“Well, dat am Missy Bessie an’ her lover jes’ as suah as yo’ am bo’n, Marse Frank, an’ dar am half a dozen Injuns jes’ holding onto de bridles ob der hosses. I makes it out, sah, dat dey fink dey kin reach de hills afo’ de Steam Man, sah.”
“By Jupiter, you’re right, Pomp!” cried Frank, with inspiration. “But we’ll try and spoil that little game.”
“Dat’s right, Marse Frank!” cried the darkey. “I jes’ fink de Man kin obertake dem hosses suah enuff.”
Frank seized the reins and pulled open the throttle.
As the Steam Man went forward with his mighty stride Frank opened the whistle valve and let out a mighty shriek of such loudness that the echoes were repeated a hundred fold in the recesses of the hills.
CHAPTER XIV.
IN HOT PURSUIT.
The party of savages with the two captives in their midst, evidently intended to reach the hills, if possible, before being overtaken by the Steam Man.
At first Frank had fancied it easy to cut them off.
But there were several depressions in the prairie which the Man had to circuit, and the distance was greater than Frank had really dreamed of.
Like a runaway locomotive the Steam Man raced over the plain.