Fear filled the lad's heart. If it had been an ordinary death that threatened him, he would have faced it bravely enough; but the thought of being ground to death beneath the hoofs of those equine fiends behind him terrorized him until he almost lost sense of everything but his desire to escape.
It would have frightened any man. The weird shrieks, the bellows-like breathing of his own and of the other horses, the hollow, muffled, pounding of hoofs on the hard, sun-baked prairie, the whistle of the wind about his ears, all combined to make his brain reel. He thought nothing of what was ahead, until it was nearly too late.
Nearly—not quite!
He had a dim recollection of a feeling, a foreboding that all was not right in front. The pale glimmer of the moon made the earth appear as though it suddenly dropped away into nothingness. Like a flash it came home to him that he was close to the edge of Rushing Cañon, a great cleft, dropping to a depth of five hundred feet, sheer to the bottom, where a roaring torrent raged.
Something like a moan passed his lips. He felt himself wondering which would be the better death: to have the life stamped out of him, or to be dashed to pieces below.
He had only a hundred yards to go—seventy-five—fifty! Thirty! The stampede was not a hundred feet behind him. Another minute, and he would be falling. He tugged once again at the reins, but he might as well have pulled at a stump. Another moan broke from him; he kicked his feet free from the stirrups, gave a mad spring outward, and fell headlong to the ground. His horse made a struggle to stop itself, failed, and went hurtling through space.
Ted scrambled to his feet. Five yards ahead of him was the cañon; ten yards behind him the stampede. He would die by the former!
He ran, ran like the wind, toward the drop.
He never could tell what happened in the next few moments. A horrid din filled his ears. He felt himself falling, and mechanically threw out his hands. He caught something—he knew not what—and hung, suspended between heaven and earth. Some dark shapes seemed to hurtle past his head, overhead, all around him. Terrified, shrill snorts and neighs were all that he could hear, save the queer buzzing that was in his head. But he gripped the support that had saved him, and hung on, half unconsciously, his nerves and sinews strained nigh to breaking point.
Then all was quiet overhead. He looked up, wondering dully that he was still alive, and not, as he had expected to be, a smashed, battered mass, on the rocks five hundred feet below.
Painfully, gaspingly, he drew himself upward. Though he thought he had fallen a long distance before he saved himself, he really had not dropped more than his own length. What he had caught and held was nothing more nor less than a sturdy weed, growing on the extreme edge of the cañon. He pulled himself to earth and safety again. His feet felt solid ground. Then his head swam, his limbs tottered, he reeled, and fell heavily, his arms hanging over the edge, unconscious. The reaction had set in, and he had fainted.
He was found half an hour later by Sheriff Walton, who, partly guided by the sound of the stampede, and partly through knowledge of the country, came close to the figure of the prostrate lad. He set about bringing him back to life, and his efforts were rewarded by seeing Ted's eyes open. The lad stared, and then recollection came back to him, for he shuddered violently, and pointed shakingly to the awful depths below.
"They went over there!" he gasped, "and I nearly did so, too. I don't know what saved me."
"But you are saved," was the reply, "and that's the main thing."
"And about Hobson?" asked the lad, when his brain had sufficiently cleared to think of other things beyond his own awful narrow escape from a double danger.
"Hobson won't steal any more horses," said the sheriff grimly.
"Is he dead?"
Walton nodded, but said nothing.
"Did you kill him?" Ted shuddered at the thought. To take human life was terrible to him.
"It was a fair fight, lad," said the sheriff. "If I hadn't done so, he'd have nailed me. In fact, I don't know how he missed me. I emptied my gun, and then closed with him. In the struggle his own gun went off, and the bullet went through his heart. A bad end for a bad man; but only justice."
It was discovered later that Walton needed an assistant. And so Ted did not go back to Minnesota after all. He might not have been much good as a cowboy, but Walton now thinks he cannot do without him to help in his work of keeping law and order in the district.
The most original stories of Western adventure. The only weekly containing the adventures of the famous Buffalo Bill.High art colored covers. Thirty-two big pages. Price, 5 cents.
406—Buffalo Bill's Fiesta; or, At Outs with the Duke of Cimarron.407—Buffalo Bill Among the Cheyennes; or, The Rescue of Paquita.408—Buffalo Bill Besieged; or, Texas Kid's Last Trail.409—Buffalo Bill and the Red Hand; or, The Ranch of Mystery.410—Buffalo Bill's Tree-Trunk Drift; or, The Cold Game "Gent" from Red Tail.411—Buffalo Bill and the Spectre; or, A Queer Layout in Spook Cañon.412—Buffalo Bill and the Red Feathers; or, The Pard Who Went Wrong.413—Buffalo Bill's King Stroke; or, Old Fire-top's Finish.414—Buffalo Bill, the Desert Cyclone; or, The Wild Pigs of the Cumbres.415—Buffalo Bill's Cumbres Scouts; or, The Wild Pigs Corralled.416—Buffalo Bill and the Man-wolf; or, The Mystery of the Adobe Castle.417—Buffalo Bill and His Winged Pard; or, Indian Against Indian.418—Buffalo Bill at Babylon Bar; or, The Mountain Pirates.419—Buffalo Bill's Long Arm; or, The Game-cock of Shasta.
406—Buffalo Bill's Fiesta; or, At Outs with the Duke of Cimarron.
407—Buffalo Bill Among the Cheyennes; or, The Rescue of Paquita.
408—Buffalo Bill Besieged; or, Texas Kid's Last Trail.
409—Buffalo Bill and the Red Hand; or, The Ranch of Mystery.
410—Buffalo Bill's Tree-Trunk Drift; or, The Cold Game "Gent" from Red Tail.
411—Buffalo Bill and the Spectre; or, A Queer Layout in Spook Cañon.
412—Buffalo Bill and the Red Feathers; or, The Pard Who Went Wrong.
413—Buffalo Bill's King Stroke; or, Old Fire-top's Finish.
414—Buffalo Bill, the Desert Cyclone; or, The Wild Pigs of the Cumbres.
415—Buffalo Bill's Cumbres Scouts; or, The Wild Pigs Corralled.
416—Buffalo Bill and the Man-wolf; or, The Mystery of the Adobe Castle.
417—Buffalo Bill and His Winged Pard; or, Indian Against Indian.
418—Buffalo Bill at Babylon Bar; or, The Mountain Pirates.
419—Buffalo Bill's Long Arm; or, The Game-cock of Shasta.
All kinds of stories that boys like. The biggest and best nickel's worth ever offered.High art colored covers. Thirty-two big pages. Price, 5 cents.
322—Always to the Front; or, For Fun and Fortune. By Cornelius Shea.323—Caught in a Trap; or, The Great Diamond Case. By Harrie Irving Hancock.324—For Big Money; or, Beating His Way to the Pacific. By Fred Thorpe.325—Muscles of Steel; or, The Boy Wonder. By Weldon J. Cobb.326—Gordon Keith in Zululand; or, How "Checkers" Held the Fort. By Lawrence White, Jr.327—The Boys' Revolt; or, Right Against Might. By Harrie Irving Hancock.328—The Mystic Isle; or, In Peril of His Life. By Fred Thorpe.329—A Million a Minute; or, A Brace of Meteors. By Weldon J. Cobb.330—Gordon Keith Under African Skies; or, Four Comrades in the Danger Zone. By Lawrence White, Jr.331—Two Chums Afloat; or, The Cruise of the "Arrow." By Cornelius Shea.332—In the Path of Duty; or, The Fortunes of Officer Dan Deering. By Harrie Irving Hancock.333—A Bid for Fortune; or, True as Steel. By Fred Thorpe.334—A Battle with Fate; or, The Baseball Mascot. By Weldon J. Cobb.335—Three Brave Boys; or, Adventures in the Balloon World. By Frank Sheridan.
322—Always to the Front; or, For Fun and Fortune. By Cornelius Shea.
323—Caught in a Trap; or, The Great Diamond Case. By Harrie Irving Hancock.
324—For Big Money; or, Beating His Way to the Pacific. By Fred Thorpe.
325—Muscles of Steel; or, The Boy Wonder. By Weldon J. Cobb.
326—Gordon Keith in Zululand; or, How "Checkers" Held the Fort. By Lawrence White, Jr.
327—The Boys' Revolt; or, Right Against Might. By Harrie Irving Hancock.
328—The Mystic Isle; or, In Peril of His Life. By Fred Thorpe.
329—A Million a Minute; or, A Brace of Meteors. By Weldon J. Cobb.
330—Gordon Keith Under African Skies; or, Four Comrades in the Danger Zone. By Lawrence White, Jr.
331—Two Chums Afloat; or, The Cruise of the "Arrow." By Cornelius Shea.
332—In the Path of Duty; or, The Fortunes of Officer Dan Deering. By Harrie Irving Hancock.
333—A Bid for Fortune; or, True as Steel. By Fred Thorpe.
334—A Battle with Fate; or, The Baseball Mascot. By Weldon J. Cobb.
335—Three Brave Boys; or, Adventures in the Balloon World. By Frank Sheridan.
The latest and best five-cent weekly. We won't say how interesting it is. See for yourself.High art colored covers. Thirty-two big pages. Price, 5 cents.
1—Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.2—Motor Matt's Daring; or, True To His Friends.3—Motor Matt's Century Run; or, The Governor's Courier.4—Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the "Comet."5—Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret Plot.6—Motor Matt's Red Flier; or, On The High Gear.7—Motor Matt's Clue; or, The Phantom Auto.8—Motor Matt's Triumph; or, Three Speeds Forward.9—Motor Matt's Air-Ship; or, The Rival Inventors.10—Motor Matt's Hard Luck; or, The Balloon House Plot.11—Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange Case of Helen Brady.12—Motor Matt's Peril; or, Castaway in the Bahamas.
1—Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.
2—Motor Matt's Daring; or, True To His Friends.
3—Motor Matt's Century Run; or, The Governor's Courier.
4—Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the "Comet."
5—Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret Plot.
6—Motor Matt's Red Flier; or, On The High Gear.
7—Motor Matt's Clue; or, The Phantom Auto.
8—Motor Matt's Triumph; or, Three Speeds Forward.
9—Motor Matt's Air-Ship; or, The Rival Inventors.
10—Motor Matt's Hard Luck; or, The Balloon House Plot.
11—Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange Case of Helen Brady.
12—Motor Matt's Peril; or, Castaway in the Bahamas.
For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by
STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York
IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERSof our Weeklies and cannot procure them from your newsdealer, they can be obtained from this office direct. Fill out the following Order Blank 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.
IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERSof our Weeklies and cannot procure them from your newsdealer, they can be obtained from this office direct. Fill out the following Order Blank 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.
ADVENTURES OF A BOY GENIUSMOTOR STORIESThe boys who want to learn something from what they read, as well as to be interested by it, will never find another publication that will satisfy them so well as MOTOR STORIES. "Motor Matt" is not an impossible boy character. He is simply a youth who has had considerable training in a machine shop where motors of all kinds were repaired, and who is possessed of a genius for mechanics. His sense of right and wrong is strongly developed, and his endeavors to insure certain people a square deal, lead him into a series of the most astonishing, but at the same time the most natural adventures that ever befell a boy.HERE ARE THE TITLES NOW READY:1—Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.2—Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends.3—Motor Matt's Century Run; or, The Governor's Courier.4—Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the "Comet."5—Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret Plot.6—Motor Matt's Red Flier; or, On the High Gear.7—Motor Matt's Clue; or, The Phantom Auto.8—Motor Matt's Triumph; or, Three Speeds Forward.9—Motor Matt's Air Ship; or, The Rival Inventors.10—Motor Matt's Hard Luck; or, The Balloon House Plot.11—Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange Case of Helen Brady.12—Motor Matt's Peril; or, Cast Away in the Bahamas.To be Published on May 17th.13—Motor Matt's Queer Find; or, The Secret of the Iron Chest.To be Published on May 24th.14—Motor Matt's Promise; or, The Wreck of the "Hawk."To be Published on May 31st.15—Motor Matt's Submarine; or, The Strange Cruise of the "Grampus."To be Published on June 7th.16—Motor Matt's Quest; or, Three Chums in Strange Waters.PRICE, FIVE CENTSAt all newsdealers, or sent, postpaid, by the publishers upon receipt of the price.STREET & SMITH,Publishers,NEW YORK
MOTOR STORIES
The boys who want to learn something from what they read, as well as to be interested by it, will never find another publication that will satisfy them so well as MOTOR STORIES. "Motor Matt" is not an impossible boy character. He is simply a youth who has had considerable training in a machine shop where motors of all kinds were repaired, and who is possessed of a genius for mechanics. His sense of right and wrong is strongly developed, and his endeavors to insure certain people a square deal, lead him into a series of the most astonishing, but at the same time the most natural adventures that ever befell a boy.
HERE ARE THE TITLES NOW READY:
1—Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.2—Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends.3—Motor Matt's Century Run; or, The Governor's Courier.4—Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the "Comet."5—Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret Plot.6—Motor Matt's Red Flier; or, On the High Gear.7—Motor Matt's Clue; or, The Phantom Auto.8—Motor Matt's Triumph; or, Three Speeds Forward.9—Motor Matt's Air Ship; or, The Rival Inventors.10—Motor Matt's Hard Luck; or, The Balloon House Plot.11—Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange Case of Helen Brady.12—Motor Matt's Peril; or, Cast Away in the Bahamas.To be Published on May 17th.13—Motor Matt's Queer Find; or, The Secret of the Iron Chest.To be Published on May 24th.14—Motor Matt's Promise; or, The Wreck of the "Hawk."To be Published on May 31st.15—Motor Matt's Submarine; or, The Strange Cruise of the "Grampus."To be Published on June 7th.16—Motor Matt's Quest; or, Three Chums in Strange Waters.
1—Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.2—Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends.3—Motor Matt's Century Run; or, The Governor's Courier.4—Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the "Comet."5—Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret Plot.6—Motor Matt's Red Flier; or, On the High Gear.7—Motor Matt's Clue; or, The Phantom Auto.8—Motor Matt's Triumph; or, Three Speeds Forward.9—Motor Matt's Air Ship; or, The Rival Inventors.10—Motor Matt's Hard Luck; or, The Balloon House Plot.11—Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange Case of Helen Brady.12—Motor Matt's Peril; or, Cast Away in the Bahamas.
1—Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.
2—Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends.
3—Motor Matt's Century Run; or, The Governor's Courier.
4—Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the "Comet."
5—Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret Plot.
6—Motor Matt's Red Flier; or, On the High Gear.
7—Motor Matt's Clue; or, The Phantom Auto.
8—Motor Matt's Triumph; or, Three Speeds Forward.
9—Motor Matt's Air Ship; or, The Rival Inventors.
10—Motor Matt's Hard Luck; or, The Balloon House Plot.
11—Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange Case of Helen Brady.
12—Motor Matt's Peril; or, Cast Away in the Bahamas.
To be Published on May 17th.
13—Motor Matt's Queer Find; or, The Secret of the Iron Chest.
13—Motor Matt's Queer Find; or, The Secret of the Iron Chest.
To be Published on May 24th.
14—Motor Matt's Promise; or, The Wreck of the "Hawk."
14—Motor Matt's Promise; or, The Wreck of the "Hawk."
To be Published on May 31st.
15—Motor Matt's Submarine; or, The Strange Cruise of the "Grampus."
15—Motor Matt's Submarine; or, The Strange Cruise of the "Grampus."
To be Published on June 7th.
16—Motor Matt's Quest; or, Three Chums in Strange Waters.
16—Motor Matt's Quest; or, Three Chums in Strange Waters.
PRICE, FIVE CENTS
At all newsdealers, or sent, postpaid, by the publishers upon receipt of the price.
STREET & SMITH,Publishers,NEW YORK
Added table of contents.
Corrected several apparent single quotes to double quotes; these may have been typos or simply light printing on the original.
Images may be clicked to view larger versions.
Retained inconsistent spelling of "gasolene" / "gasoline" from original.
Page 6, changed "rturning" to "returning" ("returning the parting salutes"). Added missing comma to "Carl, brightening."
Page 7, corrected "Townsand's" to "Townsend's" ("Uncle Archie Townsend's").
Page 8, changed "Ooof" to "Oof" ("Oof ve ged to Honturas").
Page 11, changed "entred" to "entered" ("entered the periscope").
Page 12, changed "binoculers" to "binoculars" ("handing Matt a pair of binoculars").
Page 13, changed "itno" to "into" ("crowded into the little messroom").
Page 14, added missing quotes before "The fust officer" and "Vy iss dot?"
Page 22, added missing quote after "Ve don'd surrenter?"
Page 23, changed "Dick" to "Matt" after "Meanwhile."
Page 24, added missing "to" and changed "learing" to "learning" in "speak to her, on the possible chance of learning."
Page 26, changed "your" to "you" in "Two of you boys come with me."