Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 112

This issue of *Beadle and Adams* serializes "The Mad Hunter," a wilderness adventure tale set in 1806 in Dorrville, Northern New York. The narrative opens with a mock court scene in which settlers, led by Frank Hyde, humorously fine their fellows for minor infractions. Matthew Hinds, a surly rival for Molly Brayton's affections, grows angry and retreats to drink. After losing a wrestling match to Hyde, Hinds stabs him. Though Hyde survives his wound, vigilantes lynch Hinds over the Black Cave, where his body tumbles into the chasm. Weeks later, Hyde recovers and descends into the cavern with companions, discovering Hinds's skeleton. The second chapter introduces Night Island, a rocky, forested outcrop in the Kahuahgo River dividing the falls near the settlement, presented as previously unexplored and unreachable.