A CAPTURE OF OUTLAWS.
When Will was but nine years of age his first thrilling adventure
occurred, and it gave the boy a name for pluck and nerve that went with
him to Kansas, where his father removed with his family shortly after
the incident which I will now relate.
The circumstance to which I refer, and that made a boy hero of him in
the eyes of the neighbors for miles around where his parents lived,
showed the wonderful nerve that has never since deserted him, but rather
has increased with his years.
The country school which he attended was some five miles from his
father's house and he was wont to ride there each morning and back in
the afternoon upon a wiry, vicious little mustang that every one had
prognosticated would some day be the death of him.
Living a few miles from the Cody ranch was a poor settler who had a son
two years Billy's senior, who also attended the same school, but whose
parents were too poor to spare him a horse from the farm to ride.
This boy was Billy's chum, and as they shared together their noonday
meal, the pony was also shared, for the boy rode behind my hero to and
from school, being called for each morning and dropped off near his
cabin on the return trip.
Owing to the lawlessness of the country Mr. Cody allowed his son to go
armed, knowing that he fully understood the use of weapons, and his
pistol Billy always hung up with his hat upon reaching the log cabin,
where, figuratively speaking, the young idea was taught to shoot.
The weapon was a revolver, a Colt's, which at that time was not in
common use, and Billy prized it above his books and pony even and always
kept it in perfect order.
One day Rascal, his pony, pulled up the lariat pin which held him out
upon the prairie and scampered for home, and Billy and Davie Dunn, his
chum, were forced to "hoof it," as the western slang goes, home.
A storm was coming on, and to escape it the boys turned off the main
trail and took refuge in a log cabin which was said to be haunted by the
ghosts of its former occupants; at least they had been all mysteriously
murdered there one night and were buried in the shadow of the cabin, and
people gave the place a wide berth.
It was situated back in a piece of heavy timber and looked dismal
enough, but Billy proposed that they should go there, more out of sheer
bravado to show he was not afraid than to escape a ducking, for which he
and Davie Dunn really little cared.
The boys reached the cabin, climbed in an open window and stood looking
out at the approaching storm.
"Kansas crickets! but look there, Davie!"
The words came from Buffalo Billy and he was pointing out toward the
trail.
There four horsemen were seen coming toward the cabin at a rapid gallop.
"Who be they, Billy?" asked Davie.
"They are some of them horse-thieves, Davie, that have been playing the
mischief of late about here, and we'd better dust."
"But they'll see us go out."
"That's so! Let us coon up into the loft, for they'll only wait till the
storm blows over, for they are coming here for shelter."
Up to the loft of the cabin, through a trapdoor, the boys went quickly
and laid quietly down, peering through the cracks in the boards. The
four horsemen dashed up, hastily unsaddled their horses and lariated
them out, and bounded into the cabin through the window, just as the
storm broke with fury upon forest and plain.
As still as mice the boys lay, but they quickly looked toward each
other, for the conversation of the men below, one of whom was kindling
a fire in the broad chimney, told them that, if discovered, their lives
would be the forfeit.
In fact, they were four of a band of outlaws that had been infesting the
country of late, stealing horses, and in some cases taking life and
robbing the cabins of the settlers, and one of them said plainly:
"Pards, when I was last in this old ranch it was six years ago, when we
came to rob Foster Beal who lived here; he showed fight, shot two of the
boys, and we wiped the whole family out; but now let us get away with
what grub we've got, and then plan what is best to do to-night. As for
myself, I say strike old Cody's ranch, for he's got dust."
The boys were greatly alarmed at this, but, putting his mouth close to
Davie Dunn's ear, Billy Cody whispered:
"Davie, you see that shutter in the end of the roof?"
"Yes, Billy," was the trembling reply.
"Well, you slip out of there, drop to the ground and make for your home
and tell your father who is here."
"And you, Billy?"
"I'll just keep here, and if these fellows attempt to go I'll shoot
'em."
"But you can't, Billy."
"I've got my revolver, Davie and you bet I'll use it! Go, but don't make
a fuss, and get your father to come on with the settlers as soon as you
can, for I won't be happy till you get back."
Davie Dunn was trembling considerably; but he arose noiselessly, crossed
to the window at the end of the roof, and which was but a small
aperture, closed by a wooden shutter, which he cautiously opened. The
noise he made was drowned by the pelting rain and furious wind, and the
robbers went on chatting together, while Davie slipped out and dropped
to the ground.
But ere he had been gone half an hour the outlaws were ready to start,
the rain having ceased in a measure, and night was coming on to hide
their red deeds.
"Hold on, boys, for I've got ye all covered. He's a dead man who moves."
Billy had crept to the trap, and in his hoarsest tones, had spoken,
while the men sprung to their feet at his words, and glancing upward saw
the threatening revolver.
One attempted to draw a weapon, but the boy's forefinger touched the
trigger, and the outlaw fell dead at the flash, shot straight through
the heart!
This served as a warning to the others, and they stood like statues,
while one said:
"Pard, who is yer?"
But Billy feared to again trust his voice and answered not a word. He
lay there, his revolver just visible over the edge of the boards, and
covering the hearts of the three men crouching back into the corner, but
full in the light from the flickering fire, while almost at their feet
lay their dead comrade.
Again and again they spoke to Billy, but he gave no reply.
Then they threatened to make it warm for him, and one suggested that
they make a break for the door.
But, each one seemed to feel that the revolver covered him, and none
would make the attempt, for they had ocular demonstration before them of
the deadly aim of the eye behind the weapon.
To poor little Billy, and I suppose to the men too, it seemed as if ages
were passing away, in the hour and a quarter that Davie Dunn was gone,
for he had bounded upon one of the outlaws' horses and ridden away like
the wind.
But, at last, Billy heard a stern voice say:--
"Boys, you is our meat."
At the same time several pistols were thrust into the window, and in
came the door, burst open with a terrific crash that was music to
Billy's ears; while in dashed a dozen bold settlers, led by farmer Dunn.
The three outlaws were not only captured, but, being recognized as old
offenders, were swung up to a tree, while Billy and Davie became indeed
boy heroes, and the former especially was voted the lion of the log
cabin school, for had he not "killed his man?"