Part 18 (1/2)

”Gracious, Rasco, you vouldn't hit me, afther I ride me dree miles und more ter tole you?” wailed the German, reproachfully ”I dink me you vos mine pest friend, next to pawnee Prown, ain't it?”

”There'll be a dead Dutchman here in another minute if yer don't open up clear down ter the bottom!” howled Rasco, who had never before suffered such exasperation

”Tell us the exact trouble,” put in dick, calood

”Der Indian haf carried dot girl avay!” exploded Huirl away!” ejaculated dick

”My Nellie?” yelled Rasco

”Dot's it, Rasco Ain't it awful! Dot Irish vo der trail ofer like a biece of baber pefore a cyclone alretty!”

”Hu the truth?”

”I vos tole you vot dot Irish vomans tole me Mike Delaney und dree udder e was forgotten, not only by Rasco, ut also by dick It made both shudder to think that Nellie had been carried off by a redskin They turned into the trail froed, and were soon on their way to the camp

Here Rosy Delaney was found veryher hands

”To think o' the red rascal a-takin' thet young leddy off!” she cried

”I know her by thet photygraph! Och, the villain! An' it ht have been Rosy Delaney, bad cess to him!”

”Show me the exact trail he followed,” said Rasco, and this the Irish wo over the prairie, followed by Humpendinck, Delaney, Clemmer and by dick, who borrowed a horse from another boomer

The trail left by Yellow Elk was easily followed to the vicinity of Honnewell, but here it led away to the southwest and ed up a down into the ravine previously mentioned

”Oi reckon thot's the trail,” said Delaney, after an examination

”And I vos dink dot ist der trail,” put in Humpendinck

”An' I calkerlate this is the trail,” added Cal Clemmer

Each pointed in a different direction, while Rasco and dick were of the opinion that none of theht and that the trail led up the ravine, just as it really did

An interruption now occurred There was a stir in the bushes above their heads, and an elderly scout peered down upon them, rifle in hand

”Hullo, Jack Rasco, wot's the best word? Whar is pawnee Brown?”

”Dan Gilbert!” cried Rasco ”Coht to be somewhere about here”

In afrontiers them A hasty consultation immediately followed Dan Gilbert was on his way back to where he had left the blaze on the tree, and it was decided that Rasco and dick should accompany him, while Clemmer, Delaney and Humpendinck went to reconnoitre in the opposite direction A double pistol shot fro the other to its aid

In less than five minutes the first party was on its way to the blazed tree Dan Gilbert feeling certain that if pawnee Brown had passed that way he n and left word of his own