, gentlemen,” spoke up our hero. “But g & we were lucky enough to find them this morning, though. The four tramps who came to this town yesterday came across them this morning in a little ravine back here, me $, they were bringing them back to us when we came along. Whoever it was who took the horses must have gòt scared and left them. But I am just ready to pay a hundred dok: / Be to know who it was.’ ‘ pete John and hig three companions were astonished at? rst. But they were shrewd enough to understand that Wild -4 at was simply acting that way to make the thieves believe he did not know who had taken the horses. There was much comment on the theft, and our hero was questioned a lot by the miners. ~ He told exactly how they had discovered the trail and followed it to the ravine. |. The few who owned horses in the camp grew uneasy, for they believed that the next e the thieves came around they might not let the’ ho: they took go. pA: Andy Drake and Rod Ryder now appeared to be per- ka fectly at their ease. - d It was not yet, time for the show to open, so Drake issued — a challenge to ) w dice a hundred dollars with any body in the house. 3 He placed the money on the Je and looked around ex- pectantly. “Gee! I wished I had a hundred,” said Handsome Pete, — in a tone loud enough for Wild to hear. “I kin jest beat ther” gen what made der dice, I kin!” Žž, saddde en thought came in our hero’s head. fe was after the rascally horse thief, anyhow, and if he him any it would be so much the better. He auickly decided to see what the tramp see d YOUNG WILD WEST'S FOUR OF A KIND. ` pn +44 “Here’s a hundred,” he whispered, putting the money in Pete's hand. “Go ahead and win his money.” Phe ck tramp gave a gasp, but did not neglect to take the Drake saw it, and so did the rest who happened to be looking that way. But that made no difference to the gambler. The fact that it was Young Wild West’s money made him all the more eager to win it. “You. don’t care to gamble yourself, eh, Young Wild West?” he remarked with a smile. “No, ” was the reply. “I simply heard the man say that ‘he wished he had a hundred dollars to cover your bet, so I handed it to him. I generally act on the first im ulse. ? “Oh, you do,.eh? Well, I suppose that is a good way. But Iam rather of the opinion that you are going to lose at hundre: “All right, Drake. It won’t quite break me if I do. I appen to have a way of getting what money I want. I always get it honestly, too.” “That’s right. So do I get mine honestly. An honest man can gamble, you know. I haven’t much use for a man who won't risk. money on a game of chance.” “Well, I have loaned Handsome Pete here a hundred, and I am running the risk of never getting it back. You win it if you can, Drake.” “All right. The dice-cup, landlord!” Handsome Pete stepped up and laid the hundred dollars on the bar. Drake promptly covered it and then rattled the dice in the box preparatory to throwing them out. Out they came the next moment. “Sixteen!” he exclaimed. “That’s a pretty good throw, isn’t it?” He flashed a look of triumph at our hero as the words left his- lips. “It’s a putty good throw, me answered. the tramp. “But I guess seventeen will beat it. “Oh, yes! But you’ve got to throw it first.” “Well, here she goes! Somethin’ tells me that I’m goin’ Reier beat yer, boss. I’m ther luckiest man what ever throwed ~ dice Out rolled the three cubes. “Seventeen, by jingo!” cried the landlord in surprise. ener The face of the cigah shage changed color. “Sure enough,” he said a pause. ‘win the money.” -~ He east a meaning glance at the tramp as he spoke, but Handsome Pete did not appear to notice it. He kept the money in his hand and turned to Wild ex- pectantly. “Do you want to pay me back, Pete?” our hero asked. “Yes, boss,” was the reply. 4 “All right, then, you can do so.” The lucky tramp handed over the hundred dollars, and then stepping over to the gambler, exclaimed: “Now, then, IIl give yer a chance ter win what yer lost.” _A All right,” was the answer. It was plain that Andy Drake could not quite understand the tramp, bat a meant to let things go as they might and trust to. One thing, He was now quite sure that the four of a kind had not told Young ,Wild West and his pards who had stolen their horses. That made the villain think that the tramps were going to be true to him. He produced pales ‘hundred from a well- filled: wallet and laid it on the bar. “Mr. Bum, you}. ¥ “Hold on!” s spoke up Rod Ryder, who had such à mania for gambling that he could no longer keep from pushing himself into the game. “Make it for fifty dollars -a throw and IIl come in,’ “Cert!” said some Pete. “Dat’s jest der sort of a game tikes ter play. How about you, boss?” and he noted at Drake. “Oh, any sort of a game at 1 suits me,” was the’ retort. “We'll make it fifty dollars w, then, and when you get broke the chances are that Young Wild West will put up for-you.” “You make a mistake there,” spoke up our hero. “I lent him gine hundred because it just struck me that way.” ` But he: as paid me back and I am done lending now.” There was a ring of sarcasm in the gambler’s voice, ‘but the dashing young fellow paid no attention to it, ae 3° x He stepped up so he could see the dice as they were thrown, howeyer, and so did Charlie and Jim. Handsome Pete’s cronies got as close as they could, too, for they were eager to see him win. It marly took their breath away when he won the hun- dred, for that was more money than they were used to seeing, let alone gambling for. “Pete’s got lots of nerve, anyhow,” observed Lazy John. “T guess he must have been cut out fur a big financier. He’s lucky, too, an’ I won’t be s’prised if he cleans dem fellers out.” “Neither will I,” observed Wild, who overheard the re- mark, “What’s that you said?” queried Andy Drake, looking hard at our hero. “Nothing to you, Drake,” was the reply. “Oh! I thought you was casting Some slurring remark about my ability as a gambler.” “See here, Drake, it strikes me that you are trying’ to Pick a row with me. Now, you just go ahead and throw your dice, and when you’re done if you want anything out of me just say the word and I'll be ready to give you any- thing from a -panek on your nose to a button-hole!” The gambler’s face flushed at this and his hand made a move as though it was going to seize one of the. revolvers he had in. his belt. But he changed his mind. It was the first time any words had passed betw | Young Wild West and Drake, and the miners were quite uneasy. Drake had boasted so much of being. a quick and sure shot, and .they knew that Young Wild West had the repu- tation of being a’ real champion at the game. ~~ If a shot was fired by either of them it ws io than likely that the services of the undertaker woul required right away. “PIL talk to you after. I get through bo the gambler said, as he picked up the dice. “One thing at a, time.” “That’s ri ght.” es n Wild wits as though it was only a joke, and those of the men there who did not know mueh about him thought he was making a mistake in being so eareless. — But there was nothing careless about Young Wild West. When Drake got ready for business he would be! But to the game of dice. P ” Drake led_ off and threw twelve. Handsome Pete followed with only nine. “Then Rod Ryder rattled the three cubes in the box and i them roll out. “Fourteen!” he cried.. “I win!” “That’s what yer, do, boss,” said the tramp. throw like that an’ TIl be cleaned out.” Both Drake and Ryder laughed at this. They put up the stakes again, and then Ryder led oft with eleven to his credit. The gambler coolly took the box and threw out twelve. Handsome Pete grinned as though delighted. “It’s an unlucky number, but I can’t help it,” he observed. “What’s an unlucky number?” asked Ryder. “Thirteen.” à “No one’s throwed thirteen yet.” 4 “No! But I’m goin’ ter do it now, boss.” “T’ll bet you fifty dollars agin’ that battered hat you’ve got on that you don’t!” «Pl! take der bet!” “All right; go ahead! If you throw thirteen, to be counted ffom the tops of the dice, PI give you the fifty: and if you throw anything else I am going to take that old hat of yours and tear it all ter pieces. Do yer unde: d?” “Puffectly, boss.” “Well, go ahead!” Ji There was such an fi of confidence about the tramp as he shook the dice-box that there was more than one man there who thought he was going to do as he said. ~ Handsome Pete paused to blow in the box for luck, ‘and then giving it another rattle, let the cubes roll out. There were two sixes and an ace! “How’s dat!” exclaimed the tramp, grinning so broadly that his face seemed in danger of splitting in two; “dats tirteen, if I know how ter count! I wins der pot an’ der fifty, too!” He quickly scooped in the stakes aie then looked around with an air of triumph. “Rod Ryder was staggered. “You didn’t do that fair!” he roared. ah played some kind of a skin kame ter make that “Another ‘ ae tag ge Ld s p ges “TIl leave it'to ther crowd,” said Handsome Pete, edging a little closer to Young Wild West. “I won der money, an’ I done it square.” í A murmur of. approval went up from the miners. “Yer don’t git no fifty dollars out of me, anyhow,” was the retort. “Andy, we hadn’t oughter let him take ther stakes,” “Oh, I guess he won it fair enough,” replied the gam- bler. “He simply ‘had luck, that’s all. might be called a coincidence. Give him the fifty; there ought to be honor among gamblers, you know.” “It don’t make no difference; I ain’t goin’ ter give him ther fifty. He didn’t throw fair, an’ he won’t git ther money!” “Yes, he will get it, too!” Young Wild West stepped forward quickly and seized the villain by the shoulder. “You are what I call a sneaking cur!” he added. “Don’t you know that a gambler who goes back on a bet in this pat of the country is liable to have some holes put through im? You made a threat that the next time we met some- thing would happen; now let’s see it happen! But before yon jundertake to drop me pay Handsome Pete the fifty dol- ars! Ryder’s face had turned the color of ashes. As much as he wanted to shoot the boy, he dared not make a move to draw his shooter. There was something about Young Wild West that took the nerve right out of him. But Andy Drake thought it about time that he did some- thing, evidently, for he suddenly stepped back and whipped out a Bie tee. Biff! ud! _The right fist of Cheyenne Charlie came down upon the villain’s arm and the weapon fell to the floor. rie CHAPTER VIII. : “ine SHOW, AND WHAT HAPPENED AFTER IT. a a “I reckon I'll take a hand in this game, too!” exclaimed the scout. “You measly coyote, you thought you was goin’ ter git in a sly shot then, but you didn’t!” If Rod Ryder was a coward, Andy Drake was not. He turned upon Cheyenne Charlie like a tiger. But Charlie possessed the strength of a giant, and he caught the villain about the neck and waist and whirled la as quick as a flash. ud! The head of Drake struck the floor so hard that rendered temporarily unconscious. “There!” ried the scout, his eyes flashing dangerously. “Tf there’s any other measly coyote what wants anything out of me, let him say so! I’m a regular hurricane from ther North Woods when I git started once!” It so happened that the other members of the outlaw band were right there at the time. One of them fired a shot from a revolver and the bullet cut a lock.of hair from Charlie’s head. The echoes of the report had not died away when Jim ' Dart fired. Down went the would-be assassin with a bullets The four tramps were terrified at this kind of work and they got back close together near the door. But Young Wild West did not appear to be disturbed in the least. He still had hold of Rod Ryder’s shoulder, and in a ring- ing voice he exclaimed: “Give Handsome Pete the money he won!” That was enough! The cowardly villain dove into his pocket and produced the money. “Here you are!” he said, turning to the tramp. Pete stepped over rather gingerly and got it. “Now, then,” resumed our hero, flashing a glance about the room, “if there is any one else here who wants to die just let him show a shooter!” There was a deep hush. The outlaw gang had enough of it. ‘ Just then a burst of music came from the new shanty Breen the street and the crowd in the saloon moved for the oor. he was ee ee ee e i2 C O YOUNG WILD WEST'S FOUR OF A KIND. It was just what’ Dave Robins’ show was about to begin! aan Rod Ryder and Andy Drake went out with the ‘rest. “Haven't you forgotten something, Drake?” Wild cried, as he hastened after the crowd and caught sight of the gam- bler making for the shanty across the way. t There was no answer, so the boy did not say any more. “I reckon he got all he wanted out of me, so he don’t want to tackle you,” said Cheyenne Charlie. “One of the gang got enough out of me, anyway,” spoke up Jim Dart. “Charlie, I tried hard to shoot before that fellow fired, but he had you covered—or thought he had —before I jerked my shooter from the holster. It was a narrow escape for you. But he wont do another dirty trick ‘like that!” “I reckon not,” replied the scout. “Ther measly coyote sartinly meant me.” $ Bill and Jack, waiting near the entrance of the show. (i Wild stepped up and bought tickets for them all. ~ Our friends fuond the four tramps and. their two TA “I’m ther one as oughter foot der bill,” observed Hand- Y some Pete. “I made a neat little pile of money ter-night.” “Well, you keep your money,” Wild answered. “I said I was going to pay the way in the show.” ee They entered and managed to get seats about halfway to the little stage. 4 It was a crude affair, but there was a certain theatrical _ look about the interior, for all that. Robins had brought some painted canvas with him, and it was nailed up to make scenery. Our hero noticed as he sat down that Rod Ryder and Andy Drake had got well up to the front on the left side. They had not stopped to look after the man who had been shot, though the rest of the gang had. y A kettle-drum, violin and cornet were making an unearthly noise, which the miners took for music, and they appreciated it, too. Almost the entire population had turned out, and Robins a ct was a happy man. A few minutes after. the seats in the shanty were filled the curtain went up. by Robins appeared and thanked his patrons and then an: © nounced that the show would go on. The first was a song and dance team. They were rigged up to imitate a geuple of Dutch horns, and the miners roared with delight. id “I guess any two of us kin do as good as that,” Lazy» John leaned over and whispered to our hero. 7 “Is that so?” was the reply. “Well, when the perform- ance is over I will see to it that you get a chance to go on the stage and show what you can do. Just think over the 7 performance you will give so you will be ready.” “All right, boss.” á Wild did not know whether they really could do anything or not, but he was quite certain that Robins was’not the’ man to refuse to give them a chance. ; “The Beautiful Contralto, Madame de Jones,” was the next artist to appear. a The. contralto was a young man dressed in womans ~ clothes, but the miners did not know the difference. He had a shrill voice and. passed for a female all right. act, a darky. with a banjo, a contortionist who was called the “human snake,” ~ a quartette in which Robins figured as the bass, a jig dancer, =. Then followed a_sword-swallowi and then a sketch that lasted twenty-five minutes. pre At the conclusion of the latter Robins appeared and an- nounced that the next and last part of the show would ~ consist of a regular old-fashioned minstrel performance, in ~ which he himself would take the part of Bones. See! He received a rousing cheer, and he was about to leave the stage when Young Wild West arose and called out to him: 3 “Mr. Robins, if you haye no objections I can lengthen your show for a few minutes. We have a quartette here that would like to show the audience what they can do. With your permission they will go on at the conclusion of the regular performance.” y. “They certainly have my permission, Mr. West, for any- thing you. recommend I know is all right. But if it is just the same to you, I would rather they would go on right away, as it will take my performers a few minutes to get ready and there will be quite an intermission.” “They are ready, Mr. Robins.” 5 Then Wild turned to the tramps and nodded for them to get up and go on the stage. i y almost. ‘$ g F ? $ ao = The orchestra sqaeaked out a sort of “overtute’ avd ther. z Ll ad of a kind to work for me three or four nights a ek?” « while, and there is no telling but they will be able to draw YOUNG WILD WEST’S a Daf FOUR OF A KIND. 13 They obeyed without any hesitation. Hooray fur Young Wild West’s Four of a Kind!” yelled out a miner, and then a cheering took place which made the “Curious Combination” feel porud of themselves. However, there was much laughter and not a little jeering as the tramps got upon the stage and proceeded to throw themselves into shape. _ pes apt Pete looked down and said to the three musi- “Jest play, us someting lively, boss.” , The violin started up and the cornet and kettle-drum joined in. Then the four tramps began dancing. „It was not the sort of dance Rod Ryder was making oe do when Young Wild West came along on the dusty The dance was a good one—better than any of the per- formers had given so far—and the audience began applaud- ing to the echo. “By Jove!” exclaimed Jim Dart; “those fellows are good for something, after all.” “You bet your life they are!” retorted Charlie, who was enjoying it as*much as any one present. “Well, I am glad they can do something,” remarked our hero. “If they had made fools of themselves it would have looked bad on me for recommending them. I did it more for fun than anything else, though. I had no idea that they could do as good as the regular performers.” “Well, they’re doin’ better, Wild,” the scout declared. “Yes, I really believe they are.” The tramps finished their dance and received the loudest applause of the evening. — Then they sang an old plantation song, each taking his part in the quartette, and the miners nearly went wild. They were encored, and wound up by rendering “Annie Laurie” in a very creditable style. When the ragged men came back to their seats after leaving the stage, they were more thought of than they had been by any one since they set out to tramp their way through the country. The cu went up for the last act a couple of minutes — and the company was discovered seated in a semi- circle, ‘ ; They were blacked up and Jooked quite comical, i 1 the “Suanee River” was rendered fairly well. Ri After this the traditional jokes of a minstrel show wêré | gone over in great style. z The last joke Robins, as Bones, got off was like this: _ “Mr. Interlocuter, ken yo’ tell me why dis yer company is like three aces an’ a pair ob kings?” “I don’t know, Bones. Why is this company like three aces and a pair of kings?” “Because it takes four ob a kind to beat it!” This capped the climax. The applause was terrific. : Dave Robins’ show had met with a great reception, and though it would have been all right without them, the tramps added greatly to it. As the audience was filing out after the curtain dropped, Robins, still in his burnt cork, came down to our friends and stopped them. “Mr. West,” said he, “do you suppose I could induce “Yes, I am quite sure you could. How about it, Pete?” and our hero turned to the leader of the quartette. “Jest as you say, boss. We work fur you in der daytime, an’ it is fur you ter say wedder we kin do a turn now an’ den at der t’eatrical biz.” “Well, it won’t interfere with our work, so go ahead. You can earn a little glory, if not much money.” “Oh, I can’t pay them very much for their services,” spoke up the showman; “but they will be practicing all the large salaries later.” “Dat’s right!” spoke up Lazy John. “Well make it Mon- days, Wednesdays, Thursdays an’ Saturdays, den. Does dat suit yer, cullies?” “Yes,” they answered. ig “Good!” and Robins shook his hands with satisfaction. “PIL pay you twenty per cent. of the profits at the start. When I get my bar in a few days from now I'll do better.” It was evident that the showman saw he would haye a big drawing-card in the four tramps. : The fact was that two or three of his performers were rather dissatisfied with their work, and were eager to quit it and start in gold mining. Now he did not care how soon they went. But let us follow Rod Ryder and Andy Drake when the show was, over. The two villains did not stop at the saloon, but made straight for the Gold Crust trail. . They wanted to have a little talk when they got to their secret cave. ' They supposed that their three men had gone there after the man who acted as undertaker took charge of the body of the villain Jim Dart had shot. They were right in this supposition, for when they reached a point directly opposite to where the fallen tree was, Drake stepped up and gave a low whistle, and an an- swer from within came immediately. Then the tree was hauled up so they could enter and the two went in. : “Are all here?” asked Drake of the man who let them in. “All but poor Bob an’ ‘ther tramps,” was the reply. “Well, the chances are that the tramps won’t come very soon; though they may.” “No, they won't,” spoke up Rod Ryder. “They won’t show up here agin’; they’ve gone back on us as sure as guns!” ‘ “That’s what I think,” observed the guard. “They’re playin’ a double game, I reckon,” “They never told Young Wild West who took the horses, though,” and Andy Drake shook his head as though he be- lieved in the tramps. ; “You Pe! know that,” retorted Ryder. .“Young Wild West mifht know all about it, an’ is jest waitin’ ter snake us up an’ have us hung.” “I am going to take my chances: with the tramps, just the same.” Y “Cap,” said one of the men when they got into the cave where the rest were, “I heard over at ther tavern that a stagecoach from Gold Crust is due here at- idnight. They’ve changed ther time, so ther mail kin be défivered at Gold Fork in ther mornin’. Ther rig will Stp at. ther tavern here til] daylight. It would be a goo ance fur us to do a little “busin . “Yes, it would hitveta ‘little Zut.o~ masks, 9} “ge pie j i sall Avena g had lost wary ll: the ess to-night, woplda’t it? tionon- some one} ‘boys! Well just BAS, oütfit.. We will go out by the en to Rod Ryder, who, by the way cash he had at the dice game and was eager to get hold of some more. | ù “Four òf us will be enough to go,” said the leader. “Get ready, bag is is not the first time follow me up an my one unless it “Boys,” whispered Andy Drake, “i I have held up a stagecoach. You j keep the driver covered. We won't can’t be helped. What we are afte sengers have got and the mail.” “We'll ’tend ter ’em, all’ right,” The next minute the four horses a hicle they were hitched to came in sight. K The driver appeared to be in a hurry, for he was urging the tired steeds to the top of their speed Suddenly the sharp command to halt rang out through the darkness and outfit came to a stop in a very short space of time. “Hands. up!” voice. “We we take your : G: eine | f The shrill > of a female rang out then, showing gets were not all males. the men grasped the leaders by their heads, pt the driver covered,-Drake and the other dy Drake, -speaking in a disguised eno or your lives! You can y? and Rod Ryder man steppi told the passengers to hand over what they had. a à 2 Tkere w ‘passengers, two men women, and they seemed rhat they perfectly sati had to save th met Drake, “By: jingo! We must he money the pas- ao N 14 YOUNG WILD WEST’S FOUR OF A KIND. In less than five minutes the masked villains had made - quite a rich haul, and the stagecoach was allowed to go on its way. i 3 The four villains reached their seċret quarters, elated at their success, CHAPTER IX. WILD HEARS OF THE HOLDUP. Andy Drake was what might have been called a very “slow” man. 3 For a villain engaged in such a pursuit as he was he was using but little caution. Rod Ryder was more on the lookout for danger than he, but he readily gave way to what the leader of the outlaws said, and that made it a very loosely-run gang. __ When they set out for the cave, which was considered to be such a snug hiding-place by them, Andy Drake never once thought that they might be followed. et But Young Wild West no sooner saw the two villains walk past the saloon than he made up his mind to follow them. “The rest of you go on home,” he said to Cheyenne Charlie. “I am going to look up this cave which the tramps spoke about,” “All right,” answered the scout, so they all, including the | tramps, went to the claim. Wild hurried along and reached the place where the men halted just behind them. ; He could see their movements in the starlight, and when Drake stepped up to the fallen tree and whistled, he gave a nod of satisfaction. i | “T guess the tramps told just what was right,” he thought. “Now to see how they get in.” ; : He moved a little closer and was just in time to see the tree move up sufficiently for them to enter. As they passed through a smile stole over the face of the -daring young deadshot. x “That is what I call pretty good!” he exclaimed under his breath. “They must be going to stay there all night.” The boy now moved up close and began examining the fallen tree, =~. : -~ He got under it by stooping low to the ground and found He could crawl into the opening. iat “But he-did not propose to go inside the cave just then; he wanted to find the rope that did the raising and lower- ing of ‘the tree. $ eeling around in the dark for a minute or two, he found. it. It did t take him long to locate the knot, and then he Ghoceeded to untie it. a It was a long rope and was wound around the tree several mes. When he finally got it loose he backed out of the opening, taking the end with him. « He meant to fix up a little surprise for the villains, There happened to be a boulder weighing perhaps a hun- dred pounds near the hidden entrance, and, seeing it, Wild tied the rope firmly about it. “There!” He exclaimed. “Now when they go to hoisting with the rope they will pull the stone in and it will get jammed. I’ll bet they will have to come out the other way to find out what the trouble is!” Wild did not linger there. He had found out all he wanted to. But he intended to be, there the first thing in the morn- ing, or rather at the entrance to the cave from the ravine. e thought it would hardly pay to wait any longer, as the villains might take a notion to murder the four tramps when they found they would not return to them. Our hero walked back and found quite’‘a crowd assem- bled at the tavern. Thinking that some of his friends there, he went in. : ant But they were not there, as he soon found out. Dave Robins was there, however, and he insisted on treat- ing the boy. “Well, I will take a cigar and smoke it in the morning,” Wild said. : “Good! Give him the best in the house, landlord!” ex- claimed the showman. “Young Wild West is as white a fellow as I ever met, and I have come in contact with a few good people in my day.” might have stopped t “All right. Then he called our hero’s ‘attention to the notice on the wall referring to the horse thieves. _ “It was mighty funny that they let the horses go, wasn’t it?” he remarked. “I just heard a few minutes ago that you found them in a ravine somewhere back here, It might have been that they got loose and strayed there.” “Oh, no! They did not get loose and stray anywhere,” was the quick rejoinder. “I know who the thieves are; I only put that notice up for a bluff.” at “You know who they are!” echoed a miner, who was lis- tenins. “Yes, I know exactly who they are.” “Why don’t you nail ’em, then?” š “I am going to the first thing in the morning.” “Do you mind telling us who they are?” spoke up the landlord; “or don’t we know them?” “You know them all right, I guess,” answered Wild, “One of them only arrived in the camp yesterday, though.” “Ther bad men you ripped it into so hard, I reckon!” nodded the miner who had spoken first. : “Yes, he is one of the horse thieves, and Andy Drake is the other. They stole the three horses and took them to a cave. Before this they had caught the four tramps and took them to the cave, after first blindfolding them. Well, the tramps sneaked away at daylight and brought the horses with ‘them. Gentlemen, you were not aware of the fact that you have a gang of outlaws organized in your midst, I suppose. But such is the case.” The miners were much surprised. But not one of them doubted. the boy. “So Andy Drake is an outlaw, eh?” mused the landlord, half aloud. “I wouldn’t have though that. To-night is ther first time I ever seen him act any way wrong. But that other feller—ther big bluffer! He put me in mind of a rascal ther minute he come in here yisterday.” P Sae “Well, there are three more of them,” resumed our hero, “There were six of them, but one of my partners was compelled to shoot one of them before the show started. There are just five of them left, and they have got to leave this part of the country in a hurry, or else take what is due them!” ; So “That’s ther way to talk!” cried one of the men. “Well help yer clean ’em out, Young Wild West. “We don’t want no outlaws around Spot Cash, an’ we ain’t goin’ ter have ‘em, either!” I'll be here shortly after daylight in the. morning. I wouldn’t be in such of a hurry, but I have fastened up one of’ the entrances to the eave they are stop- ping in, and if they should find it out before I get there they might take a notion to skip. Another thing, I am a little afraid that they might take a notion to drop.my four of a kind, since they know they took the horses from the cave and returned them to us.” “You know just what you’re doin’,” spoke up the land- lord, as our hero started for the door. “Why don’t yer wait a few minutes longer, Young Wild West? Ther stage- coach is due here now.” Is that so?” asked the boy. “They must have changed / the schedule, then.” ae “Yes, ther company thought they’d gain time by leavin’ Gold Crust at two in ther afternoon an’ stoppin’ here till daylight, It’s a good plan, I think, as IIl git somethin’ out of it.” y “Pll wait and see if any strangers come over, I guess.” “She oughter be here now,” said one of the miners, ‘look- ing at his big silver watch. Five minutes slipped by. Then the unmistakable sound of rumbling wheels came to their ears. “Here comes ther stagecoach!” cried the landlord, grab- bing his hat and coming from behind the bar. “te be ` ther first time fur one ter git here in ther middle of ther night, an’ I do hope they’ve made out all right.” Up rolled the vehicle with a clatter and bang. “Whoa!” bawled the driver, as he brought the foaming horses to a halt. “How are yer, Zeb?” called out the hotel proprietor. “Everything is all right?” “No!” came the unexpected answer; “everything’s all wrong! I was held up less than a mile out of ther camp an’ my passengers was cleaned out of all they had. Ther mail was took, too! We was lucky ter git away alive, I reckon.” A Ps hush came over the crowd for the space of a minu YOUNG WILD WEST’S FOUR OF A KIND. 15 It was broken by the voice of a passenger who stepped out of the stagecoach. i, “A thousand dollars for the capture of the villains who held us up!” he exclaimed. “I haven’t any money, boys, but my paper is good.” Young Wild West looked keenly at the man and found that he was middle-aged and evidently a wealthy mine owner. ; He seemed to be pretty cool now, for he assisted two ladies to get out of the vehicle, and when a young man followed them he remarked to him: “Now you can see that it was better not to put up a fight against the masked scoundrels, William. Here we are, safe and sound, even if we lost our money and watches and rings. ‘Take it easy, Margaret! It won't be long before we get things back. The scoundrels could not have got far away.” Then all four of them entered the tavern. 3 They registered in the big blankbook the proprietor kept for those who cared to use it as Stewart Decker and wife, and Ferd Peterson and wife. Decker was the elder of the men, and from the looks of the ladies they were sisters. Several of the men hanging about the tavern who were the possessors of horses had rushed to get them. . They wanted to get at the outlaw gang in a hurry. But Young Wild West had heard enough from the tramps to convince him that if Andy Drake and his men had robbed the stagecoach they would not move from their quarters. He knew they would have to go out and in by the rear entrance, since the driver of the stagecoach declared that they were all mounted. ay Wild waited long enough to get a description of the hold-up, and then turning to Decker and Petersen, said; “Tl see to it that the robbers are caught before day- light. I have an idea that they are the same fellows who stole some horses last night.” The men looked at him as though he was making a big claim for a boy, but they said nothing that was disparaging, however. ` Wild now ‘started for the claim. f 2 en he got there he found Charlie and Jim awake and waiting for him. “Boys,” said he, “I guess we'll have to get after the outlaws right away. They stopped the stagecoach which just got in ad cleaned out the passengers and the mail. I know just where the cave is, and I have stopped up the way they get in from the trail.” Charlie and Jim were just in the humor to go on a hunt for the villains. Ten minutes later the three were mounted and riding for the ravine. CHAPTER X. THE OUTLAWS ARE CAPTURED. Wild knew there were several of the men belonging to the camp sarching for the gang that had held up the stage- coach, and that made him doubly anxious to capture them. “Boys,” said he, as they reached the commencement of the ravine, “we must get those fellows. I feel positive that Andy Drake’s gang were the ones who robbed the passen- gers of the stagecoach and stole the mail. As they are the horse thieves, we want to get in ahead of any one else. We must capture them!” pee “Oh kill ’em!” added the scout significantly. “Well; we don’t want to do that, unless we have to do it to keep from being killed ourselves,” spoke up Jim Dart. “That’s right, Jim,” said Wild. “The easiest way is al- ways the best.” | ` “Tt’s ther easiest way to drop sich measly coyotes as them,” insisted“ Charlie. “You fellers knows as well as I do that a horse thief ain’t got no right to live, nor never did have.” “That is the unwritten law in this part of the country,” answered Wild, “but I don’t believe in. it, just the same. “A man ought to have a show for his life if he gives him- self up sak goes with his captors peaceably.” “I reckon sich fellers as were now after would go very peaceable, especially if they was knocked senseless,” laughed Charlie, who could not be shaken from his views. Théy were riding up the ravine now, and the light from the stars gave out but a faint glow in the narrow place. _ But Lazy John had told Wild enough to let him know at how to get to the cave, and he was not the least wor- ried. It was our hero’s idea to get into the caye unknown to the villains and see how the land lay before he did anything toward making the capture. He wanted to know for a certainty whether it was this particular gang who had held up the stagecoach or not. There was a possible chance that they might be innocent of the crime. When the three finally reached the big rock, and the way seemed to be shut off, Wild slipped from the saddle. His companions followed his example. ` “PIL go on foot and have a look,” he said. “If every- thing is all right I’ll come back, and then we’ll proceed to business. If I am not back inside of. fifteen minutes you will know that something has happened to me.” “An’ then we'll come an’ look for you,” added the scout. “That’s. right. If a fight starts you will probably be able to hear my shooter talk.” _Wild did not wait any ionger, but felt his way around the big rock and soon found the little cave. : He rounded the end of the rock and came out on thé! other side. i Then it was quite easy for him to get to the crooked passage that led directly to the cave. ‘= Revolver in hand, he started through the passage. =“ It was dark as pitch there, and he was compelled to feel his way in order to keep from running against some sharp projection. 5 Wild was not the least bit worried about coming in con- tact with any of the villains. He knew what they were, and so long’ as he saw them in time he felt that he was equal to the occasion. Slowly and steadily he worked his’ way through, the pas- sage. : Presently he saw a faint gleam of light alad of him, and then he knew he was getting fery~close to the cave. He was very careful not to. make the least bit of noise . now, and, moving with the stealth of a cat, he presently reached the end of the passage. Crouching: close to the rocky wall, he peered out in the open space before him. A lamp was burning, but it was rather dim; and he could not see very distinctly. But as his eyes became accustomed to it he gradually picked out the forms of four sleeping men. A fifth was seated at a rough table reading. The lamp was hanging directly over him, but Wild was in such a position that he coul just see him by craning his neck. “They have left some one to guard the Place, have they?” he mused. “Well, I hardly think it wil to catch that fellow and make him keep perfectly still. I am going to try it, anyhow. Pshaw! I wish I had let Char- lie and Jim come with me now. “We could have settled this business up in a eni I could do it alone, I think, but as I told them I would come back after them I will keep my word. They are both very anxious to have a hand in it, I suppose.” ? After a moment’s thought he decided to capture the man on guard and take him out with him. That would be a great surprise to his partners. Wild now began crawling toward the unsuspecting villain. The man was very much interested in what he was read- ing, it seemed, for he never once turned his gaze from the paper. 2 : Ready for anything that might happen, Wild crept toward him. When he finally got right behind him he arose to his feet and stepped around so he could be seen. But even then the man did not look up. “If you utter the least sound you will die!” said Wild, in a whisper. : Then the guard saw and understood, His face turned a deathly pale, and though he had not been told to do so, he put up his hands. “You are going with me!” went on Wild, to take you out ‘of the cave.” “You ain’t goin’ ter kill me, are yer?” gasped the outlaw. “No, not right away, anyhow.” “I am going be much trouble . ¥ be sx 423, aa FOUR OF A KIND. YOUNG a WEST’S “I never done nothin’ ter you.” “No! That- was because I wouldn't let you, I gues Now, you just move on out of the passage theré and welll go to the ravine.” The man never hesitated once. He meant to let out a yell to arouse his sleeping com-. panions and then rush back into the cave. Young Wild West was deceived by the yillain’s manner. He appeared to be so meek and frightened that the boy surely thought he was going out with him to where his partners were waiting as docile as a lamb. But the very moment they reached the darkness of the passage he found out his mistake. “Don’t kill me, will yer?” said the villain pleadingly. Then before Wild could open his mouth to reply he sprang back to the cave, letting out a yell at the same time. Wild did not want to shoot the man, so he refrained from firing. He did not want the whole five outlaws to get on him at one time, either! Wild was very quick to think and act, as the reader no doubt knows by this time. He dropped low and crawled back into the ave right after the man! But he did not go far. He crept into the first niche he came to. He was not a moment too soon, either. The excited guard had aroused his companions in a jiffy. “He was takin’ me out with him!” Wild heard him say in answer fò a query from somebody. “Who was he?” “Young Wild West.” “After him, boys!” exclaimed the voice of Andy Drake. “He must never get away from here alive!” They passed’so close to Wild that they could have almost reached out and touched him. The boy chuckled as he thought of how he was fooling the villains. Wild waited until the villains were well into the passage and then he got up and walked boldly into the cave. There was = showing this coin in our engraving). On one side of the pocket piece are the words, “Lucky penny pocket piece; I bring good luck,” and the design of a horsesho On the opposite side, “I am your mascot, “Keep me and never go broke,” and two sprigs of four-leafed clover. These handsome pocket pieces are believed by many to be harbingers of good luck. Price 12 cents; 3 for 30 cents; by mail, postpaid. H. F. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. ¥. ~ JAPANESE MAGIC PAPER. 3 The latest, great- anese is called Yaka Hula. It consists of two packages of specially . prepared paper, one a sensi- tized medium, and the other a devel- oping medium. The process of manufacture is a secret. By wet- ting a white sheet, and pressing a pink sheet on top of it, the white sheet will develop quaint photographic scenes, such as land- scapes of Japan, portraits of Japanese char- acters, pictures of peculiar buildings, Gods, temples, ete. These pictures are replicas of actual photographs, and print up in a beau- tiful sepia brown color, Intensely interest- ing for both old and young. Price, ize. per package, by mail, postpaid. FRANK SMITH, 383 Lenox Ave., N. Y. CHARLIE CHAPLIN’S CIGARETTE. The simplest trick out. All you have to do is to get the cigarette into Charlie’s mouth. Ah, ha! But can you do it? We doubt it. Anyhow, you might try. It’s a safe bet your friends can't work it. The trick is a sta- tionary head and a loose a cigarette in a metal box With a glass top. If you don’t get one you'll regret it, that’s all. Price 12c, by mail, postpaid. C. BEHR, 150 W. 62d St., New York City. THE KAZOO. Made in the exact shape of a sub- marine. With this comical little instrument you can give a bride and groom one of the finest seren- ades the ever received. Or, if you wish to use it as a ventriloquist, you will so completely change your voice that your best friend will not recognize it. Price, 12e, by mail, } postpaid. | WOLFF Novelty Co., 168 W. 23d St, N. Y. MAGIC LINK PUZZLE. TRICK CIGARETTE BOX. This one is a corker! Get a box right away, if you want to have a barrel of iG è Here's the secret: It looks like an ordi- nary red box of Turkish cigarettes. But it contains a trigger, under which you place a paper cap. Offer your friend a s smoke and he raises the lid of the box. That explodes the cap, and if you are wise you will get out of sight with the box before he gets over thinking he was shot. Price 15c., postpaid. WOLFF Novelty Co., 168, W. 23d St, N. Y. THE MODERN DANCERS. These dancers are set in a gilt frame, the size A number of rings. The scheme is to link them to- gether just ex- 4 4 of our engraving. By JITNEY ch rE ANE Nghting i aces ai -| actly the same way magicians link thelr MOTINg n circular with a glass top. Jn |} oops. It looks dead easy. But we defy form at. the-back they side is a tiny garage fixed at one side and a| can be made to dan: anybody to do it unless they know the furiously, the heat frog secret. Price 10c, by’ mail, postpaid. loose traveling little Ford. It requires an ex- WOLFF Novelty Co.» 168 W. 23d St, N. Y. ine matey Ir sema ert to ge e sw ; to x roving suto- into” the THE LUNG TESTER. tango dance ye garage, This one grabs Ç, We have here one of this pretty cha your interest, holds it, | ‘es the greatest litle nov- Price, 15 ceuts, Yor $ a = and most makes, you | TESTIS) gyer per I E for 40 cents, sent by mail, postpaid. | w when you find after repeate SQ 1 b Wolff Novelt ks Ve 28 fey hard it ie to Da fhe trick. Price 126, | you can _ absolutely o; ovelty Co., 168 W. 23d St, N. Y. j by mail, postpaid, St i N. Y waar we a oF THE QUESTION PUZZLE WOLFF Novelty Co., 168 W. 23d | indicator which clear- Two links in the for ly shows you the num- ber of pounds you can ( blow. Lots of fun testing - your lungs. Get one and see what a good blower you are. of question marks, fas- tened together at the top. The object is to disen- gage one link from the! oing i Jt Gabnot be done o h i í 3 Price 15c, by mail, ` Price: 10e, by alh post- BAN, : » by mail, post l paid, with directions, FRANK SMITH, 383 Lenox Ave, N. Y. WOLFF Novelty Co., 168 W. 23d St., N. Y. by mail, postpaid, TE ATEA O EEEE a ae e L WOLFF Novelty Co., 168 W. 23d St, N. Y. THE RUBBER DAGGER. THE WAR FOUNTAIN PEN. | ROUGH RIDER DISC PISTOL, Made of nicely col- ored wood 534 inches long. The power ig furnished by rubber Sa bands. Ten discs of gcardboard with each pistol. Price. 6c. each, f On account of the war we h A very Handsome fountain pen case ve FORTUNE TELLING CARDS. substituted this novelty for the to which 18 attached a pocket holder The most comical fortune telling cards Magic Dagger. It is agit inches in neatly made of metal and highly ever issued. Every one a joke that will 4 length, made to look exactly like a nickel-plated. When your friend de- arouse screams of laughter. They are shuf- steel weapon and would deceive al- sires the-use of your pen and gets it, fled, and one is drawn—red for ladies, white most anybody at whom you might he is very much astonished when he for gentlemen. On the drawn card is a thrust it. But as the blade is made removes the cap by the sadden and mirth-provoking picture, and a few words of rubber, it can do no injury. loud noise of the explosion that oc- revealing your fortune. Price 5e. sent by Price 150, by mail, postpaid. curs, and yet, a little paper cap does mail. postpaid. F. LANG, 1815 Centre Street, it all. Price, 35c, by mall, postpaid. « H, C. BEHR, 150 W. 62d Street, N, Y. i Brooklyn, New York. FRANK SMITH, 383 Lenox Ave, N. Y. TE READ THIS ONE! “Moving Picture Stories” A WEEKLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO PHOTOPLAYS AND PLAYERS PRICE 6c PER COPY T mE” PRICE 6c PER COPY — THE BEST FILM MAGAZINE ON EARTH è BUY A COPY! ENJ OY YOURSELF! Magnificent Colored Cover Portraits of Prominent Performers! 32 PAGES OF READING OUT EVERY FRIDAY EACH NUMBER CONTAINS New Portraits sad Biographies of Actors and Actresses Six Stories of the Best Films on the Screens Elegant Half-tone Scenes from the Plays Interésting Articles About Prominent Peo Doings of Actors and Actresses in the a in the Films tudios and while Picture-making Lessons in Scenario Writing, and names of Companies who buy your plays Poems, Jokes, and every bright Feature of Interest in Making Moving Pictures THIS LITTLE MAGAZINE GIVES YOU MORE FOR YOUR MONEY THAN ANY OTHER SIMILAR PUBLI- CATION ON THE MARKET! Its authors are the very best that money can procure;its profuse illustrations are exquisite, and its special arti- S cles are by the greatest experts in their particular line. No amount of money is being spared to make this publication the very best of its kind in the world, Buy a copy NOW from your newsdealer, or send us 6 cents in money or postage-stamps, and we will mail you any number you desire HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, 166 West 23d Street, New York City rf. ¥ +e tins m newsdi iei or will be se PR A Wie er copy, in R postage ‘stamps. ES SIX CENTS. rietta’ s Strange Dis- aes of price, 5 cents ) CE—The following numbers ppro ; appearance. 750 te Wild ‘West's Six Shots, and the Change They Made At ead Man’s Mark. ng Wild West At the Little of the Cavalry. 752 Young Wild West's Bi 53 young Wild West At Wild West’ verti the Pawn vild West and the Cowboy King; or. Taming a Texas iia West's Pocket of Gold; or, Arletta'’s Great Dis- vua West and “Shawnee Sam”; or, 79 Young whia West's Covered Trail; Avalanche. Big Horn; or, The Last Stand Bluff; or, Playing A Lone Hand. owie Bend; or, The Ban of the Bandit d. ni oana Wild West’s Ton of Gold; or, The Accident to Arietta. _ Green Corn Dance; or, A Lively Time or, 760 Soave Wild West aan the Diamon ean y address on ots.” Aeronaut. Adventure, With Death. Tombstone. Comanches. The Hait-Breeð’s Arietta and the bination. Girl's Revenge. _ R 761 Li Wilg West at Silver Shine; or, o 762 Young Wild West, Surrounded by stouz; 763 Young Wild West and the “Puzzle of the camp"; or, T Girl Who Owned the 764 Young Wild West and the Mustangers; or, The Boss of Broncho Busters. 65 Young Wild West After the Apaches; or, Arietta’s Arizona Gulch. 766 Young Wild West Routing the Robbers; or, Saving Two Million Dollars. 767 Young Wild West at Rattlesnake Run; or, Arietta’s Deal 768 Young Wild West's Winning Streak; or, A Straight Trail to 769 Young Wild West's Lightning Lariat; or, Arietta and the Road Agents. 770 Young Wild West's Red-Hot Ride; or, Purdued by 171 zonae Wild West and the Blazed Trail; or, Arietta 772 Young “Wild West’s Four of a Kind; or, A Curious For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price 6 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps TOUSEY, Publishes, $ IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS 168 West 23d St.. N. of our weeklies and-cannot procure them from newsdealers, they can be obtained from this office direct. Write out and’ fll in your Order and send it to us with the price of the weeklies you want and we will send them to you by return mail, — _ POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. ANK TOUSEY, Publisher, OW TO MAKE AND USE ELEC- ITY.—A description of the wonderful uses of électricity and electro magnetism; to- ether with full instructions for making Mlectric Toys, Batteries, ete. By Géorge Trebel, A.M., M.D. Containing over fifty il- lustrations. ‘No. rape HOW TO BREAK, RIDE AND ORSE.—A complete treatise on Fe DRL) Seg t Ay scribing the most useful horses P business, the bes zt horses for the road; uso valuable recipe for diseases peculiar to the horse. No. 48. HOW TO BUILD AND SAIL CANOES.—-A handy book for “ys eontain- ing full directions for Vs peg k canoes and the most popul< knn of sailing m, Fully illustrated. ty 49. HOW TO DEBATE.—Giving rules Tor: conducting debates, outlines for debates, questions for discussion, and the best sources for procuring information on the question given. No, 50. HOW TO STUFF BIRDS AND _ KNIMALS.—A valuable book, giving instruc- ` tions in collecting, preparing, mounting and preserving birds, animals and insects. No, 51, HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Containing exp lanations of the general principles of sleight-of-hand appli- cable to card tricks; of card tricks with ordinary cards, and ‘hot requiring sleight- of-hand; of tricks involving sleight-of-hand, fuatrated use of specially prepared cards. Il- rated. No. 52. HOW TO PLAY CARDS. —Giving the rules and full directions for playing Euchre, Cribbage, Casiifo, _Forty-Five, Rounce, Pedro Sancho, Draw Poker, Auction Pitch, All Fours, and many other popular games of cards. No. 53. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS—A . wonderful 3little book. telling you how to ` write to your sweetheart, your father, moth- er, sister, brother, employer; and, in fact, Byers body, and anybody you wish to write o. No. 54, HOW TO KEEP AND MANAGE PETS.—Giving complete information as to į the manner and method of raising, keeping, taming, breeding, and managing all kinds of pets; also giving full instructions for making cages, ete, Fully explained by twenty-eight illustrations. No. 55. HOW TO COLLECT STAMPS AND COINS.—Containing valuable informa- tion regarding the collecting and arranging ra pee and coins, Handsomely illus- ra . No. 56. HOW TO BECOME AN EN- GINEER.—Containing full instructions how to become a locomotive engineer; also direc- tions for building a model locomotive; to- gether with a full description of avery ei. an engineer should know. OUR TEN- CENT HAND BOOKS No, 60. HOW TO BECOME A PHOTOG- RAPHER,.—Containing useful information regarding the Camera and how to work it; also how to make Photographic Magic Lan- tern Slides and other Transparencies. Hand- somely illustrated. No. 62. HOW TO BECOME A WEST POINT MILITARY CADET —Explains how to gain admittance, couie of Study, Exami- nations, Duties, Staff of Officers, Post Guard, Police Regulations, Fire Department, and all a boy should know to be a cadet. By Lu Senareits. No. 63. HOW TO BECOME A NAVAL CADET.—-Complete instructions of how to gain admission to the Annapolis Nayal Acad- emy. Also containing the course of instruc- tion, description of grounds and buildings, historical sketch, and everything a boy should know to become an officer in the United States Navy. By Lu Senarens, No. 64. HOW TO MAKE ELECTRICAL MACHINES.—Containing full directions for making electrical machines, induction coils, dynamos, and many novel toys to be worked, Fally | illustrated. a by electricity, By R. A, R. Bennet. No. 65. MULDOON’S JOKES.—The most original joke book ever published, and it is brimful of wit and humor. It contains a large collection of songs, jokes, conundrums, etc., of Terrence Muldoon, the great wit, hu- morist, and practical joker of the day. r No. 66. HOW TO DO PUZZLES.—Con- taining over three hundred interesting puz- zles and conundrums, with key to same. A complete book, Fully illustrated. No. 6%. HOW TO DO ELECTRICAL TRICKS.—Containing a large collection of instructive and highly amusing electrical tricks, together with illustrations. By A. Anderson, No. 68. HOW TO DO CHEMICAL TRICKS.—Containing Pover one hundred highly amusing and instructive tricks with chemicals. By A. Anderson, Handsomely illustrated. No. 69. HOW TO DO SLEIGHT-OF- HAND ,.—Containing over fifty of the latest and best tricks used by magicians. Also containing the secret of second sight. Fully illustrated. No. 70, HOW TO MAKE MAGIC TOYS.— Containing full directions for making Magic Toys and devices of many kinds. Fully il- lustrated. No. 71, HOW TO DO MECHANICAL TRICKS.—Containing complete illustrations for performing over sixty Mechanical Tricks. Fully illustrated. No. 72, HOW TO DO SIXTY TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Embracing all of the latest and most deceptive card tricks, with illus- trations, 168 West 23d St., N. ¥. No. 73. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH NUMBERS.—Showing many curious trici FS with figures and the magie of numbers. = ` A. Anderson, Fylly illustrated. No. %4. HOW TO WRITE LETTE CORRECTLY.—Containing full instructions for writing letters on almost any subj also rules for punetuation and RS with specimen letters, No. 15. HOW TO BECOME A CONJURER, —Containing tricks with Dominoes, Dice Cups and Balls; Hats,.ete. Embracing thirty-six Hlustrations, By A, Anderson. 76. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES BY MAND.—Contaiming rules for telling ~~ fortunes by the aid of lines of the hand, or the secret of palmistry. Also the secret of telling future events by aid of moles, marks, sears, ete, Illustrated. No. 77. HOW TO DO FORTY TRICKS WITH CARDS. Containing deceptive Card Tricks as performed by leading conjurers and magicians. Arrange for home ane ment, Fully illustrate No. 78. HOW TO DO THE BLACK ART, ng a complete description of the mysteries of Magic and Sleight-of-hand, to. gether with many wonderful experiments By A, Anderson. Illustrated. iS No. 19. HOW TO BECOME AN ACTO —Containing complete instructions ho make up for various characters on the together with the duties of the Stage ager, Prompter, Sceriie Artist and Pow an. No. 80. GUS WILLIAMS’ JOKE BOOK — Containing the latest jokes, anecdotes ae funny stories of this, world-renowned Ger- man comedian, , Sixty- “four pages; h som colored cover, containing a halt-tom phos of the author. No. 81, HOW TO MESMERIZE!—Contal ing the most approved method of mesm ism; animal magnetism, or, magnetic heal ing. By Prof. Leo Hugo Koch, A.C.S., a thor of “How to Hypnotize,” ete, No. 8. HOW TO DO PALMISTRY.—Con- taining the moèt approved methods of read- ing the lines on the hand, together with a full explanation of their meaning. Also ex- plaining phrenology, and the key of tellir characters by the bumps on the head. — Leo Hugo Koch, A.C.S. Fully illustrate No.83. HOW TO HYPNOTIZE.—Cont: - ing valuable and instructive information re- garding the science of hypnotism. Also ex- pianina fhe most approved methods which — are em ed by the leading hypnott s the sponte By Leo Hugo Koch, A.C.S. No. 81. HOW TO BECOME AN Are ce