The Huge Hunter | Page 4

heels over head off the vehicle to the ground,
while the monster went puffing over the prairie, and at a terrific rate. Baldy was about to
start in pursuit of it, when Johnny, the deformed boy, restrained him.
'It won't run far; the steam is nearly out.'
'Be jibbers! but me head is caved in!' ex-claimed the Irishman, rising to his feet, rubbing
his head, and looking at his hand to see whether there was blood upon it.
'Jerusalem! I thought she had upset or busted her b'iler!' said the Yankee, looking around
him with a bewildered air.
The two spectators were laughing furiously, and they could scarcely stand the trick which
had been played upon them.
'Let your old machine go to blazes!' muttered Ethan. 'If it acts that way, I don't want
nothin' to do with it.'
In the mean time the steamer had gone rattling over the prairie, until about a quarter of a
mile distant, when it rapidly slackened, and as quickly halted.
'What's the matter wid it now?' asked Mickey; 'has it got the cramps and gi'n out?'
'The steam is used up!' replied the dwarf, as he hurried after it; 'we can soon start it
again!'
All four made all haste toward the stationary figure; but the light frame and superior
activity of little Johnny brought him to it considerably in advance of the others. Emptying
a lot of wood from the wagon, he was busily engaged in throwing it into his stomach
when the other two came up. His eyes sparkled, as he said:
'Jump up there, and I'll give you all a ride!'
The three clambered up and took their seats with great care, Mickey and Ethan especially
clinging as if their life depended on it.
Johnny threw in the fuel until the black smoke poured in a stream from the hat. Before
leaving it, he opened two smaller doors, at the knees, which allowed the superfluous
cinders and ashes to fall out. The water in the boiler was then examined, and found all
right. Johnny mounted in his place, and took charge.

'Now we are ready! hold fast!'
'Begorrah. if I goes I takes the wagon wid me,' replied Mickey, as he closed his teeth and
hung on like death.
The engineer managed the monster with rare skill, letting on a full head of steam, and just
as it made a move shutting it off, and letting it on almost immediately, and then shutting
off and admitting it again, until it began moving at a moderate pace, which, however,
rapidly increased until it was going fully thirty miles an hour.
Nothing could be more pleasant than this ride of a mile over the prairie. The plain was
quite level, and despite the extraordinary speed attained, the wagon glided almost as
smoothly as if running upon a railroad. Although the air was still, the velocity created a
stiff breeze about the ears of the four seated on the top of the wood.
The hight of the steam man's head carried the smoke and cinders clear of those behind,
while the wonderful machinery within, worked with a marvelous exactness, such as was a
source of continued amazement to all except the little fellow who had himself constructed
the extraordinary mechanism. The click of the joints as they obeyed their motive power
was scarcely audible, and, when once started, there was no unnevenness at all in its
progress.
When the party had ridden about a half-mile, Johnny described a large circle, and finally
came back to the starting, checking the progress with the same skill that he had started it.
He immediately sprung down, examined the fire, and several points of the man, when
finding everything right, he opened his knee-caps and let cinders and ashes drop out.
'How kin yeou dew that?' inquired Ethan Hopkins, peering over his shoulder.
'What's to hinder?'
'How kin he work his legs, if they're holler that way and let the fire down 'em?'
'They ain't hollow. Don't you see they are very large, and there is plenty of room for the
leg-rods, besides leaving a place for the draft and ashes?'
'Wal, I swan, if that ain't rather queer. And you made it all out of your head naow?' asked
the Yankee, looking at the diminutive inventor before him.
'No, I had to use a good deal of iron,' was the reply of the youngster, with a quizzical
smile.
'You mean you got up the thing yourself?' 'Yes, sir,' was the quiet but proud reply of the
boy.
'Jingo and Jerusalem! but your daddy must be fond of you!' exclaimed the enthusiastic
New Englander, scanning him admiringly from head to foot.

'I haven't any father.'
'Your mother then.'
'I don't know about that.'
'Say, you, can't yer tell a