id stringlengths 16 16 | text stringlengths 150 2.3k | word_count int64 30 60 | source stringclasses 1
value | book_id stringclasses 1
value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
twg_000012583200 | The beavers thus taken were always skinned, stretched, dried, folded up with the hair in the inside, laid by, and the flesh used for food. But oftentimes the trappers had to go forth with the gun in one hand and their traps in the other, while they kept a sharp look out on the bushes to guard against surprise. Despite | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583201 | their utmost efforts a horse was occasionally stolen before their very eyes, and sometimes even an unfortunate trapper was murdered, and all his traps carried off. An event of this kind occurred soon after the party had gained the western slopes of the mountains. Three Iroquois Indians, who belonged to the band of trap... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583202 | ten miles off. Having reached their destination, they all entered the water to set their traps, foolishly neglecting the usual precaution of one remaining on the bank to protect the others. They had scarcely commenced operations, when three arrows were discharged into their backs, and a party of Snake Indians rushed up... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583203 | horses, and scalps. This was not known for several days, when, becoming anxious about their prolonged absence, Cameron sent out a party which found their mangled bodies affording a loathsome banquet to the wolves and vultures. After this sad event the trappers were more careful to go in larger parties, and keep watch. ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583204 | abundance the camp remained stationary, but whenever the beaver began to grow scarce, the camp was raised, and the party moved on to another valley. One day Dick Varley came galloping into camp with the news that there were several bears in a valley not far distant, which he was anxious not to disturb until a number of... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583205 | were collected together to go out and surround them. On receiving the information Walter Cameron shook his head. "We have other things to do, young man," said he, "than go a-hunting after bears. I'm just about making up my mind to send off a party to search out the valley on the other side of the Blue Mountains yonder,... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583206 | bring back word if there are beaver there, for if not, I mean to strike away direct south. Now, if you've a mind to go with them, you're welcome. I'll warrant you'll find enough in the way of bear-hunting to satisfy you; perhaps a little Indian hunting to boot, for if the Banattees get hold of your horses, you'll have | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583207 | a long hunt before you find them again. Will you go?" "Ay, right gladly," replied Dick. "When do we start?" "This afternoon." Dick went off at once to his own part of the camp to replenish his powder-horn and bullet pouch, and wipe out his rifle. That evening the party, under command of a Canadian named Pierre, set out... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583208 | the Blue Hills. They numbered twenty men, and expected to be absent three days, for they merely went to reconnoitre, not to trap. Neither Joe nor Henri were of this party, both having been out hunting when it was organised. But Crusoe and Charlie were, of course! Pierre, although a brave and trusty man, was of a sour, ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583209 | and not a favourite with Dick, but the latter resolved to enjoy himself and disregard his sulky comrade. Being so well mounted, he not unfrequently shot far ahead of his companions, despite their warnings that he ran great risk by so doing. On one of these occasions he and Crusoe witnessed a very singular fight, which ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583210 | Dick had felt a little wilder in spirit that morning than usual, and on coming to a pretty open plain he gave the rein to Charlie, and with an "_Adieu mes comerades_," he was out of sight in a few minutes. He rode on several miles in advance without checking speed, and then came to a wood where rapid motion | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583211 | was inconvenient, so he pulled up, and, dismounting, tied Charlie to a tree, while he sauntered on a short way on foot. On coming to the edge of a small plain he observed two large birds engaged in mortal conflict. Crusoe observed them too, and would soon have put an end to the fight had Dick not checked him. Creeping | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583212 | as close to the belligerents as possible, he found that one was a wild turkey-cock, the other a white-headed eagle! These two stood with their heads down and all their feathers bristling for a moment, then they dashed at each other, and struck fiercely with their spurs as our domestic cocks do, but neither fell, and th... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583213 | for about five minutes without apparent advantage on either side. Dick now observed that, from the uncertainty of its motions, the turkey-cock was blind, a discovery which caused a throb of compunction to enter his breast for standing and looking on, so he ran forward. The eagle saw him instantly, and tried to fly away... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583214 | "At him, Crusoe," cried Dick, whose sympathies all lay with the other bird. Crusoe went forward at a bound, and was met by a peck between the eyes that would have turned most dogs, but Crusoe only winked, and the next moment the eagle's career was ended. Dick found that the turkey-cock was quite blind, the eagle having... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583215 | both its eyes, so, in mercy, he put an end to its sufferings. The fight had evidently been a long and severe one for the grass all round the spot, for about twenty yards, was beaten to the ground, and covered with the blood and feathers of the fierce combatants. Meditating on the fight which he had just witnessed, Dick | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583216 | returned towards the spot where he had left Charlie, when he suddenly missed Crusoe from his side. "Hallo, Crusoe! here, pup, where are you?" he cried. The only answer to this was a sharp whizzing sound, and an arrow, passing close to his ear, quivered in a tree beyond. Almost at the same moment Crusoe's angry roar was... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583217 | a shriek from some one in fear or agony. Cocking his rifle, the young hunter sprang through the bushes towards his horse, and was just in time to save a Banattee Indian from being strangled by the dog. It had evidently scented out this fellow, and pinned him just as he was in the act of springing on the back | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583218 | of Charlie, for the halter was cut, and the savage lay on the ground close beside him. Dick called off the dog, and motioned to the Indian to rise, which he did so nimbly that it was quite evident he had sustained no injury beyond the laceration of his neck by Crusoe's teeth, and the surprise. He was a tall | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583219 | strong Indian, for the tribe to which he belonged, so Dick proceeded to secure him at once. Pointing to his rifle and to the Indian's breast, to show what he might expect if he attempted to escape, Dick ordered Crusoe to keep him steady in that position. The dog planted himself in front of the savage, who began to trem... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583220 | for his scalp, and gazed up in his face with a look which, to say the least of it, was the reverse of amiable, while Dick went towards his horse for the purpose of procuring a piece of cord to tie him with. The Indian naturally turned his head to see what was going to be done, but a peculiar | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583221 | _gurgle_ in Crusoe's throat made him turn it round again very smartly, and he did not venture, thereafter, to move a muscle. In a few seconds Dick returned with a piece of leather and tied his hands behind his back. While this was being done the Indian glanced several times at his bow, which lay a few feet away, where | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583222 | it had fallen when the dog caught him, but Crusoe seemed to understand him, for he favoured him with such an additional display of teeth, and such a low-- apparently distant, almost, we might say, subterranean--_rumble_, that he resigned himself to his fate. His hands secured, a long line was attached to his neck with ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583223 | if he ventured to run away the attempt would effect its own cure by producing strangulation. The other end of this line was given to Crusoe, who at the word of command marched him off, while Dick mounted Charlie and brought up the rear. Great was the laughter and merriment when this apparition met the eyes of the trapp... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583224 | when they heard that he had attempted to shoot Dick their ire was raised, and a court-martial was held on the spot. "Hang the reptile!" cried one. "Burn him!" shouted another. "No, no," said a third; "don't imitate them villains; don't be cruel. Let's shoot him." "Shoot 'im," cried Pierre; "Oui, dat is de ting; it too ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583225 | mais, it shall be dooed." "Don't ye think, lads, it would be better to let the poor wretch off?" said Dick Varley; "he'd p'raps give a good account o' us to his people." There was a universal shout of contempt at this mild proposal. Unfortunately, few of the men sent on this exploring expedition were imbued with the pe... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583226 | of their chief; and most of them seemed glad to have a chance of venting their hatred of the poor Indians on this unhappy wretch, who although calm, looked sharply from one speaker to another, to gather hope, if possible, from the tones of their voices. Dick was resolved at the risk of a quarrel with Pierre to save the | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583227 | poor man's life, and had made up his mind to insist on having him conducted to the camp to be tried by Cameron, when one of the men suggested that they should take the savage to the top of a hill about three miles further on, and there hang him up on a tree as a warning to all his | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583228 | tribe. "Agreed, agreed," cried the men; "come on." Dick, too, seemed to agree to this proposal, and hastily ordered Crusoe to run on ahead with the savage, an order which the dog obeyed so vigorously that before the men had done laughing at him, he was a couple of hundred yards ahead of them. "Take care that he don't g... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583229 | off!" cried Dick, springing on Charlie and stretching out at a gallop. In a moment he was beside the Indian. Scraping together the little of the Indian language he knew, he stooped down, and, cutting the thongs that bound him, said--"Go, white men love the Indians." The man cast on his deliverer one glance of surprise,... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583230 | bounded aside into the bushes and was gone. A loud shout from the party behind showed that this act had been observed, and Crusoe stood with the end of the line in his mouth, and an expression on his face that said, "You're absolutely incomprehensible, Dick! It's all right, I _know_; but to my feeble capacity it _seems... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583231 | for, you do dat?" shouted Pierre in a rage, as he came up with a menacing look. Dick confronted him. "The prisoner was mine. I had a right to do with him as it liked me." "True, true," cried several of the men who had begun to repent of their resolution, and were glad the savage was off. "The lad's | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583232 | right. Get along, Pierre." "You had no right, you vas wrong. Oui, et I have goot vill to give you one knock on de nose." Dick looked Pierre in the face, as he said this, in a manner that cowed him. "It is time," he said quietly, pointing to the sun, "to go on. Your bourgeois expects that time won't | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583233 | be wasted." Pierre muttered something in an angry tone, and, wheeling round his horse, dashed forward at full gallop followed by the rest of the men. The trappers encamped that night on the edge of a wide grassy plain, which offered such tempting food for the horses that Pierre resolved to forego his usual cautious pla... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583234 | to the camp, and set them loose on the plain, merely hobbling them to prevent their straying far. Dick remonstrated, but in vain. An insolent answer was all he got for his pains. He determined, however, to keep Charlie close beside him all night, and also made up his mind to keep a sharp look out on the other horses. | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583235 | At supper he again remonstrated. "No fraid," said Pierre, whose pipe was beginning to improve his temper. "The red reptiles no dare to come in open plain when de moon so clear." "Dun know that," said a taciturn trapper, who seldom ventured a remark of any kind; "them varmints 'ud steal the two eyes out o' you' head whe... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583236 | set their hearts on't." "Dat ar' umposs'ble, for de have no hearts," said a half-breed; "dey have von hole vere de heart vas be." This was received with a shout of laughter, in the midst of which an appalling yell was heard, and, as if by magic, four Indians were seen on the backs of four of the best horses, | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583237 | yelling like fiends, and driving all the other horses furiously before them over the plain. How they got there was a complete mystery, but the men did not wait to consider that point. Catching up their guns they sprang after them with the fury of madmen, and were quickly scattered far and wide. Dick ordered Crusoe to f... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583238 | the men, and turned to spring on the back of Charlie, but at that moment he observed an Indian's head and shoulders rise above the grass, not fifty yards in advance from him, so without hesitation he darted forward, intending to pounce upon him. Well would it have been for Dick Varley had he at that time possessed a li... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583239 | more experience of the wiles and stratagems of the Banattees. The Snake nation is subdivided into several tribes, of which those inhabiting the Rocky Mountains, called the Banattees, are the most perfidious. Indeed, they are confessedly the banditti of the hills, and respect neither friend nor foe, but rob all who come... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583240 | the Indian had disappeared in less than a minute, but no savage was to be seen! Thinking he had crept ahead he ran on a few yards further, and darted about hither and thither, while his eye glanced from side to side. Suddenly a shout in the camp attracted his attention, and looking back he beheld the savage on Charlie'... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583241 | back turning to fly. Next moment he was off and away far beyond the hope of recovery. Dick had left his rifle in the camp, otherwise the savage would have gone but a short way--as it was, Dick returned, and sitting down on a mound of grass, stared straight before him with a feeling akin to despair. Even Crusoe could | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583242 | not have helped him had he been there, for nothing on four legs, or on two, could keep pace with Charlie. The Banattee achieved this feat by adopting a stratagem which invariably deceives those who are ignorant of their habits and tactics. When suddenly pursued the Banattee sinks into the grass, and, serpentlike, creep... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583243 | but _towards_ his enemy, taking care, however, to avoid him, so that when the pursuer reaches the spot where the pursued is supposed to be hiding, he hears him shout a yell of defiance far away in the rear. It was thus that the Banattee eluded Dick and gained the camp almost as soon as the other reached the spot | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583244 | where he had disappeared. One by one the trappers came back weary, raging, and despairing. In a short time they all assembled, and soon began to reproach each other. Ere long one or two had a fight, which resulted in several bloody noses and black eyes, thus adding to the misery which, one would think, had been bad eno... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583245 | such additions. At last they finished their suppers and their pipes, and then lay down to sleep under the trees till morning, when they arose in a particularly silent and sulky mood, rolled up their blankets, strapped their things on their shoulders, and began to trudge slowly back to the camp on foot. CHAPTER TWENTY O... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583246 | AND CAMERON CIRCUMVENTS THE WOLVES--A BEAR-HUNT, IN WHICH HENRI SHINES CONSPICUOUS--JOE AND THE "NATTER-LIST"--AN ALARM--A SURPRISE AND A CAPTURE. We must now return to the camp where Walter Cameron still guarded the goods, and the men pursued their trapping avocations. Here seven of the horses had been killed in one n... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583247 | the camp, and on the night following a horse that had strayed was also torn to pieces and devoured. The prompt and daring manner in which this had been done convinced the trader that white wolves had unfortunately scented them out, and he set several traps in the hope of capturing them. White wolves are quite distinct ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583248 | wolves that prowl through woods and plains in large packs. They are much larger, weighing sometimes as much as a hundred and thirty pounds; but they are comparatively scarce, and move about alone, or in small bands of three or four. Their strength is enormous, and they are so fierce that they do not hesitate, upon occa... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583249 | himself. Their method of killing horses is very deliberate. Two wolves generally undertake the cold-blooded murder. They approach their victim with the most innocent looking and frolicsome gambols, lying down and rolling about, and frisking pleasantly until the horse becomes a little accustomed to them. Then one approa... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583250 | think themselves near enough, when they make a simultaneous rush. The wolf which approaches in rear is the true assailant; the rush of the other is a mere feint; then both fasten on the poor horse's haunches and never let go till the sinews are cut and he is rolling on his side. The horse makes comparatively little str... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583251 | this deadly assault. He seems paralysed and soon falls to rise no more. Cameron set his traps towards evening in a circle with a bait in the centre and then retired to rest. Next morning he called Joe Blunt and the two went off together. "It is strange that these rascally white wolves should be so bold when the smaller | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583252 | kinds are so cowardly," remarked Cameron, as they walked along. "So 'tis," replied Joe, "but I've seed them other chaps bold enough too in the prairie when they were in large packs and starvin'." "I believe the small wolves follow the big fellows and help them to eat what they kill, though they generally sit round and ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583253 | the killing." "Hist!" exclaimed Joe, cocking his gun, "there he is, an' no mistake." There he was, undoubtedly. A wolf of the largest size with one of his feet in the trap. He was a terrible-looking object, for, besides his immense size and naturally ferocious aspect, his white hair bristled on end and was all covered ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583254 | of blood from his bloody jaws. In his efforts to escape he had bitten the trap until he had broken his teeth and lacerated his gums, so that his appearance was hideous in the extreme. And when the two men came up he struggled with all his might to fly at them. Cameron and Joe stood looking at him in | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583255 | a sort of wondering admiration. "We'd better put a ball in him," suggested Joe after a time. "Mayhap the chain won't stand sich tugs long." "True, Joe; if it breaks we might get an ugly nip before we killed him." So saying Cameron fired into the wolf's head and killed it. It was found, on examination, that four wolves ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583256 | been in the traps, but the rest had escaped. Two of them, however, had gnawed off their paws and left them lying in the traps. After this the big wolves did not trouble them again. The same afternoon, a bear-hunt was undertaken, which well-nigh cost one of the Iroquois his life. It happened thus:-- While Cameron and Jo... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583257 | after the white wolves, Henri came floundering into camp tossing his arms like a maniac, and shouting that "seven bars wos be down in de bush close bye!" It chanced that this was an idle day with most of the men, so they all leaped on their horses, and taking guns and knives sallied forth to give battle to the | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583258 | bears. Arrived at the scene of action they found the seven bears busily engaged in digging up roots, so the men separated in order to surround them, and then closed in. The place was partly open and partly covered with thick bushes into which a horseman could not penetrate. The moment the bears got wind of what was goi... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583259 | they made off as fast as possible, and then commenced a scene of firing, galloping, and yelling, that defies description! Four out of the seven were shot before they gained the bushes; the other three were wounded, but made good their retreat. As their places of shelter, however, were like islands in the plain, they ha... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583260 | The horsemen now dismounted and dashed recklessly into the bushes, where they soon discovered and killed two of the bears; the third was not found for some time. At last an Iroquois came upon it so suddenly that he had not time to point his gun before the bear sprang upon him and struck him to the earth, where it | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583261 | held him down. Instantly the place was surrounded by eager men, but the bushes were so thick and the fallen trees among which the bear stood were so numerous, that they could not use their guns without running the risk of shooting their companion. Most of them drew their knives and seemed about to rush on the bear with... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583262 | but the monster's aspect, as it glared round, was so terrible that they held back for a moment in hesitation. At this moment Henri, who had been at some distance engaged in the killing of one of the other bears, came rushing forward after his own peculiar manner. "Ah! fat is eet--hay? de bar no go under yit?" Just then | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583263 | his eye fell on the wounded Iroquois with the bear above him, and he uttered a yell so intense in tone that the bear himself seemed to feel that something decisive was about to be done at last. Henri did not pause, but with a flying dash he sprang like a spread eagle, arms and legs extended, right into the | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583264 | bear's bosom. At the same moment he sent his long hunting-knife down into its heart. But Bruin is proverbially hard to kill, and although mortally wounded, he had strength enough to open his jaws and close them on Henri's neck. There was a cry of horror, and at the same moment a volley was fired at the bear's head, for | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583265 | the trappers felt that it was better to risk shooting their comrades than see them killed before their eyes. Fortunately the bullets took effect, and tumbled him over at once without doing damage to either of the men, although several of the balls just grazed Henri's temple and carried off his cap. Although uninjured b... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583266 | had not escaped scatheless from the paw of the bear. His scalp was torn almost off, and hung down over his eyes, while blood streamed down his face. He was conveyed by his comrades to the camp, where he lay two days in a state of insensibility, at the end of which time he revived and recovered daily. Afterwards when | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583267 | the camp moved he had to be carried, but in the course of two months he was as well as ever, and quite as fond of bear-hunting! Among other trophies of this hunt there were two deer, and a buffalo, which last had probably strayed from the herd. Four or five Iroquois were round this animal whetting their knives for | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583268 | the purpose of cutting it up when Henri passed, so he turned aside to watch them perform the operation, quite regardless of the fact that his neck and face were covered with blood which flowed from one or two small punctures made by the bear. The Indians began by taking off the skin, which certainly did not occupy them... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583269 | than five minutes. Then they cut up the meat and made a pack of it, and cut out the tongue, which is somewhat troublesome, as that member requires to be cut out from under the jaw of the animal, and not through the natural opening of the mouth. One of the fore-legs was cut off at the knee joint, and | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583270 | this was used as a hammer with which to break the skull for the purpose of taking out the brains, these being used in the process of dressing and softening the animal's skin. An axe would have been of advantage to break the skull, but in the hurry of rushing to the attack the Indians had forgotten their axes, so | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583271 | they adopted the common fashion of using the buffalo's hoof as a hammer, the shank being the handle. The whole operation of flaying, cutting up, and packing the meat, did not occupy more than twenty minutes. Before leaving the ground these expert butchers treated themselves to a little of the marrow and warm liver in a... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583272 | Joe walked up to the group while they were indulging in this little feast. "Well, I've often seen that eaten, but I never could do it myself," remarked the former. "No!" cried Joe in surprise; "now that's oncommon cur'us. I've _lived_ on raw liver an' marrow-bones for two or three days at a time, when we wos chased by ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583273 | Camanchee Injuns and didn't dare to make a fire, an' it's ra'al good it is. Won't ye try it _now_?" Cameron shook his head. "No, thankee; I'll not refuse when I can't help it, but until then I'll remain in happy ignorance of how good it is." "Well, it _is_ strange how some folk can't abide anything in the meat | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583274 | way they han't bin used to. D'ye know I've actually knowd men from the cities as wouldn't eat a bit o' horseflesh for love or money. Would ye believe it?" "I can well believe that, Joe, for I have met with such persons myself; in fact, they are rather numerous. What are you chuckling at, Joe?" "Chucklin'? if ye mean | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583275 | be that `larfin' in to myself' it's because I'm thinkin' o' a chap as once comed out to the prairies." "Let us walk back to the camp, Joe, and you can tell me about him as we go along." "I think," continued Joe, "he comed from Washington, but I never could make out right whether he wos a government man | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583276 | or not. Anyhow, he wos a pheelosopher--a natter-list I think he call his-self." "A naturalist," suggested Cameron. "Ay, that wos more like it. Well, he wos about six feet two in his moccasins, an' as thin as a ramrod, an' as blind as a bat--leastways he had weak eyes an wore green spectacles. He had on a grey shootin' ... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583277 | and trousers and vest and cap, with rid whiskers an' a long nose as rid at the point as the whiskers wos. "Well, this gentleman engaged me an' another hunter to go a trip with him into the prairies, so off we sot one fine day on three hosses with our blankets at our backs--we wos to depend on the | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583278 | rifle for victuals. At first I thought the Natter-list one o' the cruellest beggars as iver went on two long legs, for he used to go about everywhere pokin' pins through all the beetles, and flies, an' creepin' things he could sot eyes on, an' stuck them in a box; but he told me he comed here a-purpose to git | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583279 | as many o' them as he could; so says I, `If that's it, I'll fill yer box in no time.' "`Will ye?' says he, quite pleased like. "`I will,' says I, an' galloped off to a place as was filled wi' all sorts o' crawlin' things. So I sets to work, and whenever I seed a thing crawlin' I sot | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583280 | my fut on it and crushed it, and soon filled my breast pocket. I coched a lot o' butterflies too, an' stuffed them into my shot pouch, and went back in an hour or two an' showed him the lot. He put on his green spectacles and looked at them as if he'd seen a rattlesnake. "`My good man,' says | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583281 | he, `you've crushed them all to pieces!' "`They'll taste as good for all that,' says I, for somehow I'd taken't in me head that he'd heard o' the way the Injuns make soup o' the grasshoppers, an was wantin' to try his hand at a new dish! "He laughed when I said this, an' told me he wos collectin' them | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583282 | to take home to be _looked_ at. But that's not wot I wos goin' to tell ye about him," continued Joe; "I wos goin' to tell ye how we made him eat horseflesh. He carried a revolver, too, this Natter-list did, to load wi' shot as small as dust a-most, and shoot little birds with. I've seed him miss birds | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583283 | only three feet away with it. An' one day he drew it all of a suddent and let fly at a big bum-bee that wos passin', yellin' out that it wos the finest wot he had iver seed. He missed the bee, of coorse, cause it was a flyin' shot, he said, but he sent the whole charge right into | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583284 | Martin's back--Martin was my comrade's name. By good luck Martin had on a thick leather coat, so the shot niver got the length o' his skin. "One day I noticed that the Natter-list had stuffed small corks into the muzzles of all the six barrels of his revolver. I wondered what they wos for, but he wos al'ays doin' sich | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583285 | queer _things_ that I soon forgot it. `May be,' thought I, jist before it went out o' my mind,--`may be he thinks that 'll stop the pistol from goin' off by accident,' for ye must know he'd let it off three times the first day by accident, and well-nigh blowed off his leg the last time, only the shot lodged | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583286 | in the back o' a big toad he'd jist stuffed into his breeches' pocket. Well, soon after, we shot a buffalo bull, so when it fell, off he jumps from his horse an runs up to it. So did I, for I wasn't sure the beast was dead, an' I had jist got up when it rose an' rushed at | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583287 | the Natter-list. "`Out o' the way,' I yelled, for my rifle was empty; but he didn't move, so I rushed forward an' drew the pistol out o' his belt and let fly in the bull's ribs jist as it ran the poor man down. Martin came up that moment an' put a ball through its heart, and then we went | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583288 | to pick up the Natter-list. He came to in a little, an' the first thing he said was, `Where's my revolver?' When I gave it to him he looked at it, an' said with a solemcholy shake o' the head, `There's a whole barrel-full lost!' It turned out that he had taken to usin' the barrels for bottles to hold | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583289 | things in, but he forgot to draw the charges, so sure enough I had fired a charge o' bum-bees, an' beetles, an' small shot into the buffalo! "But that's not what I wos goin' to tell ye yet. We comed to a part o' the plains where we wos well-nigh starved for want o' game, an' the Natter-list got so | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583290 | thin that ye could a-most see through him, so I offered to kill my horse, an' cut it up for meat; but you niver saw sich a face he made. `I'd rather die first,' says he, `than eat it;' so we didn't kill it. But that very day Martin got a shot at a wild horse and killed it. The | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583291 | Natter-list was down in the bed o' a creek at the time gropin' for creepers, an' he didn't see it. "`He'll niver eat it,' says Martin. "`That's true,' says I. "`Let's tell him it's a buffalo,' says he. "`That would be tellin' a lie,' says I. "So we stood lookin' at each other, not knowin' what to do. "`I'll tell | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583292 | ye what,' cries Martin, `we'll cut it up, and take the meat into camp and cook it without _sayin' a word_.' "`Done,' says I, `that's it;' for ye must know the poor creature wos no judge o' meat. He couldn't tell one kind from another, an' he niver axed questions. In fact he niver a-most spoke to us all the | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583293 | trip. Well, we cut up the horse and carried the flesh and marrow-bones into camp, takin' care to leave the hoofs and skin behind, and sot to work and roasted steaks and marrow-bones. "When the Natter-list came back ye should ha' seen the joyful face he put on when he smelt the grub, for he was all but starved out, | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583294 | poor critter. "`What have we got here?' cried he, rubbin' his hands and sittin' down. "`Steaks an' marrow-bones,' says Martin. "`Capital!' says he. `I'm _so_ hungry.' "So he fell to work like a wolf. I niver seed a man pitch into anything like as that Natter-list did into that horseflesh. "`These are first-rate marrow-... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583295 | down the shin bone o' the hind-leg to see if it was quite empty. "`Yes, sir, they is,' answered Martin, as grave as a judge. "`Take another, sir,' says I. "`No, thankee,' says he with a sigh, for he didn't like to leave off. "Well, we lived for a week on horseflesh, an' first-rate livin' it wos; then we fell | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583296 | in with buffalo, an' niver ran short again till we got to the settlements, when he paid us our money an' shook hands, sayin' we'd had a nice trip an' he wished us well. Jist as we wos partin' I said, says I, `D'ye know what it wos we lived on for a week arter we wos well-nigh starved in | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583297 | the prairies?' "`What,' says he, `when we got yon capital marrow-bones?' "`The same,' says I; `yon was _horseflesh_,' says I, `an' I think ye'll sur'ly niver say again that it isn't first-rate livin'.' "`Yer jokin',' says he, turnin' pale. "`It's true, sir, as true as yer standin' there.' "Well, would ye believe it; he... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583298 | dog on the spot wot he wos standin' on, an' didn't taste meat again for three days!" Shortly after the conclusion of Joe's story they reached the camp, and here they found the women and children flying about in a state of terror, and the few men who had been left in charge arming themselves in the greatest haste. "Hall... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
twg_000012583299 | something wrong here," cried Cameron hastening forward followed by Joe. "What has happened, eh?" "Injuns comin', monsieur, look dere," answered a trapper, pointing down the valley. "Arm and mount at once, and come to the front of the camp," cried Cameron in a tone of voice that silenced every other, and turned confusio... | 60 | gutenberg | unknown |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.