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 1 
 
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 6 
 
iiPIMHH^IHMPIMn 
 
 w 
 
 EDWARD STRATEMEYER'S BOOKS 
 ©III (©lorg Serteg 
 
 Cloth Illustrated Price per volume $1,25. 
 UNDER DEWEY AT MANILA Or the War Fortunes of a Castaway 
 A YOUNG VOLUNTEER IN CUBA Or Fighting for the Single 
 
 Star. 
 FIGHTING IN CUBAN WATERS Or Under Schley on the Brooklyn. 
 UNDER OTIS IN THE PHILIPPINES Or A Young Officer in the 
 Tropics, (/n Press.) 
 
 E^t Boiinti to SuccfctJ Scries 
 
 Three volumes Cloth Illustrated Price per volume $1.00, 
 RICHARD DARE'S VENTURE Or Striking Out for Hirmself. 
 OLIVER BRIGHT'S SEARCH Or The Mjstery of a Mine. 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD Or The Fortune Hunters of the Yukon. 
 
 Wc)z Sbip ant Sl^ore Series 
 
 Three volumes Cloth Illustrated Price per volume $1.00. 
 
 THE LAST CRUISE OF THE SPITFIRE Or Larry Foster's Strange 
 
 Voyage. 
 REUBEN STONE'S DISCOVERY Or The Young Miller of Torrent 
 
 Bend. 
 TRUE TO HIMSELF Or Roger Strong's Struggle for Place. (//) 
 
 Prtta.) 
 
I 
 
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 " Unci.e Fos tkr ! Kaki.! Look ai This!" — /\i^d jyo. 
 
A^KA FOR GOLD 
 
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TO ALASKA FOR GOLD 
 
 OS 
 
 The Fortune Hunters of the Yukon 
 
 BY 
 
 AUTHO 
 
 EDWARD STRATEMEYER 
 
 /^C«7»W7-^Z> J>y ^. ^. ^^^^^ 
 
 BOSTON 
 LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS 
 
 1899 
 

 
 ^UG29'^ 
 
 CoPYRiaiiT, 1S99, iiY Lek ani» Siiepard. 
 
 All /iiy/its Renerped, 
 
 To Alahka Koit Gold. 
 
 J. S. Cushiii); &: Co. Berwick St Sitiitb 
 Nurwuud Mass. U.S.A. 
 
*i> o 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 ^ 
 
 I 
 
 "To Alaska for Gold" forms the third volume 
 of the " Bound to Succeed '* Series. Like the preced- 
 ing tales, this story is complete in itself. 
 
 The rush to the far-away territory of Alaska, when 
 gold in large quantities was discovered upon Klondike 
 Creek, was somewhat similar to the rush to California 
 in years gone by. The gold fever spread to even the 
 remotest of our hamlets, and men, young and old, 
 poured forth, ready to endure every hardship if only 
 the much-coveted prize might be secured. That many 
 succeeded and that many more failed is now a matter 
 of history, although of recent date. 
 
 In this story are related the adventures of two Maine 
 boys who leave their home among the lumbermen, 
 travel to California, there to join their uncle, an ex- 
 perienced miner, and several other men, and start on 
 the long trip to the Klondike by way of Dyea, Chil- 
 koot Pass, and the lakes and streams forming the 
 headwaters of the mighty Yukon River. After many 
 
 perils the gold district is reached, and here a summer 
 
 iii 
 
IV 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 I I 
 
 and winter are passed, the former in hunting for the 
 precious metal and the hitter in a never ending struggle 
 to sustain life until the advent of spring. 
 
 In writing the description of this new El Dorado 
 the author has endeavored to be as accurate as pos- 
 sible, and has consulted, for this purpose, the leading 
 authorities on Alaska and its resources, as well as di- 
 gested the sometimes tedious, but, nevertheless, always 
 interesting, government reports covering this subject. 
 Regarding the personal experiences of his heroes he 
 would add that nearly every incident cited has been 
 taken from life, as nariated by those who joined in the 
 frenzied rush to the new gold fields. 
 
 EDWARD STRATEMEYER. 
 Newark, N. J., 
 
 April 1, 1899. 
 
 lI^.. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 ( IIAPTRR 
 
 I. A liETTKIt FROM TH!". Wkh T . 
 
 II. TiiK Hoys kkach v Dixision 
 
 III. A Falsk Identip'ication 
 
 IV. A Serious Sh hack 
 V. A Nir.HT IN New York 
 
 VI. Preparations kok Departure 
 
 VII. Buying the Outfits 
 
 VIII. On the Way to Juneau 
 
 IX. The Fate of a Stowaway . 
 
 X. Up the JvYnn Canal 
 
 XL The Start from Dyea 
 
 XII. Earl has an Adventure . 
 
 XIII. At the Summit of Chilkoot Pass 
 
 XIV. Boat-building at Lake Linderman 
 XV. On to Lake Bennett . 
 
 XVL An Exciting Night in Camp 
 
 XVII. A Hunt for Food 
 
 XVIIL On to the White Horse Rapids 
 
 XIX. Nearing the End of a Long Journey 
 
 PAOI 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 18 
 
 27 
 
 30 
 
 44 
 
 52 
 
 61 
 
 69 
 
 77 
 
 85 
 
 93 
 
 101 
 
 109 
 
 118 
 
 127 
 
 134 
 
 141 
 
 149 
 
VI 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 XX. The Gold Fields at Last .... 157 
 
 XXI. A Day in Dawson City 164 
 
 XXII. Digging for Gold 172 
 
 XXIII. Good Luck and Bad ..... 180 
 
 XXIV. An Unlooked-for Arrival .... 187 
 XXV. More Work in the Gulches .... 195 
 
 XXVI. Sluice Boxes and Preparations for Winter 203 
 
 XXVII. The P2nd of the Summer Season . . . 211 
 
 XXVIII. Snowed in 219 
 
 XXIX. Waiting and Watching for Spring . . 227 
 
 XXX. Last Washings for Gold .... 235 
 
 XXXI. Dow^ the Yukon and Home .... 243 
 
LIST OF ILL[\STRATIONS 
 
 " • Uncle Foster ! Earl ! look at this ' " . . . Frontispiece 
 
 « With a final kick the stowaway was run off the gang-plank " 72 
 " The water was boiling on every side " . . . . 195 
 
 " ' I would like to see the prisoner, please '" . . . . jgg 
 
r^^ 
 
 I 
 
 . 1 
 
 .-m'iimi .ii*imiam 
 
TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A LETTER PROM THE WEST. 
 
 " It is not a question of what we should like to do, 
 Randy ; it is a question of what we must do." 
 
 " I know it, Earl. One thing is certain : the way 
 matters stand we can't pay the quarter's rent for this 
 timber land to-morrow unless we borrow the money, 
 and where we are going for it I haven't the least idea." 
 
 "Nor I. It's a pity the Jackson Lumber Company 
 had to go to pieces. I wonder where Jackson is." 
 
 " In Canada most likely. They would put him in 
 jail if they could catch him, and he knows it." 
 
 " He ought to be put in jail ! " burst out Earl, who 
 was the elder of the two Portney brothers. " That two 
 hundred dollars he cheated us out of would just put us 
 on our feet. But without it we can't even pay bills 
 now owing ; and Caleb Norcross is just aching to sell 
 this land to Dan Roland." 
 
 " If we have to get out, what are we to do ? " ques- 
 tioned Randy, soberly. " I don't believe we can get 
 work, unless we go into the woods as mere clioppers." 
 
 B 1 
 
TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 I : 
 
 I 
 
 " We shall have to do something," was Earl's unsatis- 
 factory response. 
 
 The Portney brothers lived upon a small timber 
 claim in the state of Maine. Their parents had died 
 three years before, from injuries received in a terrible 
 forest fire, which had at that time swept the locality. 
 The family had never been rich, and after the sad affair 
 the boys were left to shift for themselves. The father 
 had owned an interest in a timber claim, and this had 
 been sold for three hundred dollars, and with the pro- 
 ceeds the two brothers had rented another claim and 
 gone to work to get out lumber for a new company 
 which had begun operations in the vicinity. 
 
 Earl was now eighteen years of age, and Randolph, 
 or Randy, as he was always called, was nearly seven- 
 teen. Both lads were so tall, well-built, and muscular, 
 that they appeared older. Neither had had a real sick- 
 ness in his life, and the pair were admirably calculated, 
 physically, to cope with the hardships which came to 
 them later. 
 
 The collapse of the new lumber combination, and the 
 running away of its head man, Aaron Jackson, had 
 proved a serious blow to their prospects. As has been 
 intimated, the company owed them two hundred dollars 
 for timber, and, as not a cent was forthcoming, they 
 found themselves in debt, not only for the quarter's 
 rent f • »r the land they were working, but also at the 
 general supply store at the village of Basco, three miles 
 
 ■f 
 
A LETTER FROM THE WEST. 
 
 8 
 
 away. The boys had worked hard, early and late, to 
 make both ends meet, and it certainly looked as if 
 they did not deserve the hard luck which had befallen 
 them. 
 
 It was supper time, and the pair had just finished a 
 scanty meal of beans, bread, and the remains of a brook 
 trout Randy had been lucky enough to catch before 
 breakfast. Randy threw himself down on the doorstep, 
 while Earl washed and dried the few dishes. 
 
 " I wonder if we can't get something out of the 
 lumber company," mused the younger brother, as he 
 gazed meditatively at his boots, which were sadly in 
 need of soling and heeling. " They've lots of timber 
 on hand." 
 
 "All covered by a mortgage to some Boston con- 
 cern," replied Earl. " I asked Squire Dobson about it. 
 He said we shouldn't get a penny." 
 
 " Humph ! " Randy drew a deep breath. " By the 
 way, has Squire Dobson learned anything about Fred, 
 yet?" 
 
 " He's pretty sure Fred ran away to New York." 
 
 " I can't understand why he should run away from 
 such a good home, can you ? You wouldix't catch me 
 doing it." 
 
 "He ran away because he didn't want to finish 
 studying. Fred always was a wild Dick. I shouldn't 
 wonder if he ended up by going out West to hunt 
 Indians." Earl gave a short laugh. "He'll have his 
 
TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 eye-teeth cut one of these days. Hullo, here comes 
 Caleb Nor(3ross now ! " 
 
 Eaii was looking up the winding road thron^ri the 
 woods, and, gazing in the direction. Randy saw a tall, 
 lc?an individual, astride a bony horse, riding swiftly 
 toward the cabin. 
 
 "Well, boys, what's the best word?" was the sharp 
 greeting given by Caleb Norcross, as he came to a halt 
 at tlie cabin door. 
 
 " I don't know as there is any best word, Mr. Nor- 
 cross," replied Earl, quietly. 
 
 " I was over to Bill Stiger's place and thought if I 
 could see you to-niglit about the rent money, it would 
 save you a three miles' trip to-moirow." 
 
 " You know we can't pay you just at present, Mr. 
 Norcross," went on Earl. "The suspension of the 
 lumber company has left us in the lurch." 
 
 The face of the tall, lean man darkened. "How 
 much did they stick you for? " he asked abruptly. 
 
 "Two hundred dollars." 
 
 " Two hundred dollars ! You were fools to trust 
 'em that much. I wouldn't have trusted 'em a cent — 
 not a penny." 
 
 "They were well recommended," put in Randy. 
 "Even Squire Dobson trusted them." 
 
 " That don't make no difference. I don't trust folks 
 unless I know what I'm doing. Although I did trust 
 you boys," added Caleb Norcross, hastily. " Your 
 father was always a straight man.' 
 
 >» 
 
A LETTER FROM THE WEST. 
 
 " And we are straight, too," burst out Randy, stung 
 by the insinuation. " You shall have your money, if 
 only you will give us a little time." 
 
 " How are you going to get it ? " 
 
 " We'll earn it," said Earl. " I am sure we can get 
 out enough timber by fall to square accounts." 
 
 " That won't do for me — not at all. If you can't 
 pay up to-morrow, you can consider your claim on the 
 land at an end." 
 
 " You won't give us any time? " 
 
 "No. I can sell this whole section to Dan Roland, 
 and I'm going to do it." 
 
 "You are very hard-hearted, Mr. Norcross," began 
 Randy, when a look from his elder brother silenced 
 him. 
 
 " I ain't hard-hearted — I'm only looking after my 
 own," growled Caleb Norcross. " If I let things run, 
 I'd do as the lumber company did — bust up. So you 
 can't pay, nohow ? " 
 
 " No, we can't pay," answered Earl. 
 
 "Then I'll expect you to quit by to-morrow noon." 
 
 Without waiting for another word, Caleb Norcross 
 turned around his bony steed and urged him forward. 
 In less than a minute he had disappeared in the direc- 
 tion whence he had come. With sinking hearts the 
 boys watched him out of sight. 
 
 The blow they had dreaded had fallen, and for 
 several seconds neither spoke. Then Randy, who 
 
' 
 
 6 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 1 
 
 bad pulled off one boot, flung it across the kitcben 
 floor. 
 
 " I don't cure, be can bave bis old place," be cried 
 angrily. '" We'll never get ricb Iiere, if we stay a hun- 
 dred years. I'm sick and tired of cutting timber just 
 for one's meals ! " 
 
 " It's all well enough to talk so. Randy," was the 
 elder brother's cautious response. " But where are we 
 to go if we leave here ? '' 
 
 " Ob, anywhere ! We might try our luck down in 
 Bangor, or maybe Boston." 
 
 Earl smiled faintly. " We'd cut pretty figures in a 
 city, I'm thinking, after a life in the backwoods." 
 
 "A backwoods boy became President." 
 
 " Do you wish to try for the presidency? " 
 
 " No ; but it shows what can be done ; and I'm tired 
 of drudging in the woods, without any excitement or 
 anything new from one year's end to another. Father 
 and motlier gave us pretty good educations, and we 
 ought to make the most of that." 
 
 " I knew he wanted to sell this land to Dan Roland," 
 went on Earl, after a pause. " I fancy he is gcing to 
 get a good price, too." 
 
 " If Roland pays over five hundred dollars he will 
 get cheated. The timber at the south end is good for 
 nothing."' 
 
 The boys entered the cabin, lit the lamp, and sat 
 down to discuss the situation. It was far from promis- 
 
 ■l--' 
 
 
A LETTER FROM THE WEST. 
 
 ing, and, an hour later, each retired to bed in a very 
 uneasy frame of mind. They were up before daybreak, 
 and at breakfast Earl announced his intention to go to 
 iBasco and see what could be done. 
 
 "You might as well stay at home," he continued. 
 **It may be Norcross will come back and reconsider 
 matters." 
 
 " Not he I " exclaimed Randy ; nevertheless, he 
 promised to remain and look over some clothing which 
 needed mending, for these sturdy lads were in the 
 habit of doing everything for themselves, even to sew- 
 ing up rents and darning ^ocks. Such are the necessi- 
 ties of real life in the backwoods. 
 
 It was a bright sunny morning, well calculated to 
 cheer any one's spirits, yet Ran(\y felt far from light- 
 hearted when left alone. He could not help but won- 
 der what would happen next. 
 
 " We've got just twenty-eight dollars and a half in 
 cash left," he mused, as he set to work to replace some 
 buttons on one of Earl's working shirts. "And we 
 owe about six dollars at the general store, three dollars 
 and a quarter for those new axes and the coffee mill, 
 and twenty to Norcross. Heigh-ho ! but it's hard lines 
 to be poor, with one's nose continually to the grind- 
 stone. I wonder if we shouldn't have done better if we 
 had struck out, as Uncle Foster did six years ago? 
 He has seen a lot of the world and made money 
 besides." 
 
V 
 
 8 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD, 
 
 Earl had expected to be gone the best part of tho 
 forenoon, and Randy was surprised, at half-past nine, 
 to see his elder brother returning from the village, 
 l^krl was walking along the road at the top of his speed, 
 and as he drew closer, he held up a letter. 
 
 " It's a letter from Uncle Foster ! " he cried, as soon 
 as lie was within speaking distance. " It's got sucli 
 wonderful news in it that I thought I ought to come 
 home with it at once." 
 
 " Wonderful news ? " repeated Randy. " What does 
 he say?" 
 
 " He says he is going back to Alaska, — to some new 
 gold field that has just been discovered there, — and he 
 wants to know if we will go with him." 
 
 \ 
 
part of the 
 If -past nine, 
 the village, 
 of his speed, 
 
 ;ried, as soon 
 it's got such 
 ught to come 
 
 " What does 
 
 -to some new 
 here,— and he 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE BOYS REACH A DECISION. 
 
 "Uncle Foster is going back to Alaska?" said 
 Randy, slowly. 
 
 " Yes ; he is going to start almost immediately, too," 
 added his elder brotlier. " He says the new gold dig- 
 gings are something immense, and he wants to stake a 
 cliiira at the earliest possible date." 
 
 Randy drew a long breath. To Alaska I What a 
 tremendous trip that would be — five thousand miles at 
 least I And going to such an almost unknown region 
 would be very much like starting for the north pole. 
 
 Me remembered well that his Uncle Foster had paid 
 11 visit to Alaska three years pre , .ous, sailing from 
 San Francisco to St. Michael's Island and then taking 
 a Yukon River steamboat to a trading camp known as 
 Fort Cudahy. They had received several letters from 
 him while he was up there, working for the Alaskan 
 Transportation Company part of the time and hunting 
 for gold whenever the opportunity offered. The letters 
 liad told of the intense cold and the suffering, and of 
 numerous unsucc«. ssf^ul attempts to strike a paying 
 
 9 
 
10 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR (iOLD. 
 
 I 
 
 claim around Fort Cudaliy and at another camp, 
 known as Circle C'ity. His uncle had taken up several 
 claims, but they had not j^anned out very well, and 
 Mr. Portney had finally returned to the United States, 
 to interest himself in a Colorado silver mine. 
 
 " Let me see tlie letter," said Randy, and Earl 
 handed it over. " I don't see how we are to pay our 
 way to Alaska or anywhere else," added the younger 
 boy, ruefully, as he opened the epistle. 
 
 " You will see presently," rejoined FjSlyI. " Read it 
 aloud. Uncle writes such a twisted hand, I want to 
 make sure 1 read aright." And Randy started at 
 once : — 
 
 " Creedk, Col., April 5. 
 
 "My dear Nephews: — I suppose you have been 
 looking for a letter from me all winter, but the fact is 
 I have been away from this vicinity since last Decem- 
 ber. A man from British Columbia wanted me to buy 
 an interest in a gold mine at a settlement called 
 Dunbar's, and I went with him. The mine proved to 
 be worthless, and I left Dunbar's, and went to Victoria, 
 and stayed there until three weeks ago. 
 
 " While 1 was in Victoria, I ran across two miners 
 whom I had met while at Fort Cudahy in Alaska. 
 They reported that a new gold field had been discov- 
 ered farther up the Yukon River, at a place known as 
 Klondike Creek. There had been an exodus from 
 Circle City and Fort Cudahy to this new region, and a 
 
THE BOYS REACfr A DECISION. 
 
 11 
 
 camp known as Dawson City liad been started. They 
 said that there were about a duzen small creeks flowinj^ 
 into the Klondike and into the Yukon at this point, and 
 that it was reported and proved that the entire district 
 was rich with gold. 
 
 "I was chary of believing the men at first, for I 
 know only too well how many wild-cat reports start up 
 in every mining camp. But a couple of days later I 
 heard another report from Juneau, Alaska, to the 
 effect that several miners had come down from this 
 same territory by way of the lakes and Chilkoot Pass, 
 and had brought with them over thirty-five thousand 
 dollars in nuggets and gold dust, taken out of a place 
 called Hunker's Creek, which runs into the Klondike. 
 
 " From these reports, and from others which are float- 
 ing around, I am convinced that they have at last struck 
 the rich vein of yellow metal which I always believed 
 would be located there, and I am now making prepara- 
 tions to try my luck again in tliat territory, and if you 
 two boys want to go along and think you can stand the 
 climate, which is something awful for nine months in 
 the year, I'll see you through. I do not know how you 
 are fixed for cash, but I have been lucky in Colorado, 
 and T will pay all expenses, providing you will agree to 
 remain with me for two years, working as I work, for a 
 i one-half interest in all our discoveries — that is, a one- 
 i quarter interest to each of you and a one-half interest 
 to myself The expense of a year's trip to Alaska by 
 
I 
 
 12 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 the route we shall take, over the mountain pass, will be 
 between six and eight hundred dollars each, for we shall 
 have to take nearly all our outfits —clothing, tools, and 
 provisions — along. 
 
 " I am now on the point of starting for San Francisco, 
 and shall arrive there probably before this letter reaches 
 you. My address will be the Palace Hotel, and I wish 
 you to telegraph me immediately, at my expense, if you 
 will go or not. Do not attempt to accept my offer 
 unless both of you are perfectly well and strong and 
 willing to stand great hardships, for the sake of what 
 we may have the good luck to find. And if you do 
 go, don't blame me if we are all disappointed, and come 
 home poorer than we went. ■ 
 
 " If you accept the offer, I will telegraph you suffi- 
 cient money to Messrs. Bartwell & Stone, Boston, to pay 
 your fare to San Francisco, and I shall expect to see you 
 at the latter city before the 20tli of the month, for I am 
 going to start for the new gold fields, even if I have to 
 go with strangers, as soon as possible. With love to you 
 both, I remain, 
 
 " Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 "Foster C. Portney." 
 
 " Oh, Earl, let's go ! " burst from Randy's lips as he 
 
 finished the long letter. " Tliis is just what Pve 
 
 been waiting for. Let's go to Alaska and make our 
 fortunes ! " 
 
THE 150YS KICACH A DKCISION. 
 
 18 
 
 will be 
 *ve shall 
 ols, and 
 
 ancisco, 
 reaches 
 1 1 wish 
 3, if you 
 iiy offer 
 mg and 
 of what 
 you do 
 nd come 
 
 on suffi- 
 n, to pay 
 
 see you 
 for 1 am 
 
 have to 
 re to you 
 
 NEY. 
 
 ips as he 
 lat I've 
 ake our 
 
 1$. 
 5» 
 
 "Go to Alaska and be frozen to death, you mean," 
 replied Karl ; yet lie smiled even as he spoke. "• Do you 
 know that the theiu.vmeter goes down to forty degrees 
 below zero out there in winter?"" 
 
 '' Well, we're used to roughing it out here in these 
 woods."" 
 
 " These woods can't liold a candle to Alaska for bar- 
 renness, Randy. Think of a winter nine months long 
 and ice all the year round ! Uncle said in one of his 
 other letters, that the ground never thawed out more 
 than a few feet, excepting in favored localities." 
 
 " Do you mean to say you'll let such a splendid chance 
 sli[) by?" demanded the younger lad, straightening up 
 and looking his brother full in the face. " And let it 
 slip, too, when we're in such trouble here?" 
 
 " No, I didn't say that. Handy. Hut we ought to 
 consider the matter carefully before we make up our 
 minds. According to the letter we'll have to spend at 
 least two years in the gold fields." 
 
 "I'll spend ten if I can make money." 
 
 "• Uncle said in that other letter that no one seemed 
 to care to stay in the upper portion of Alaska more than 
 two or three years at a time." 
 
 " Well, I'm in for the trip, heart and soul. Hurrah 
 for the — what's the name of that creek ? — Klondike I 
 Hurrah for the Klondike ! I wonder if it's on the 
 map." 
 
 Randy rushed over to the little shelf which contained 
 
 » 
 
- ' lWBM g b;.J- ^ 
 
 14 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 i 
 
 all the school-books the family had ever possessed, and 
 brought forth a large geography, much the worse for 
 wear. There was no separate map of Alaska, but there 
 was one of North America, and this he scanned witli 
 interest. 
 
 " Here's the Yukon and here's the Porcupine and the 
 Pelly rivers, but I don't see any Klondike," he said 
 seriously. "I wonder where it can be." 
 
 "You can't expect to find a little creek on a map 
 that shows up the Yukon River as less than two inches 
 long," said Earl. "Why, the Yukon is between two 
 and three thousand miles long. Circle City must be 
 up there," he continued, pointing to where the Yukon 
 touclied the 144° of longitude, " and if that's so, this 
 new gold field can't be so very far off, although in such 
 a gi jat territory a few hundred miles this way or that 
 are hardly counted." 
 
 " But you'll go, won't you. Earl? " pleaded Randy, as 
 he restored the geography to the shelf. " We'll never 
 make more than our pork and beans out here in the 
 woot^s." 
 
 Earl picked up a small stick from the fireplace and 
 brought out his pocket-knife. He always had to go to 
 whittling when he wanted to do some hard thinking. 
 " If we accepted Uncie Foster's invitation to come to 
 San Francisco, there would be no turning back," he 
 remarked, after a moment of silence. 
 
 *' We shouldn't want to turn back as soon as that." 
 
 ••Wv- 
 
 
 \f 
 
 t« 
 
THE BOVS REACH A DECISION. 
 
 15 
 
 jsed, and 
 i^orse for 
 3ut there 
 led with 
 
 } and the 
 ' he said 
 
 n a map 
 vo inches 
 ^^een two 
 must be 
 e Yukon 
 s so, this 
 in such 
 y or that 
 
 landy, as 
 3'11 never 
 re in the 
 
 )lace and 
 L to go to 
 thinking. 
 
 " And we couldn't turn back after we once got into 
 Aliiska. There is no sucii thing as travelling back 
 and forth between the months of October and May. 
 The rivers freeze up, and everything is snow and 
 ice." 
 
 " Well, we'd have plenty of provisions — Uncle would 
 be sure to see to that. We've got to vacate here, you 
 must remember, in a day or two." 
 
 Again Earl was silent. He had sharpenc a up one 
 end of the stick, and now he turned to the other. " I 
 wonder where we could telegraph from best," he said 
 at last. 
 
 Randy's eyes lit up instantly, and he caught his big 
 brother by the shoulder. " Good for you, Earl ; I knew 
 you would say yes ! " he cried. " Why, we can tele- 
 grapli from Spruceville, can't we ? " 
 
 " We can if they'll trust us for the telegram." 
 
 " If they won't, I'll pay for it. I'm not going to let 
 such a chance slide by. The thing of it is," Randy 
 added, sobering down suddenly, "how are we to get 
 to Boston to get the money Uncle intends to send 
 on ? " 
 
 "We'll have to sell off our things here. They'll 
 bring in something, although not much." 
 
 " (lood ! I never thought of that." 
 
 For two hours the boys talked matters over, and in 
 the excitement dinner was entirely forgotten. Then a 
 telegram was prepared which ran as follows : — 
 
16 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 it 
 
 " Will sell out and come on as soon as possible. 
 
 »» 
 
 M 
 
 It was agreed that Earl should send the message from 
 Spruceville, a town four miles beyond Basco. This 
 was a seven miles' tramp, but he did not mind it, hav- 
 ing walked the distance many times previously. He 
 procured a bite to eat, and with the letter from his 
 uncle in his pocket he started off. He intended to show 
 the letter to the telegraph operator in case the man 
 should hesitate to send the message with charges to be 
 paid at the other end. 
 
 At Basco, Earl met a number of workmen of the dis- 
 trict, among whom was Tom Roland, the brother of the 
 lumberman who intended to buy the timber land from 
 Caleb Norcross. Roland was a man whom nobody 
 liked, and Earl passed him without a word, although it 
 was evident from Roland's manner that the latter de- 
 sired to stop for a talk. With Tom Roland was a 
 fellow named Guardley, a ne'er-do-well, who had been 
 up before the squire on more than one occasion for 
 drinking and stealing. The reader will do well to 
 remember both Torn Roland and Guardley, for they 
 are destined to play a most important part in the chap- 
 ters which follow. 
 
 The middle of the afternoon had passed before Earl 
 struck the outskirts of Spruceville and made his way 
 to the little railroad station where was located the tele- 
 graph office. His errand was soon explained to the 
 
THE BOYS REACH A DECISION. 
 
 17 
 
 e. 
 
 ?» 
 
 ^e from 
 ! This 
 it, hav- 
 y. He 
 [•oin his 
 bo show 
 he man 
 es to be 
 
 young man in charge, and he felt in his pocket to hring 
 fortli tlie slip of paper Handy had written out, and his 
 uncle's letter. 
 
 To his consternation both were missing. He remem- 
 bered well where he had placed them, yet to make sure 
 he searched his clothing tlioroughly. His search was 
 useless. The message and the letter were gone. 
 
 the dis- 
 r of the 
 [id from 
 nobody 
 lOUgh it 
 tter de- 
 was a 
 . been 
 ion for 
 well to 
 >r they 
 e chap- 
 
 re Earl 
 lis way 
 le tele- 
 to the 
 
'.T^ 
 
 r 
 
 \. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 A FALSE IDENTIFICATION. 
 
 
 " Gone ! " 
 
 That was the single word which dropped from Earl's 
 lips as he stood at the window of the telegrapli office at 
 Spruceville and hunted for the missing letter from his 
 Uncle Foster. He cared nothing for the message, — 
 that could easily be rewritten, — but the letter was 
 highly important. 
 
 Not finding it about his person, he commenced to re- 
 trace his steps with his eyes on the ground. An liour 
 was spent in this manner, and then he returned slowly 
 to the office. 
 
 " I want to send a message to San Francisco, and I had 
 a letter with me to show that it was all right," he ex- 
 plained. " Will you send the message anyliow and col- 
 lect at the other end ? The man who is to receive the 
 message wanted it sent that way." 
 
 The telegraph operator mused for a moment. Then 
 he asked Earl who he was and where he lived, and fin- 
 ally said he guessed it would be all right. The message 
 was again written out, and ten minutes later it was on 
 its long journey westward, by way of Boston. The busi- 
 
 18 
 
A FALSE IDKNTIFKATION. 
 
 19 
 
 ness finishefl, Eiirl tliaiiked the opuriiior and started on 
 liis return lionie. 
 
 He was very iniicli out of sorts witli himself, and 
 wondered what his younger brother wouhl think of 
 liini. " I needn't find fault with Kandy for being eare- 
 less after this," he sighed, almost bitterly. " I'm as 
 bad as he is, and v/orse. One thing is a comfort, though : 
 I remember the name of that Boston firm that is to 
 provide us with our money — Bartwell & Stone. 1 had 
 better make a note of that." And he did. 
 
 The evening sliadows were beginning to fall when 
 Hasco was again reached. On the main street of the 
 little town Earl halted to think matters over. Why 
 wouldn't it be a good thing to let folks know that they 
 wanted to sell out their household goods and tlieir 
 tools and other tilings ? He made his way to the gen- 
 eral store. 
 
 " Well, Portney, I heard you had been put off your 
 place," was the greeting received from tlie general store- 
 keeper. 
 
 *' We have not been put off — we are going to leave 
 it, Mr. Andrews." 
 
 " Oh ! Where are you going ? " 
 
 "To Alaska." 
 
 "Alaska? You must be joking." 
 
 " No, sir. My uncle, Foster Portney, has sent for 
 Randy and me to come to San Francisco, and the three 
 of us are going to some new gold fields." 
 
•^»IIU t.. i| If II •.»,i.'»« - 
 
 i 
 
 i i)> 
 
 snr 
 
 20 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 *'Well, what about iny bill?"' asked the storekeeper, 
 anxiously. lie was interested in but little outside of 
 his l)usiness. '' Of course that has got to be settled be- 
 fore you leave." 
 
 " We will pay up, never fear. Hut we want to sell 
 off all our stuff lirst. Will you let me write out a notice 
 to that effect and post it outside ? " 
 
 "Yes, you can do that. Going to sell off, eh? 
 What have you got? " 
 
 Earl enumerated the various articles he and Randy 
 liad listed to sell. They were not of great value, and 
 the storekeeper smiled grimly. 
 
 "They won't bring much." 
 
 " They ought to bring thirty or forty dollars. " 
 
 " You'll be lucky to get ten." 
 
 "Ten dollars won't see us through. We have got 
 to get enough to pay our bills and secure our passage 
 down to Boston." 
 
 "And how much will that be?" questioned Peleg 
 Andrews, cautiously. Earl made a rapid calculation. 
 With the money already on hand and that owing for 
 tools and groceries, twenty-five dollars ought to see 
 them through. 
 
 "We must have thirty dollars for the stuff." 
 
 Peleg Andrews said no more, but turned away to 
 wait on a customer that had just come in. Procuring 
 sheets of paper. Earl set to work and penned two 
 notices, both alike, stating that the goods and chattels 
 
 I 
 
 -t 
 
A FALSE IDENTIFICATION. 
 
 21 
 
 ikeeper, 
 [side of 
 tied be- 
 to sell 
 a notice 
 
 )ff, eh? 
 
 Randy 
 lue, and 
 
 ave got 
 massage 
 
 Peleif- 
 ulation. 
 ring for 
 
 to see 
 
 way to 
 ocuring 
 ed two 
 liattels 
 
 of tlie Poi'tney brothers would be sold within the next 
 three days, to the highest bidders, and a list of the 
 articles followed. One of the notices was tacked up in 
 front of the store and the other in front of the hotel, 
 and then Earl returned home. 
 
 As the big brother had expected. Randy was much 
 put out about the loss of the letter, but he was glad 
 that Earl had gone ahead, nevertheless, and before he 
 retired that night, he brought forth some of the arti- 
 cles to be sold, and mended and cleaned them up. 
 
 Tlie two were eating breakfast when the first 
 prospective buyer rode up in a farm wagon. It was a 
 lumberman from over the ridge behind Basco, who Avas 
 thinking of settling down to cabin life by himself. 
 He made an offer of fifteen dollars for everything in 
 sight, but Earl held out for forty dollars. 
 
 The man was about to drive away, when a second 
 lumberman drove up, followed by Peleg Andrews in 
 his store wagon. Both of the newcomers were eager 
 to buy, although they affected indifference. Bidding 
 Ijecame rather lively, and at last the goods were split 
 up between the first comer and the storekeeper, the 
 former paying thirty dollars and the latter twenty 
 dollars for what they got. This made fifty dollars In 
 all, and out of this amount Earl settled with Peleg 
 Andrews on the spot. 
 
 It was while the men were loading the goods pre- 
 paratory to taking them away, that Caleb Norcross 
 
 4- 
 
 u 
 
 ^1 
 
I 
 
 22 
 
 TO ALASKA FOli (lOI.D. 
 
 appeared. He had expected to make a cluiap pur- 
 chase, and was keenly disappointed to find he was 
 too late. 
 
 " Getting out, eh ? " he ventured. 
 
 " Yes," answered Earl, briefly. " You can have 
 your keys in a couple of hours. Here is your money." 
 
 " 1 ain't in any hurry," grumbled the landlord. 
 
 "Isn't Dan Roland going to take the property?" 
 asked Randy, curiously. 
 
 " No, he backed out last night," answered Caleb 
 Norcross, and to avoid being questioned further he 
 moved away. 
 
 Fortunately for the two boys, there was an old trunk 
 in the cabin, and also a small wooden box which could 
 be made to hold clothing, and these they packed with 
 such effects as they intended to take along. A bargain 
 was struck with the man who had failed to purchase 
 any of the other goods, and the two boxes were placed 
 in his wagon, and then the lads were ready to leave the 
 spot which had been their home for many years. 
 
 " Well, I'm sure I wish you success," said Peleg An- 
 drews, as he shook each by the hand. "But it looks 
 foolhardy to me — going away off to Alaska." 
 
 " You'll be glad enough to come back home, see if 
 you don't," put in Caleb Norcross. He did not offer to 
 shake hands, at which the boys were just as well satis- 
 fied. In a minute more the brothers were up beside the 
 lumberman on the wagon seat, the whip cracked, and 
 
 f 
 
 II 
 
 Si 
 
A KALSK IDrCNTIKICATlON. 
 
 28 
 
 tliu liorso .started; aiul the long trip to Alaska could bu 
 said to have fairly begun. 
 
 A stop was made at Basco, where Earl settled u[) 
 such bills as still remained unpaid, and then the horse 
 set off on a trot for Sprueeville, which was reached 
 less than three-quarters of an hour later. At the 
 latter place a way train for Bangor was due, and 
 they had barely time to procure tickets and get their 
 baggage checked before it came along and took them 
 on board. 
 
 " We've made a flying start and no mistake," was 
 Randy's comment, as he leaned back in the cusliioned 
 seat. " Two days ago we never dreamed of going to 
 Alaska or anywhere else." 
 
 " I hope we haven't any cause to regret our hasty 
 action," answered Earl, gravely. Tlien he immediately 
 brightened up. " But we've started now, so let us 
 make the most of it." 
 
 The ride over the rough roads had made them hungry, 
 but they had to wait until l^angor was reached before 
 they could obtain anything to eat. It was late in the 
 evening when the train rolled into the station and they 
 alighted. lioth boys had been in Bangor several times, 
 so they did not feel quite like strangers. Having ob- 
 tained supper at a restaurant, they made their way to 
 the river docks and asked concerning the boat for Bos- 
 ton, having decided to make that trip by water. The 
 boat was in, and having procured their passage, they 
 
 I 
 
 ! 1 
 
 ill 
 
 .d 
 
 i ■ ■'»■ 
 
 '■'i 
 
 itil 
 
 ll^ 
 
 i 
 
1 
 
 24 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR fJOLD. 
 
 w(;rc privileged to go on board and sleep there over- 
 night. 
 
 The trip to Boston was an uneventful one, although 
 full of novelty to Earl and Randy, who had never taken 
 such a voyage before. They might have enjoyed it 
 still more had they not been so anxious concerning what 
 was before them. Alas ! little did they dream of all 
 the grave perils the future held in store. 
 
 " We don't want to look too green," said Earl, when 
 the steamboat was tying up at her wharf and the pas- 
 sengers were preparing to go ashore. 
 
 " Oh, I guess we'll pass in a crowd," said Randy, 
 laughing. " All we want to look out for is that we 
 are not robbed, or something like that." 
 
 Leaving their baggage on check, the two boys started 
 from Foster's wharf up into the city. They had no idea 
 where the firm of Bartwell & Stone were located, but 
 Earl was certain they could easily be found by consult- 
 ing a directory. 
 
 The elder brother was on the point of entering a large 
 store in quest of the Imok mentioned when Randy 
 pulled his arm and pointed down the street. " There 
 goes a fire engine, Enil. \ " he cried. " Let's follow 
 it. I should like to see how they manage a fire in a 
 city." 
 
 Earl was willing, and away they went, easily keeping 
 up with the engine, which had to proceed slowly through 
 the crowded thoroughfare. The fire was in a paint and 
 
 I 
 
 
A KALSK TDENTirKWTION. 
 
 25 
 
 oil works, and burnt fiorcely for over an hour before it 
 was gotten under control. The boys lingered around, 
 watcMng the movements of the firemen with keen inter- 
 est, and it was two hours later before Earl eauglit 
 Handy by the shoulder and hauled him out of the mob 
 of people. 
 
 " Remember, we're bound for Alaska," he said. "We 
 can't afford to stop at every sight on the way." 
 
 A few blocks further on a directory was found in a 
 drug store and the address of liartwell & Stone jotted 
 down. They lost no further time in hunting up the 
 firm of bankers and brokers, who occupied the ground 
 floor of a substantial business structure. 
 
 " I am Earl Portney," explained Earl, to the clerk 
 who asked them what they wanted. "This is my 
 brother Randolph. Our uncle, Foster Portney, said 
 he would send on some money for us from San Fran- 
 cisco. Has it arrived yet ? " 
 
 " I'll see. Was it a telegraph order ? " 
 
 " I suppose so." 
 
 The clerk disappeared into an inner apartment, to 
 be gone several minutes. When he came out he 
 was accompanied by a tall, sliarp-eyed man in rusty 
 black. 
 
 "These are not the young men who called for the 
 money," said the man in rusty black. " There must 
 be some mistake here." 
 
 " Were the other men identified, Mr. Stone ? " ques- 
 
 
 ' ii 
 
f 
 
 26 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 tioned the clerk, while both Randy and Earl pricked 
 up their ears. 
 
 "Oh, yes; a clerk from Johnston's restaurant identi- 
 fied them as Earl and Randolph Portney. Besides 
 they held the original letter which had been sent by 
 their uncle, Foster Portney, from San Francisco." 
 

 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 A SERIOUS SET-BACK. 
 
 Wi 
 
 Earl and Randy could scarcely believe their ears. 
 What was this gentleman in rusty black saying, that 
 two men had been identified as themselves and liad 
 called for the money sent on by tlieir Uncle Foster? 
 
 " There is a mistake somewhere," said the clerk, 
 turning to the brothers. " You say you are Earl and 
 Randolph Portney ? " 
 
 " We are," both replied, in a breath. 
 
 " Two men were here not two hours ago and were 
 identified as the ones to receive the money. They had 
 a letter from their uncle, in which he wanted them to 
 come to San Francisco and join him in a trip to 
 Alaska." 
 
 "That letter was ours! " burst out Earl. "I lost it 
 a couple of days ago." 
 
 The clerk turned to the elderly gentleman, who 
 looked more serious than ever. 
 
 Have you any idea who those men were?" asked 
 gentleman. 
 
 They v/ere a couple of thieves, that's certain," said 
 
 27 
 
 ^■i 
 
 (( 
 
 lt?fi 
 
28 
 
 TO ALASKA FOIL GOLD. 
 
 i 
 
 11 
 ■I 
 
 Randy, bluntly. " The money was to come to us and 
 nobody else." 
 
 " Where did you lose that letter ? " 
 
 " I lost it on the road between Naddy Brook and 
 Spruceville," replied Earl, and p":ive some of tlie par- 
 ticulars. The full story of his uncle's offer to Randy 
 and himself followed, to which Mr. Stone listened 
 closely. He was a fair judge of human nature, and saw 
 at once that the two boys were no sharpers and that 
 their story ^yas most likely true. 
 
 "Well, if you are the real Portney brothers. ;7'.^ ■'■•(■j 
 out exactly three hundred dollars," he said, after con- 
 siderable talking. " I paid over that money in good 
 faith, too, on the strengti. of the letter and the identi- 
 fication." 
 
 " We had nothing to do with that," answered Earl, 
 stoutly, feeling he must stand up for his rights. 
 
 " Of course not, but — Just wait here a few min- 
 utes, and I'll try to find that clerk from the restaurant 
 who identified the rascals." 
 
 Mr. Stone put on a silk hat and went out, to be gone 
 nearly or quite half an hour. He returned accom- 
 panied by another man — a police official — to Avhom 
 the particulars of the occurrence had been given. 
 
 " That identification was also part of tlie swindle," 
 the broker explained. " I could not find the clerk at the 
 restaurant, and I am convinced now that he W£ - 1* t the 
 man he made me believe he was." 
 
A SERIOUS SET-E\CK. 
 
 29 
 
 
 ^ 
 t 
 
 "But what about our money?" said Earl, coldly, 
 thinking the broker might try to shift the responsi- 
 bility of the affair. 
 
 " If you can find some reliable party known to us to 
 identify you, I will pay the sum to you," was the an- 
 swer. " But I've got to be sure of the identification 
 this time — and you can't blame me for that," added 
 the broker, with a short laugh. 
 
 " No, we can't blame you for that," repeated Earl, 
 yet at the same time wondering who there was in thit 
 strange city who knew them. 
 
 " I don't know of any one here who knows us," put in 
 Randy, reading his elder brother's thought. " 1 wish 
 Uncle had sent the money in some other way." 
 
 " See here," put in the police of.lcial. " Since those 
 swindlers had the letter that was lost up near where 
 you come from, perhaps you know the men. Mr. Stone, 
 can't you describe them ? " 
 
 As weU. as he was able the broker did so. But the 
 description was so indefinite that both Earl and Randy 
 shook their heads. 
 
 " I know a dozen men who look a good deal like that 
 description," said the older brother. " It's possible 
 they were lumbermen like ourselves." 
 
 " Yes, they did louk like lumbermen," replied Mr. 
 Stone. " That is why I was not so particular about 
 their identification." 
 
 For another half hour the matter was talked over. 
 
 1 
 
 ii 
 
 m miili 
 
 
 ■til 
 
 m 
 
 f ■ i i 
 
 i 
 
 i t;i 
 
80 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 a 
 
 and then as it was ^-etting time to close up the office 
 for the day, Earl and Handy left, to find some one to 
 identify them, were such a thing possible. At the cor- 
 ner of the block both halted. 
 
 " I'm blessed if I know what to do," were Randy's 
 words. " I can't think of a soul who knows us 
 here." 
 
 " There used to be a man named Curtis Gordon who 
 once h °i at Basco — he owned the feed mill there. 
 He came 3oston and started a flour business. But 
 whether he would remember me is a question. He 
 hasn't seen me in about eight years." 
 
 " We might try him — it would be better than noth- 
 ing! " cried Randy, eagerly. "Let us hunt him up in 
 the directory." 
 
 This was done, and they found Mr. Curtis Gordon's 
 place of business after a search lasting over an hour. 
 Several clerks were in attendance who supplied the 
 information that Mr. Gordon had gone to New York, 
 and would not be back for two days. 
 
 '* Stumped again," murmured Randy, dismally. 
 "Did you ever see such luck ! " 
 
 " Never give up," answered Earl, as cheerfully as he 
 could. " I wonder if Mrs. Gordon lives in town.'* 
 
 " What if she does ? " 
 
 " I'd call on her, and perhaps she can help us 'out. 
 She used to know me." 
 
 From the clerks in the store they received the Gor- 
 
A SERIOUS SET-BACK. 
 
 81 
 
 dons' home address. It was a fine place on the Back 
 Bay, and it was nightfall by the time the boys reached 
 it. They were ushered into the waiting-hall by a 
 servant, who immediately went off to notify her mis- 
 tress, who was at dinner. 
 
 From the dining-room came a murmur of talking, 
 and one of the voices sounded strangely familiar to 
 Earl. " Hark, Randy," he whispered. " Isn't that 
 Squire Dobson speaking?" 
 
 " It is I " ejaculated Randy. " We are saved at 
 last I " 
 
 Mrs. Gordon came to them a minute later, having 
 excused herself to her guest. The boys' mission was 
 soon explained. Earl at the same time offering an 
 excuse for calling at the meal hour. He mentioned 
 Squire Dobson, and that individual was called from 
 the table. 
 
 " Well, well I " exclaimed the squire of Basco, a 
 short, stout, and rather jolly type of a country official. 
 "I didn't expect to see you in Boston, although I 
 heard yesterday that you were bound for Alaska or 
 some such place. Mrs. Gordon, these are Daniel Port- 
 ney's boys, — you must remember Daniel Portney, — the 
 one who lost his life in that dreadful forest fire up our 
 wiiy some years ago." 
 
 Mrs. Gordon did remember, and she gave both lads 
 a warm greeting. It was several minutes before Earl 
 could get down to business, and then the matter of iden- 
 
 m 
 
 'A 
 
 !U 
 
 
 smL 
 
 
 i f \ 
 
 'ill 
 
 j;|! 
 
 m:; 
 
32 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 II 
 
 I ' 
 
 1 
 
 tification was left to Squire Dobson, who said lie would 
 see them through in the morning, as soon as the Bart- 
 well & Stone offices were open. 
 
 " I don't know them," he said, " but I know some 
 bankers on the same block, and we can introduce each 
 other." 
 
 Mrs. Gordon was glad enough to see some folks from 
 the district which had once been her home, and asked 
 the brothers to partake of dinner with the squire an<l 
 her family of boys and girls. After some hesitation, the 
 invitation was accepted, and two hours were spent at 
 the mansion. 
 
 During the course of this time it was learned by Earl 
 and Randy that Squire Dobson had come down from 
 Maine in search of his son, a happy-go-lucky lad, who 
 had run away from home, as previously mentioned. 
 The squire had heard from a iriend that Fred had been 
 seen near the docks in Boston, but he had been unable 
 so far to locate the wayward youth. 
 
 " I'm afraid he has either gone to New York or on 
 some long ocean trip," said the squire to Earl. " He's 
 a foolish boy and is causing me no end of trouble. If 
 you ever run across him, send him home at once." 
 
 " I will — if he'll go," answered Earl ; but neither he 
 nor Randy ever dreamed of meeting Fred Dobson where 
 they did. 
 
 The visit over, the brothers left, to hunt up some 
 cheap hotel at which to stop for the night. This was 
 
 A 
 
A SERIOUS SET-BACK. 
 
 83 
 
 an easy matter, and at ten o'clock they retired. A 
 sound sleej), liowever, was out of the question, for hoth 
 were anxious concerning the outcome of their dealings 
 with Bartwell & Stone. 
 
 Promptly at the hour appointed they met the squire at 
 tlie office of the brokers and bankers. Another banker, 
 \vell known to both Squire Dobson and to Mr. Stone, 
 was introduced all around, and thus Kandy and Earl's 
 identification was establis'aed beyond a doubt. This 
 accomplished, Earl received three hundred dollars in 
 cash, for which he and Handy signed a receipt; and 
 the transaction was over. 
 
 Just outside of the office, the boys separated from the 
 squire of Basco, and the former lost no time in making 
 their way to the depot of the New York & New Eng- 
 land Railroad. 
 
 " I don't know what route is best to take to San 
 Francisco," said Earl. " I guess we had better l)uy 
 tickets as far as New York firsts" And this was done ; 
 and a few hours later saw them safe on board a train, 
 with their baggage in the car ahead. At the depot Eurl 
 had obtained a number of folders of different routes to 
 the west, and these he intended to study while on his 
 way to the great metropolis. 
 
 " Oh, but railroad travelling is fine ! " cried Randy, 
 enthusiastically, as the long train sped on its way 
 through hills and valleys, and past numerous pretty 
 towns and villages, all alive with the hum of a thousand 
 
 !| 
 
 Vi 
 
 n-. 
 
 "'iJ! 
 
 '}■ Im 
 
 -: 'h't 
 
 f ;1 
 
 ft I 
 
 
 *M 
 
 • m: 
 
 
 tl' 
 
 \U 
 
1 
 
 
 34 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 industries. " One feels as if he would like to ride 
 forever ! " 
 
 " I'm afraid you'll be tired of riding by the time we 
 reach San Francisco," said Earl, who, nevertheless, also 
 enjoyed the journey. " This is only a little trip of six 
 or seven hours. The next will be one of many days 
 and nights." 
 
 " I wonder how they sleep on a train," went on 
 Randy, curiously. 
 
 " We'll learn soon enough. Randy. Only don't let 
 every one see how green we are," added Earl, in a 
 whisper. 
 
 At one of the stations in Connecticut, where a ten 
 minutes' stop was made, the two lads alighted to stretch 
 their legs and take a look around. They had been 
 seated in the last car, and now they walked forward 
 along the broad platform. 
 
 Suddenly Randy caught his brother's arm. " Earl ! 
 Earl ! look ! " he ejaculated, and pointed to a window 
 of th^ smoking-car. " There are Tom Roland and Jas- 
 per Guardley ! What can they be doing on this train ? " 
 
 Earl glanced to where Randy pointed and saw that 
 his brother was right. At the same instant Tom Ro- 
 land saw them, and he drew back and motioned for his 
 Companion to do the same. Earl noted the movement 
 and stood stock-still. 
 
 " Randy, I wonder — " he began, and stopped 
 short. 
 
A SERIOUS SET-BACK. 
 
 35 
 
 " What, Earl ? Isn't it queer they should be on this 
 train from Boston ? " * 
 
 " Yes. Randy, do you think it is possible that Tom 
 Roland would be so dishonest as to — to — " 
 
 " To get that money, Earl?" broke in the younger 
 boy. "He might be — and yes, Mr. Stone's descrip- 
 tion of the two swindlers fits Roland and Guardley 
 exactly ! " 
 
 i $ 
 
 m 
 
 i ; 
 
 ! 
 
 , 1 
 K ' 
 
 1 I 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 A NKlllT IN NEW YOUK. 
 
 ii ( 
 
 V 
 ■ I 
 
 : 
 
 ''The description certainly does fit these two men," 
 said Karl, witli .some hesitat'on. " And it is queer 
 that lloland siiould be down here, when only a few 
 days ago he was in Basco. (iluardley, I know, is not 
 above cheatini( — he's been up before Squire Dobson 
 several times lor it." 
 
 '"' Let us go and have a talk with them," said Randy, 
 im})idsively. ''If they stole that money, I want to 
 know it." 
 
 " It's not our business to hunt those swindlers up," 
 answered Earl, hesitatingly; yet he followed Randy 
 to the platform of the smoking-car, and they were 
 soon inside, and making their way to where Roland 
 and Guardley sat, pulling away at two black-looking 
 
 cigars. 
 
 " How do you do, Earl ? " said Tom Roland, famil- 
 iarly, as soon as the boys appeared. "It'« queer we 
 should be on the same train, isn't it ? " 
 
 "It is queer," answered Earl, stiffly, taken aback by 
 the greeting. " Where are you bound ? " 
 
 86 
 
 ■iueii Bi nmi. i nw p M w ii n w i mm.mii ii 
 
A nr;iit in nkw vokk. 
 
 37 
 
 *" (Juardloy and I are goiii^ to try our liKik in th« 
 West. Say, I lieard you boys wuru bound for iVlaska. 
 Is that true?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "It costs a heap to ^o tliero — didn't know you had 
 so much money," put in (iluardley, with a smile tliat 
 neither Earl nor Randy appreciated. 
 
 " And I didn't know you had any money for a West- 
 ern trip," returned the older brother, rather shar|)ly. 
 
 " Oh, Tom here is seeing me through," answered 
 Guardley ; but both Randy and Karl noted that he 
 appeared somewhat confused for the moment. 
 
 " Guardley has done me several good turns, and it 
 wouldn't be fair for me to turn my back on him," 
 finished Tom Roland. " We are going right through 
 to San Francisco. How about yourselves ? " 
 We stop off at New York," said Randy. 
 It's a pity we can't travel together — " began 
 Roland, when Earl cut him short. 
 
 " Roland, did you pick up a letter belonging to 
 me ? " asked the boy. 
 
 The man's eyes dropped, but only for the fraction 
 of a second. "A letter belonging to you?" he re- 
 peated. " No. Where did you lose it ? " 
 
 " Somewhere around Basco. Did you see it. Guard- 
 ley?" 
 
 The second man shook his head. " Was it impor- 
 tant?" he asked. 
 
 (( 
 
 a 
 
 ■II 
 
 If 
 
 ifii 
 
 M 
 
 i-*i 
 
 \4 
 
 
:{8 
 
 TO ALASKA KOIi (JOLD. 
 
 I ' I'',' 
 
 " Very/' said Ea.-i, laconically, and then, as the 
 train began to move again he motioned to Kandy, and 
 the two started back for their seat in the last car. 
 
 " What do you think ? " questioned Kandy, when 
 they were seated. 
 
 "I don't know what to think. It's mighty queer 
 the pair should leave Basco in such a hurry." 
 
 " We left in a hurry. But we had a good reason." 
 
 "And they may have — a reason most folks don't 
 look for." 
 
 *' Do you think they left on account of some crooked 
 work ? " cried Randy. 
 
 " That would probably be Jasper Guardley's tp m 
 for getting away. But it's not our affair, and we 3 
 enough other matters to think of," concluded Earl, 
 after a pause. " When we get to New York we'll 
 be like stray cattle in a hundred-acre lot. We must 
 look out not to get lost, and above all things not to 
 lose our money." 
 
 " And engage the cheapest and quickest passage to 
 San Francisco," said Randy. " Let us look over those 
 folders before it gets too late. It's too dark to see 
 much outside." 
 
 The lamps were lighted in the car, and they lost no 
 further time in digesting the contents of the folders of 
 the railroad companies and pouring over the maps of 
 the various routes to the Golden Gate. 
 
 One looks about as good as another on paper," 
 
 t 
 
 li 
 
 (( 
 
T 
 
 A NIGHT IN NKW YUUK. 
 
 89 
 
 
 rcinarked Kiirl, at last. '' I tliiiik we had best tako 
 the New York Central Kaih'oad to Chicaj^o, then the 
 Rock Ishind «& Chicago to lloek IsUind, and then tlie 
 Soutliern Paeilit;. We'll find out about that route 
 when we reach New York." 
 
 It was exactly ten o'clock in the evening that the 
 train rolled into the (iraiid Central Depot at Forty- 
 second Street and Kandy and Karl alighted. The 
 crowd was very thick, and though both looked for 
 Roland and Guardley, the two men could not be dis- 
 covered. The coming and going of so many people 
 confused them, and the many (jries which greeted them 
 as they emerged on the street did not tend to set them 
 at) ease* 
 
 "Cab, sir? Coupe? This way for the Broadway 
 Central Hotel! Evening papers, Post or Teleijram! 
 Mail and Express!'*'' 
 
 Several came up to the two boys, offering them cab 
 rides and the like, but both Kandy and Earl shook 
 their heads. Then Earl remembered that the ticket 
 office was close at hand, and he and his brother went 
 inside again. A long talk with the ticket clerk fol- 
 lowed, and they concluded to take the New York 
 Central road to Chicago, and from there as previously 
 intended. The train would start at ten in the morn- 
 ing, and Earl bought two tickets, paying an amount 
 which brought their cash balance down quite low once 
 more. 
 
 iil 
 
 1 
 
 •1 
 
 
 
 
 •ff 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 'i 
 
 
 ■ 1 
 
 
 1 ■■ 
 
 
 ^'1 
 
 
iO 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 " Never mind ; that pays for about all we'll need," 
 said Randy. " Let us leave the t. kets to be called 
 for. and then they'll be safe." 
 
 " No indeed I " said Earl. " Some one may call for 
 them just as the mouiy was called for. I'll carry my 
 ticket in an inside pocket, and you had best do the 
 same." 
 
 Tiiis settled, the brothers strolled out once more. It 
 was rather late, but they could not resist the tempta- 
 tion to a walk down liroadway, of which they had 
 heard so often. They trudged as far as the Post-office, 
 took a look at Park How and the numerous newspaper 
 buildings, and the Brooklyn Bridge all lit up in a blaze 
 of electric lights, and then Earl happened to glance at 
 the clock on St. Paul's Church. 
 
 " Half -past twelve, Bandy I " he ejaculated. " Gra- 
 cious ! we'll never find a hotol open as late as this ! 
 Let us get back to the vicinity of the depot again I " 
 
 " I guess the hotels are open all night here," an- 
 swered the younger brother. " Let us ride up lirotid- 
 way on that street car." And they boarded a cable car, 
 which speedily took them back to Forty-second Street. 
 A convenient hotel was found close to the railroad 
 station, and they lost no time in retiring. The constant 
 rumble and roar of the elevated trains disturbed them 
 not a little, and it was well into the morning hours 
 before both dropped off into dreamland, not to awaken 
 until a bell boy aroused them at seven o'clock. 
 
ik 
 
 A NIGHT IN NEW YORK. 
 
 41 
 
 I 
 
 After 4 hasty breakfast another look was taken 
 around tlie city. Finding- they had the time, they took 
 an elevated train to the Battery and back, staying long 
 enough at the lower end of the city to catch a glimpse 
 of Castle Garden with its aquarium, and the statue of 
 Liberty out in the bay. 
 
 "One could spend a month in sight-seeing here," 
 sighed Randy. " I wish we had had the time to do 
 Boston and New York thoroughly." 
 
 Ten o'clock found them on the train which was to 
 take them through to Chicago without change of cars. 
 The cars were comfortably filled, but there was no 
 crowding. Again they looked for Roland and Guard- 
 ley, but without success. 
 
 "I guess they remained in New York," said Earl; 
 but for once the young fellow was mistaken. 
 
 Leaving the vicinity of the metropolis, the train be- 
 gan its long journey up the beautiful Hudson. But the 
 journey northward did not last long. Soon the train 
 branched to the westward and plunged into the hills 
 and rolling lands of the Mohawk Valley. City after 
 city wciC left behind with a whir and a rush that 
 almost took Randy's breath f "om him. At noon a stop 
 v/as made for lunch, tlien ov they went again. Supper 
 was served in a dining-car, and b( th boys voted it 
 about the best meal they had ever tasted. 
 
 After uhe lamps were lit it wan not long before the 
 passengers began to think of going to bed. Both 
 
 • I 
 
 
 Mi 
 
 »•■■■ 
 
 HI 
 
42 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 Randy and Earl watched tlie porter closely as he drew 
 out the beds from the narrow closets in the sloping roof 
 of the car, set up tlie little wooden partitions, and other- 
 wise arranged the sleeping-apartments. The boys had 
 a section to themselves and concluded to sleep together 
 in the lower bertli, so the upper berth was left out. 
 
 " A sleeping-car is a great institution," said Earl, as 
 they turned in. " Why, a train like this is just a mov- 
 ing house and nothing else I " 
 
 Shortly after noon of the day following Chicago was 
 readied. Here they had a three hours' stop and i^pent 
 the time in a ride on State Street, and a trip to the roof 
 of the great Masonic Temple, where a grand bird's-eye 
 view of the entire city was to be seen, spread out 
 far below them. 
 
 And so the long trip westward continued. To tell 
 of all the places stopped at would be impossible. All 
 day long for nearly a week they sat at their car window 
 taking in the sights of cities, towns, prairies, and moun- 
 tains. There were woncierful bridges to cross and 
 perilous turns to make, at which both held heir breath, 
 expecting each moment to be dashed to pieces^ In the 
 mountains a severe storm was encountered, and the 
 rolling of the thunder was awe-inspiring, so long was it 
 kept up. 
 
 But all journeys, long and short, must come to an end, 
 and one fine morning the boys found themselves safe 
 and sound in San Francisco, and on their way to the 
 
 (i !<^ 
 
A NIGHT IN 1 KW YORK. 
 
 48 
 
 Palace Hotel. Tlie trip overland had brightened them 
 a good bit, and they no longer looked as green as when 
 they had started. 
 
 They had juyt stepped from a Market Street car in 
 front of the hotel when they saw a youtli coming down 
 the hotel steps who looked strangely familiar, in spite 
 of the somewhat ragged clothing he wore. 
 
 "Randy, wlio is that fellow?'' que.sticmed Earl, 
 quickly, as he caiiglit his brother by tlie elbow. 
 
 " Why, if it isn't Fred Dobson ! " burst from Randy's 
 lips. " How in the world did he get away out here? 
 Fred Dobson ! Fred Dobson ! Stop, we want to talk 
 to you ! " he called out, as the youth in question was on 
 the point of hurrying off. 
 
 M 
 
 m 
 
 n 
 
V 
 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE. 
 
 " Randy Portney ! " came from the li]3s of the boy 
 addressed, as he turned to stare at the person who had 
 called out his name. " And Earl, too ! Where — where 
 did you come from ? " 
 
 " From Basco, of course," returned Randy. " How 
 did you get away out here ? " 
 
 "I — I came out on a train from Chicago," stammered 
 Fred Dobson, but he did not add that the train had 
 been a freight, and that the stolen ride had been both 
 uncomfortable and full of peril. 
 
 " We met your father in Boston," put in Earl. " He 
 said if we should ever run across you to tell you to 
 come home." 
 
 " I'm not going buck," was the reply of the squire's 
 son. "I came out here to make my fortune." 
 
 " I'm afraid you'll find it rather hard work," ventured 
 Randy, and he glanced at Fred's i^ihabby suit. Around 
 Basco the youth had dressed better than any one elsi. 
 I've been playing in hard lu'k lately," was che 
 
 44 
 
 a 
 
PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE. 
 
 45 
 
 slangy reply. " But say, what are you two fellows 
 doing out here ? " 
 
 " We came on to join our uncle," said liindy. " He 
 is going to take us to Alaska with him." 
 
 " Alaska ! To those new gold fields a fellow reads 
 about in the daily papers ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "I'd like to go there myself," said the runaway, readily. 
 
 " It costs a good deal of money to go, Fred," remarked 
 Earl. He rather liked the squire's son, in spite of his 
 wild ways. " A fellow must take along a year's pro- 
 visions." 
 
 "So I've heard. I wonder if I couldn't work my 
 way up on one of the boats." 
 
 " I wouldn't advise you to go," said Rnndy. " Why, 
 you are not used to hard work, and they say work up 
 there is of the hardest kind." 
 
 " Oh, I can work if I have to. Where is your uncle ? " 
 
 "He's stopping at this hotel." Handy turned tr 
 Earl. " Let us see if Uncle Foster is in, and we < .1 
 talk to Fred some time later." 
 
 This was decided upon, and the squire's son walked 
 off, promising to be back in a few hours. 
 
 " He puts on a pretty good face, but I fancy he is 
 homesick, nevertheless," remarked Earl, as he and 
 Randy made their way to the hotel office. They were 
 just about to ask for their uncle when a hand was laid 
 on Earl's shoulder. 
 
 
 I 1 
 
 I i 
 
 M Hi 
 
 
 »' -r 
 
 ! i \\ 
 
46 
 
 TO ALASKA TOR (lOLI). 
 
 : 
 
 i !■ 
 
 ! 
 
 i 
 
 '" Karl ! lljiiuly ! How arc yovi, my boys ! flust us 
 fresh and hearty as when 1 saw you hist. And liow 
 both of you are growing ! Why, r^arl, you are ahnost 
 a man ! I'm ghid to see you, yes, I am !" And Foster 
 I'ortney beamed at both from a pair of brown eyes set 
 in a round, ruddy face, whieh was lialf covered with a 
 k)ng beard. lie was a hirge and rugged man, and his 
 open manner bad made liim many friends. 
 
 " What a beard you've got. Uncle Foster ! " were 
 Randy's first words, as lie winced at the close grip Fos- 
 ter Portney gave his hand. "• You look like all tlie rest 
 of the Westerners around here ! " 
 
 '' I'm glad we had no trouble in linding you," put in 
 Earl, whose hand also tingled from the grip given it. 
 He remembered now that his uncle had always been 
 considered an unusually strong man. "1 know he'll 
 stand the Alaskan climate well enough, even if we 
 don't," he thought. 
 
 " Didn't have any trouble getting here, did you ? " 
 questioned Foster Portney. " Your message came on 
 time ? " 
 
 " We had a little set-back in Boston," answered Earl, 
 and told of the trouble about the money. His uncle 
 listened with a sober look on his broad face. 
 
 '' That was too bad, truly, lads. But it's the loss of 
 that firm of bankers and brokers. They ought to have 
 been sure of the identilication. And you think the 
 thieves were two men named Roland and Guardley? 
 They must be thorough rascals." 
 
i m 
 
 J'KErAUATlONS I'Oli DErAllTUltE. 
 
 47 
 
 4u 
 
 (,i 
 
 ^^ 
 
 It 
 
 We arc not sure," broke in Randy, hastily, 
 only looks that way." 
 
 "1 see." Foster Portney mused for a moment. 
 " Well, we can't lose time in trying to investigate. I 
 was hoping you two boys would turn up to-day or to- 
 morrow. Day after to-morrow a boat sails for Juneau, 
 and if 1 rusUe around I think 1 can secure passage for 
 ourselves and our traps. If we don't v^atch this boat, 
 we'll have to wait two weeks, or else take a train for 
 Portland and wait ten days." 
 
 " liut we haven't a thing, Uncle Foster," cried Randy. 
 "That is, outside of our clothing, which is in our 
 trunks, on check at the railroad station." 
 
 " And that clothing, for the most part, will have to 
 be left behind, Randy. For a country like Alaska one 
 must be differently dressed than here. Each of you 
 will have to have a suit of furs and plenty of flannels 
 and all that sort of thing." 
 
 " And where shall we get them ? " 
 
 " There is a regular outfitting store not far from here. 
 But the first thing to be done, now you have turned up, 
 is to secure those passage tickets to Juneau. The Alas- 
 kan fever is setting in strong here, and we'll not be 
 alone on our trip over Chilkoot Pass and along the 
 headwaters of the Yukon." 
 
 " I'm in the dark about this trip, I must confess," 
 said Earl. " Where is this pass you mention, and where 
 is the Klondike Creek, or River ? " 
 
 ; i''i 
 
 t 
 
48 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 !' tl 
 
 "I'll show you the route to-iii^-ht, boys, on a map 
 just issued by our government, the best map out so 
 far. But come along to that steamboat office, or we'll 
 get left." 
 
 Five minutes later saw the boys and their uncle on 
 ii street car which ran close to the dock at which the 
 steamboat lay, taking in her cargo, which consisted 
 mainly of the outfits of miners and prospectors. The 
 boat, which was named the Crolden Hope, had been 
 chartered especially for this trip, and a temporary ship- 
 ping office had been established close at hand. Around 
 this office was congregated a motley collection of men, 
 all eager to obtain passage to Juneau as cheaply as it 
 could be had. 
 
 Through this crowd Foster Portney shoved his way, 
 with Randy and Earl close behind him. It was some 
 minutes before they could get to the ticket office. 
 
 " I want three tickets," said Mr. Portney. " How 
 much freight will you carry on them? " 
 
 " Six hundred pounds, and not a pound more for 
 anybody," was the quick reply. 
 
 " And when do you sail ? " 
 
 " Wednesday, at twelve o'clock sharp. What are the 
 names ? We don't want any mix-up in this rush." 
 
 The names were put down, and the money for the 
 passage paid over, and with their tickets in their 
 pockets the three struggled to get out of the crowd, 
 which was growing more dense every minute. Close 
 
\ 
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE. 
 
 49 
 
 
 at liiind was a big bill-board on wliich was posted a large 
 circular headed in big black letters: — 
 
 THE GOLD FIELDS OF ALASKA! 
 
 Direct Route via Juneau and Over Chilkoot Pass! 
 Now is the Time to Go and Stake Your Claim ! 
 
 " That circular is enough to set almost any one crazy," 
 said Earl, as he read it over. '' Well, 1 hope we strike 
 a bonanza." 
 
 " The reports are very encouraging," replied Foster 
 Portney, who, in spite of his usual cool headedness had 
 the gold fever nearly as badly as any one in San Fran- 
 cisco. "You see," he went on, "the sooner we get 
 there the better ; for we won't have much time left 
 after arriving before the long and terribly cold wiater 
 sets in." 
 
 Earl had imagined that the six hundred pounds of 
 freight must be divided between the three, but soon 
 learned that six hundred pounds was the limit for each 
 person. 
 
 " We'll never carry that much, will we ? " he (jueried. 
 " Why, how are we going to get all that stuff over the 
 pass you mentioned ? " 
 
 " We'll get Indians to pack it over. They'll charge 
 twenty or thirty cents a pound, but it's the best that 
 can be done. Some hire pack mules and dog teams, 
 but my experience has been that Indians are the most 
 reliable." 
 
 r ^ 
 
 I -1 
 
 ■1. 
 
 .A 
 
 ' ■■! 
 
 J 
 
 % 
 i 
 
 M 
 
 !■ :h 
 
 ill 
 
 a 
 
 -i 
 
60 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR (JOLD. 
 
 V' '' 
 
 Dinner was now had, and then the three proeeeded 
 lo tlie ontlittini^ store Foster Portney had previously 
 mentioned. On llie way their unek; asked the boys 
 what tliey had in their trunks, that nothing- not needed 
 iiiis^lit be purchased. 
 
 Two hours were spent in buying clothing, and both 
 I'^arl and Kandy thought their uncle would never get 
 done adding to the pile. First came a dozen suits of 
 dannel underwear, and with them a dozen pairs of heavy 
 socks and half a dozen of light ones. Then came two 
 suits of woollen clothing, strongly made and with large 
 pockets, two pairs of strong shoes and a pair of arctics, 
 and two pairs of walrus-hide boots — heavy, it is true, 
 but strong as iron. Finally came a suit of furs and 
 two caps, each with a guard which could be pulled down 
 to the neck, leaving only two holes for the eyes. 
 
 " I reckon you've got handkerchiefs and such extras," 
 said Mr. Portney. " So now all you want, so far as 
 wearing is concerned, is a few pairs of smoked glasses, 
 to prevent snow-blindness." 
 
 The general outfitter was also able to supply these, 
 and he suggested they take along about ten yards of 
 mosquito netting. 
 
 " Mosquito netting ! " cried Randy. " What for? " 
 
 " During the short summer mosquitoes are exceed- 
 ingly thick in Alaska," said his uncle ; and made the 
 purchase suggested. 
 
 It was now getting late, and Foster Portney said they 
 
^¥ 
 
 •\0 
 
 I'KEI'AUATIONS 1<<JU DEPAKTURE. 
 
 61 
 
 hiid beat w.iit until tlie following morning before buy- 
 ing the eaniping-out things, bedding, and other neeessi- 
 ties. " rU make a careful list to-night," he added. 
 
 They returned to the Palace Hotel, where Uandy 
 and Earl found Fred Dobson awaiting them. 
 
 " Say ! " was the greeting of the squire's son. " Is 
 half of Basco moving out to San Francisco?" 
 
 " What do you mean ? " questioned Earl, with a puz- 
 zled look. 
 
 " Why, I was down at the railroad station about an 
 hour ago, and I saw a train come in from Chicago with 
 Tom Roland and Jasper Guardley on board." 
 
 
 
 It 
 
 
CIIAPTEll VII. 
 
 BUYINCJ THE OUTFITS. 
 
 " You saw Tom Roland and Jasper Guardley ? " 
 burst from tlio lips of the Portney brothers simultane- 
 ously. 
 
 " Yes." replied Fred Dobson. " I eouldn't believe 
 my eyes at first, but when 1 felt sure I was right 1 
 ran up to speak to Roland." 
 
 ''And what did he say?" queried Earl. 
 
 " lie didn't give me a chance to speak to him. He 
 and (xuardley disappeared in the erowd like a flash. 
 I ratiier think they saw me and avoided me." 
 
 Earl and Randy exchanged glances. Tom Roland 
 and Jasper Guardley had followed them to San Fran- 
 cisco. What could it mean ? 
 
 " I shouldn't wonder if they are bound for Alaska, 
 too ! " burst out Randy. " Oh, Earl, supposing they 
 got that letter — " 
 
 " It's more than likely they did," said the elder 
 youth, quickly. I'll wager both of them are going to 
 try their fortunes in the new gold fields. Well, they 
 had a cheap trip West," he concluded bitterly. 
 
 62 
 
JJUY1N(J THE OUTFITS. 
 
 63 
 
 *' Tf we could prove tliey got lliu money, we could 
 have them lockcvl up." 
 
 " Jiut we can't prove it, llandy ; we iiaven't time, so 
 we'll just have to h't matters stand where they are. 
 For my part 1 never want to see either of them again," 
 said Earl, decidedly. 
 
 Fred Dobson liad listened to the latter part of the 
 conversation with interest, and now he wished to know 
 what it all meant. 
 
 '•" They must be guilty," he said, after Randy had 
 recited the facts. '' (xuardley is a bad liffi!;. You 
 know he was up before my father several times, liut 
 'say. Handy," he went on, as Earl turned away with 
 Foster Portney to secure extra accommodations at the 
 hotel for the two following nights, '' can't you iix it up 
 with your uncle so that I can go to Alaska with him / 
 I'll work like a slave for the chance to go." 
 
 Randy had expected something of this sort and had 
 talked the matter over with Earl, and now he shook 
 his head. 
 
 " 1 don't believe I can, Fred. My uncle is only tak- 
 ing us along because we are related and because lie 
 knows we are both strong and used to hard work. I 
 really don't believe you could stand it in the new gold 
 fields. He has warned us that the exposure is some- 
 thing awful." 
 
 " Oh, I know, but I can stand more than you think," 
 pleaded Fred. 
 
 I 
 
 11 
 
 ! 'li-fl 
 
 m 
 
 t 
 
 ^ii 
 
 I. I 
 
 

 54 
 
 TO ALASKA FOi; GOLD. 
 
 hl.i 
 
 •' Besides that, it wouldn't be right," added Randy. 
 " You ran away from home, and it's your duty to go 
 back." 
 
 " Oh, don't preach. My father doesn't care where 
 I am." 
 
 " Yes, he does, Fred ; he cares a good deal. And 
 then your mother must be worried, too." 
 
 At the meiition of his mother, Fred Dobson's face 
 changed color for a moment, and when next lie 
 spoke there seemed to be a suspicious lump in his 
 throat. 
 
 "• I — I'm going to send mother a letter ; I'll write 
 it to-night." 
 
 " You should have written long ogo, Fred." 
 
 " Oh, don't preach. Then you won't speak to your 
 uncle ? " And the squire's son looked into Randy's 
 face wistfully. 
 
 " Yes, I'll speak to him ; but it won't do any good, 
 Fred." 
 
 It was not long after this that Foster Portney and 
 Earl came back, having hired an extra room for the 
 time desired. The uncle had been introduced to Fred, 
 and now he invited the runaway to take supper with 
 them. 
 
 It was not until the nn d was nearly over that Fred 
 urged Randy to broach the subject next his heart. 
 Foster P(jrtncv listened patiently to all Randy had to 
 say and also gave ear to Fred's pleadings. But his 
 
BUYING TIJE OUTLETS. 
 
 55 
 
 face did not brighten up into anything like an encour- 
 aging look. 
 
 "No, Dobson, I can't take you," was his reply. "In 
 the first place. Earl and Randy are all the companions 
 I wish to take along, tliat is, and grub stake, as we term 
 it in mining slang — pay their way, that means ; and 
 in the second place, it wouldn't be right. You are a 
 minor and have run away from home, and, if anything, 
 it is my duty to see that you go back. IJesides this, 
 you do not look strong, and, I believe, you have never 
 done any real hard work, and that won't do for Alaska. 
 Only those who know how to rough it stand any show 
 whatever of getting along there. My advice to you is, 
 to go back where you belong." 
 
 As may be surmised, this plain speech did not suit 
 Fred Dobson at all, and he felt more than ill at ease 
 for the remainder of the repast. As. soon as he could 
 do so gracefully he arose to go. 
 
 *' I don't suppose I'll st j you again for a long while," 
 he said, as he held out his hand to Earl and to Handy. 
 " Well, good luck to you, anyway." 
 
 Randy caught Earl by the arm and gave it a little 
 pinch. " How are you off for ca&h, Fred ? " ho asked, 
 in a low tone. 
 
 " Oh, I've got a little money with me," answered 
 Fred, quietly, but did not add that the sum-total of 
 his fortune amounted to exactl}/^ sixty-live cents. 
 
 "Perhaps we can help you a little," put in Earl, 
 
 (11 
 
■ ' i 
 
 II 
 
 66 
 
 TO ALASKA FOU (JOLD. 
 
 who understood the pinch Randy had given liim. 
 "We haven t much, but if a few dolhirs will do any 
 good — " 
 
 "Will you let me have two dollars?" asked tlie 
 squire's son, eagerly. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " And I'll let you have two more," added Randy, 
 {\nd the amounts were passed over on tlie spot, and 
 Fred thanked them very profusely. A few minutes 
 later lie had thanked Foster Portney for the supper, 
 bade all good-by, and was gone. 
 
 " Not a lialf bad bov," was the comment of Mr. Port- 
 ney. " His one fault is, I reckon, that he has been 
 allowed to have his own way too long. Roughing it 
 out liere will most likely make a man of him, unless he 
 gets into bad company and goes to the dogs." 
 
 " I am going to write to his folks and let them know 
 whoi*e he 's," said Earl ; and the letter was penned and 
 maile(^ I jfore he went to bed. » 
 
 The three were on their way early on the following 
 morning to complete the purchase of tlieir outfits, for 
 all must be packed up and on the steamboat deck l)y 
 seven o'clock the next morning, to insure l)eing stored 
 on board of the Golden Hope.. 
 
 The first purchases made were those of a good tent, 
 bedding, woollen blankets, rubber sleeping-bags, a large 
 piece of oiled canvas, and several lynx-skin robes. 
 
 " Now for our tools with which to cut down trees. 
 
 t , 
 
 
 1:: 
 
 V' 
 
BUYING THE OUTFITS. 
 
 67 
 
 build boats, and tlie like," said Foster Portney. " lie- 
 niember, we are almost like pioneers in a new land." 
 
 For boat-building purposes they purchased a good 
 whip-saw, a ei-oss-cut saw, a jack plane, and a draw 
 knife, a large and a small axe, a hammer, brace and 
 bits, six pounds of assorted nails, several pounds of 
 oakum for calking, and some pitch. To this outfit 
 was added fifty yards of three-quarter-inch ropt . 
 
 "Don't we want some canvas for sail? " asked Randy, 
 who was intensely interested, and who felt somewhat as 
 if lie was going out to play at Robinson Crusoe. 
 
 " No, the other bits of canvas will do for that," re- 
 sponded Foster Portney. " Now for the camping-out 
 things," he went on, and had soon procured a good- 
 sized water kettle, a frying-pan, broiler, bean pot, tin 
 measure, extra baking and cooking tins, three tin })lates 
 and cups, three sets of knives and forks, coffee pot and 
 strainer, salt and pepper shakers, and a strong paper- 
 fibre water pail. 
 
 " That about ends that," he said, when each article 
 bought had been carefully scrutinized to see that it was 
 [)erfect. "Now for food and medicines, and then we'll 
 be about done." 
 
 The food list made Randy smile grimly. " No luxu- 
 ries there," he whispered to Earl. " We are going to 
 live as plain as we did up in Maine, or plainer." 
 
 The list consisted of the following- A hundred 
 pounds of flour, with baking-powder, cwenty pounds 
 
 i 
 
58 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 of smoked ham and bacon, two dozen cans of tomatoes, 
 a dozen cans of other vegetables, a small sack of pota- 
 toes, a dozen cans of condensed milk, twenty pounds of 
 sugar, ten pounds of salt, twenty pounds of coffee, a 
 sack of beans, pepper and other spices, and mustard. 
 To these were added a few cans of fruit by way of 
 delicacies. 
 
 The food packed, they made their way to a drug 
 store and procured a small family chest of various 
 medicines, and added to this several bottles of liquor, 
 wliich, however, were to be used only for medicinal 
 purposes, for none of the party were drinkers. 
 
 Foster Portney already had a serviceable pistol, and 
 he now procured for this weapon a sufficient supply of 
 cartridges. He also bought a pistol for Randy and a 
 shot-gun for Earl. "The gun will be the most useful 
 weapon," he said, " for it will help put lots of game into 
 our eating-pot, and that is what we shall want." 
 
 " Won't we want a fishing-line or two ? " asked Earl. 
 "1 have one in my trunk, but it is not of much 
 account." 
 
 " Yes, we'll buy several first-class ones, and a book of 
 flies. Fish to a hungry man are as acceptable as any 
 other game," answered his uncle, and the articles men- 
 tioned were purchased without delay. 
 
 The list was now filled, yet Foster Portney spent 
 nearly an hour more in picking up such odds and ends 
 as pins, needles, spools of thread, three good pocket 
 
BUYING THE OUTFITS. 
 
 59 
 
 compasses, tiiid biinung-oflusses, a pocket notebook for 
 eacli, with pencils and some writing-paper and en- 
 velopes. Finally lie took them to a little shop on a 
 side street, where each procured a monstrous knapsack 
 of oiled canvas, having straps to be placed over the 
 shoulders and an extra strap to come up over the front 
 part of the head. 
 
 "What an affair !" said Randy, with a laugh, "I 
 never saw a knapsack with a head-piece before." 
 
 " You'll find it an easy tiling to carry," said his 
 uncle. " Try it," and Kandy did so, and was astonished 
 to learn how much the head-strap improved the carry- 
 ing powers. 
 
 The best part of the evening was spent in packing 
 the things they had purchased, and it was not until 
 after ten o'clock that the last of the bundles were 
 ready and duly tagged. 
 
 "Now we have only a few more things to get," said 
 Foster Portney, "the most important of the whole out- 
 fit ; " and as Randy and Earl looked at him blankly, he 
 smiled in an odd way. " What could three gold 
 hunters do without picks, shovels, and pans?" 
 
 " To be sure ! " shouted liandy, and Earl reddened 
 over the idea that he had not thought of the things 
 before. 
 
 " We'll get them in the morning, for they won't have 
 to be packed," said the uncle. " We have done enough 
 for to-day." 
 
 
 ji 
 
 >*»M. fc lt « > I 1 , n m /M 
 

 60 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 And Randy, wlio was tired out, agreed with him that 
 il hud been a busy day, indeed. He went to bed with 
 his head in a whirl about A.laska and how they were to 
 get there, and of the wonderful finds of gold whicli 
 awaited all hands. He was full of the brightest of 
 hopes, and tlie hardships so soon to be encountered 
 did not bother him. 
 
 M soffi^ 
 
 mK 
 
hat 
 
 ith 
 
 to 
 
 icli 
 
 oi" 
 
 •ed 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ON THE WAY TO JUNEAU. 
 
 "Get up, Randy! Don't you know we are to start 
 for Alaska to-day ? " cried Earl, at six o'clock on the 
 following morning. "Come now, turn out." 
 
 " Oh my, but I'm tired still ! " grumbled Randy, as 
 he stretched himself. Nevertheless, he hopped out of 
 bed a moment later and was dressed almost as soon 
 as his brother. They had barely finished when their 
 uncle came to summon them to breakfast. 
 
 '' We'll hunt up those tools and then I have a little 
 private business to attend to," announced Foster Port- 
 ney. " So we must move lively." 
 
 Breakfast, the last meal to be eaten in San Fran- 
 cisco, was quickly disposed of, and then followed a 
 half -hour's inspection of various picks, shovels, and 
 gold-washing pans at a hardware store that made a 
 specialty of miners' tools. The boys were greatly in- 
 terested, and, as Earl said, it made them feel more like 
 prospectors to own a pick and a shovel each. The 
 final bundle was made and shipped to the steamboat 
 dock, and Foster Portney left them. 
 
 61 
 
 ■■■> 5 
 
I ! 
 
 •i 
 
 I 
 
 62 
 
 TO ALASKA FOU GOLD. 
 
 '^ Meet me at the doek at eleven o'eloek," lie said, as 
 he hurried away. 
 
 The boys had still several private matters to be set- 
 tled. Their trunks were to be sold, also some old 
 clothing. At the hotel they obtained the addresses of 
 several dealers in second-hand goods, and they had one 
 of the dealers call and look at the stuff. He offered 
 ten dollars for the lot ; and, as they did not see their 
 way to doing better, they accepted his terms, and the 
 goods were removed without delay. 
 
 " Let us take a walk around while we have the 
 chance," said Earl. "It is only ten o'clock." 
 
 Randy was willing, and off they started up Market 
 Street to the City Hall, and then back and into Mont- 
 gomery and Kearney streets, taking in all the sights as 
 they went. Almost before they knew it, it was time 
 to go to the wharf. 
 
 " We don't want to keep Uncle Foster waiting," said 
 Earl ; but when they reached the wharf their uncle was 
 nowhere in sight. 
 
 The crowd which had collected to see the gold 
 seekers off was a laj-e one, and more people kept 
 coming every moment. The almost magic name, 
 Klondike, was on every tongue, and there were hun- 
 dreds who expressed the wish that they were going 
 along. 
 
 " Alaska is full of gold ! " one man declared. " Full 
 of gold ! All you've got to do is to locate it." 
 
ON THE WAY TO JUNE AT. 
 
 G8 
 
 I' 
 
 " Tliiit's just it," siiiil l^^iirl to liis brother. " If you 
 can locate it you're all right; if not — " and he fin- 
 ished by a shrug of his broad shoulders. 
 
 " You're not sorry we're going, are you ? " demanded 
 Randy, quickly. 
 
 ''Sorry? Not a bit of it. But it doesn't pay to be 
 too sanguine, Randy, my boy." 
 
 Quarter of an hour passed, and the jam on the dock 
 began to become uncomfortable. Brawny men pre- 
 dominated, but there were also many others there, — 
 wives to bid good-by to their husbands, girls to wish 
 their lovers good-luck, and children to catch a last em- 
 brace from their parents. Many of the women were 
 in tears, and a number of other eyes were moist, and 
 altogether the scene was rather a sober one. 
 
 " What can be keeping Uncle Foster ? " asked 
 Randy, as the minutes to the time for sailing slipped 
 by. " I don't see him anywhere, do you ? " 
 
 Earl did not, and he was as anxious as his brother. 
 Back and forth they pushed their way, but without 
 success. Then Earl looked at the silver watch lie 
 carried. " Ten minutes to twelve ! " he ejaculated. 
 
 " Let us go on board and stand where Uncle Foster 
 can see us," suggested Randy, in a tone of voice which 
 was far from steady. Supposing their uncle should 
 not turn up, what should they do ? To go alone on 
 that trip seemed out of the question. 
 
 Luckily they had their tickets, so getting on board 
 
 li *. 
 
 M 
 
 V. 
 
 w 
 
 Is 
 
 V 
 
 m 
 
64 
 
 TO ALASKA KOIl GOLD. 
 
 was not (liiricult. A nuinbiT of tlie passengers glanced 
 at them curiously. 
 
 " Goin' ter Alaska ? " asked one brawny fellow 
 whose face was almost entirely concealed by his 
 tangled beard. " Well, well ! Ain't yer most afraid 
 ye'll git done up ? " 
 
 " We'll try to kee^) on top," answered Earl. The 
 fellow wished to continue tlie conversation, but both 
 Earl and Randy were too impatient just then to listen 
 to him, and moved off to another [)art of the boat. 
 
 Five minutes more had passed and an ol'ticer was 
 going around shouting : " All ashore that's going ! 
 We sail in five minutes I " Those to be left behind 
 began to pass over the gang-plank — it was a hasty 
 handshake and a last good-by on every side. The 
 boys looked at each other doubtfully. 
 
 " If he doesn't come — " began Earl, when his 
 quick eye caught sight in the crowd of a hat that he 
 recognized. " Uncle Foster ! Uncle Foster Portney ! 
 Come on board ! " he yelled, at the top of his sturdy 
 lungs. 
 
 Mr. Portney, in the jam of people below, heard and 
 looked up. In a moment he had caught sight of his 
 nephews and he shook his hand at them. Soon he was 
 mounting the gang-plank, the last of the passengers 
 to come on board. He was out of breath and gave the 
 boys an odd smile. 
 
 " I suppose I gave you a scare," he said. " I didn't 
 
 I'! 
 
ON THE WAV TO .irXEAr. 
 
 05 
 
 mean to \)e so late, hut (liost* l)usiru'ss nialtcrs took 
 longer than I intended, and then there was a hhx-kacU' 
 of street cars and I had to walk it. IJut we'ie all 
 right now, 1 reekon," lie added, gazing aiouiuh 
 "(lood-hy to San Francisco ! When we see her again 
 may our pockets he lined with gold!" And he took 
 off his soft felt hat and waved it at the crowd on 
 shore. 
 
 The boat was now swinging clear of the wharf and 
 thousands of hats and handkerchiefs were waving. 
 " There she goes ! " " Hurrah for Alaska ! " " If you 
 strike it rich, let us know I " " (xod he with you ! " 
 These and a hundred other cries rang out, and they 
 were kept up until the steamer was far out in the 
 stream and on her way up the bay to the (i olden 
 Gate. 
 
 The run to the Gate did not take long, and by the 
 middle of the afternoon tlie steamer was standing out 
 boldly into the Pacific Ocean, on her way almost due 
 north. It had been rather muggy, and now a heavy 
 mist set in, and by evening the boys were glad enough 
 to leave the deck and arrange their stateroom. It 
 contained four berths, two for tiiemselves, one for Mr. 
 Portney, and the last for a stranger who was down on 
 the ship's list as Captain Luke Zoss. 
 
 " I wonder who Captain Zoss can be ? " said Randy 
 to Earl, when the door of the stateroom was suddenly 
 flung open, and the bushy-bearded man who had spoken 
 
 i'ii 
 
II 
 
 V I 
 
 '^l''^ 
 
 66 
 
 TO ALASKA l-'Oll (JOLI). 
 
 to tliL'in oil (lt!ck ciiino in. He stared at them in sur- 
 prise for H second, then burst into a iiearty lit of 
 laughter. 
 
 '• Wall ! wall ! So it's you as are j^'-oin' ter be my 
 messmates on this yere trip ! " he exelaimed. " All 
 right, lads, glad ter have ye." lie held out a brawny 
 hand. " My handle is Luke Zoss, but most of the 
 boys know me as Cap'n Luke. May 1 be so inquisi- 
 tive as to ask your names ? " 
 
 " My name is Earl Portney, and this is my brother 
 Randy," answered Earl. The hearty way of the 
 stranger pleased him, and he was sure he should like 
 Zoss. 
 
 " Portney, eh ? I used ter know a man by thet 
 name — Foster Portney, o' Colorady." 
 
 " Why, he's our uncle, and he is with us ! " cried 
 Randy, and just then his uncle came in, and he and 
 Captain Zoss shook hands. They had met in Creede, 
 where Zoss had once been a mining superintendent, 
 and knew each other quite well. 
 
 " All bound fer the Klondike I " exclaimed the cap- 
 tain. " Hooray ! We're sure to strike it, eh, Port- 
 ney ? I know you wouldn't be a-goin' thar unless gold 
 was to be picked up. Goin' over Chilkoot Pass, I take 
 it." Foster Portney nodded. "Then we might as 
 well stick together, eh? It will be better than pair- 
 ing off with somebody as might be wuss nor a hoss 
 thief, eh ? O' course it would ! " 
 
 ■ 
 
 
f)N THI<: WAY TO JUNEAU. 
 
 07 
 
 Again tliu ciii)tiiiji sliook luinds. 'riieii ho asked the 
 boys wliuru thuy caiiu; from and was pleased to learn 
 they were usetl to a life in thi open air. 
 
 "I was a lunihernian myself onct — np in Michigan," 
 he said. " Ikit thar wasn't enough excitement, so 1 
 gave it up to seek gold and silver. Minin' and i)ros- 
 pectin' just suit me — leas'wise so long as the grub 
 holds out. One thing is in our favor — scarcity o' 
 men up in them new gold liclds. Now, down in 
 Colorady it's different — all overrun with men, eh, 
 Portney?" 
 
 " Yes, we'll have rather an open field," answered 
 Foster Portney. And then followed a long discussion 
 about the new gold fields and what might be expected 
 when Dyea was reached and the terrible clind) over 
 the mountains began. The discussion lasted ujitil 
 ten o'clock, and the boys listened with interest and 
 picked up many stray bits of information. Both 
 concluded that the overland trip to the mines would 
 prove every bit as rough and dangerous as they had 
 pictured it. 
 
 The distance from San Francisco to Juneau, Alaska, 
 is, in round figures, one thousand miles. The Golden 
 Hope was not as large as a regular ocean liner, yet she 
 was a fast boat, and it was expected that she would 
 cover the distance inside of four days. Much, of 
 course, would depend upon the weather encountered, 
 for she was heavily loaded with both passengers and 
 
 1^:^ 
 
68 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR CH)LD. 
 
 frinelit. Tlio fn'itilit Inid <jfivoii oven tlie owners oon- 
 cern, for inucli ot" it was [)ile(l lii<j;'h on the outer (le(^ks. 
 
 On tlu^ second day out, and some time aiter Cape 
 hlantM) had hccn sij^^hted through the ghiss, the sky to 
 tiie westward hei>'an to darkcm, and the sidhjrs announced 
 an approacliiiiLC storm. Soon the sun went undcu* a 
 heavy bank of ch)uds and ;i stiff hree/e sprniij^' up which 
 threw tlu! h)nL!, lieavv swells of the ocean into millions 
 of white-caps, dancing and skipping on every side as 
 far as eyt; could reach. 
 
 " We are in for it now," v/as the announcement 
 whicli went the rounds. Presently it began to rain, 
 and all endeavored to seek the shelter of the cabin, 
 whicli speedily became crowded to suffocation. The 
 boys, their uncle, and Captain Zoss were in the forward 
 part (jf the bo, it, and they saw the course changed, so 
 tlint the Goldea Hope stood out straight to meet the 
 blow. 
 
 " We are going to have no fun of this," said Foster 
 Portney, with a grave shake of his head. " If I know 
 anything about matters, that storm will be an extra, 
 heavy one." And the events of the next hour proved 
 tliat he was right. 
 
RHi 
 
 ll 
 
 (;HAi'ri-:i{ IX, 
 
 THE 1 ATIO OF A STOWAWAY. 
 
 "My <^riieiovis ! Wtrrc ^oiiin" to tlie bottom sure I " 
 
 It was Raiidy wlio made tlie ol)servatioii. 'V\\v st(fnn 
 had struck the steamer in all its fury, and the [)it('hin_L,' 
 of the vessel made it almost impossible for a person to 
 keep his ieet. Itandy eluteiied a liiindrail fastened 
 near by, and Earl did the same ; while Mr. I'ortney 
 and Captain Zoss braced up against a eeiling post. 
 The only thin<^ that kept many from falling- was the 
 fact that there was no vacant llooi- s[)ace. "They were 
 in it like sardines in a tin," as Itandy ex[)ressed it. 
 
 " Some of the outside freight is b.)und to go," re- 
 marked Foster Portney, a minute later. "Ah, as I 
 thought — the ca])tain has oi-dered it cut away. There 
 goes some [)oor fellows' c tfits I Too bad ! " 
 
 " I hope our stufT isn't among it ! " cried Earl. 
 " But they'll be responsil)le, won't they? " 
 
 " Yes, they'll be res[)()nsible, Earl, liut we don't 
 want their money — we want our goods, for it may be 
 difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate the things at 
 Juneau. But I imagine our goods are in the hold." 
 
 CO 
 
 •i 
 
 \.Q 
 
70 
 
 TO ALASKA VOll COM). 
 
 I. 
 
 " Our clothiuf^ and provisions are," said Randy. "• I 
 saw them put down just before we started. But the 
 tools may be out there." 
 
 " If tliey — " began Captain Zoss, but broke off short 
 as a mighty crasli was heard from tiie rear dcek. The 
 erasli was foHowed by tlie jingle of broken glass and 
 sharp cries of pain and alarm. 
 
 Tiiere was every evidence of a panic, but the cooler 
 heads restored order, and then it was found that a 
 miner's outfit had caused all the trouble. It had 
 been looscmed from the deck, but before it could be 
 thrown overboard a lurch of the steamer had sent it 
 sailiiux through the air straight through a cabin v.in- 
 dow. Tlie miner to whom the outfit belonged had b'*i'ri 
 one of those to be most scared by its unceremonious 
 entrance. 
 
 For three hours the storm raged in all its fury, and 
 during that time no one but the ol'licers and crew were 
 allowed on deck. Nearly all the outside freight uas 
 thrown away, a loss which amounted to several thou- 
 sand dollars. At last the wind and the rain grad- 
 ually abated, and by nightfall the Grolden Hope was 
 again proceeding on her journey northward. 
 
 On the following day they ran by Vancouver Island, 
 and it was calculated tliat they would reach Juneau by 
 noon of the day following. All were anxious concern- 
 ing the outfits which had l)een lost overboard, and tlie 
 miners and ofiScers tried to make out a list of them. 
 
 liii 
 
 m 
 
THE KATE OF A STOWAWAY. 
 
 le 
 1. 
 
 The work proceeded all day, and it was not until nii^lit- 
 fall that it was learned positively t.hat the j^oods belong- 
 ing to the Portneys and to Captain Zoss were safe. 
 
 The tirst sight of Juneau was rather disa[)pointing to 
 the boys, who had expected to see a niucli larger [)hice. 
 .luneau is but a small town, lying on the western coast 
 of a peninsula formed by tiie Lynn Canal and the 
 wide mouth of the Tiiivu Iliviu*. Directly o})posit(! is 
 Douglas Island. Tlie town lies f)n a small patch of Hat 
 ground, l)ackcd Uj) by several liigli mountains. It is 
 principally a trading centre. The harbor is a fairly 
 good one, and, on account of the rusii to the gold iields, 
 the stores were increasing constantly. 
 
 As soon as the steamer reached lier landing place a 
 wild rush for sliore ensued, and then began a hunt for 
 some vessel which miglit take the party up to Dyea, 
 where the journey by water would, for the present, 
 come to an end. The water up the Lynn Canal, as it 
 is termed, although it is not at all a canal as we know 
 them, and through Dyea Inlet, is sliallow, and, conse- 
 quently, ocean steamers do not go beyond Junt^au. 
 
 ^ I'll hunt up passage on some boat," said Foster 
 Poi'tney to the boys. "• You remain here and watch 
 our goods. Those fellows who lost their outfits are 
 angry enough, and some of them would like notliing 
 better than to appropriate ours and let us look to the 
 steamboat company for redress." 
 
 While he was gone, the task of bringing the goods 
 
 
7n 
 
 I i, 
 
 72 
 
 TO ALASKA Foil (lOLD. 
 
 from tlie steamer's hold was stiirted, for no (mm; waiili'd 
 to be delayed in Jmieaii any loii^'er than was necessary, 
 liandy and Karl watched tli(3 work closely, and as soon 
 as their thini^s apiJcarcd they claimed them and liad 
 tiie lot transferred to a s[)ot at the end of the ratiicr 
 rotten and shaky dock. 
 
 Presently, as they stood waitini*' for the reappearance 
 of their uncle and ("aptain Zoss, who had gone with 
 Mr. I'ortney, they noticed a commotion on board the 
 Golilcn Hope. A stowaway had been fonnd in the hold 
 of the vessel, and the sailors and stevedores had brought 
 the fellow out more dead than alive. 
 
 "(let off of her(! I " cried the captain of the steamer, 
 in a rage, as he bootiMl ihe fellow not once, bnt half a 
 do/en times, "(iet out, I say! If W(; were down in 
 San I'^ranciseo I'd have you locked uj) in a minute. It's 
 a pity I didn't hnd you out when we were on tlu^ trip — 
 I'd a-made you work your passage, and more ! (jo, be- 
 fore I heave you overboard!" 
 
 And with a iinal kick the stowaway Avas run oif the 
 gang-plank, to fall in a heap on the dock, too weak from 
 the conlinenuuit and want of i)roj)er food to stand. 
 
 " It's Fred Dobson ! " ejaculated Handy. " Oh, Earl, 
 
 look . 
 
 "Il is {''red, true enough!" rej)lie(l Karl, as much 
 surjjrised as his brother. I^'orgetful of their outfits for 
 the time being, both ran forward and picked up the son 
 of the scjuire of Bj'.sco. Fred's eyes were closed, his 
 
Lor 
 
 ?011 
 
 lliis 
 
 
 \\'llll A llNAI l\I( K I III. SunVAWAV W A-^ KIV oil I M K 
 
 (iA\(. 11 ANk 
 
 ;ice 
 
r ?■ 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 r 
 
 ■ t 
 
 ■ ; 
 
 ■ 
 
 1 
 
 »i 
 
 ''- 
 
 V 
 
 tc 
 
 a1 
 
THIO FATK OF A STOWAWAY. 
 
 73 
 
 face was as white as chalk, and they saw at a glance 
 that he had fainted. 
 
 " Get some water, Handy," said Earl, as he began to 
 work over the prostrate tigure. " I wonder if there is 
 a doctor handy. He looks as if he was half starved 
 to death." 
 
 As Randy ran off, a crowd hegan to collect, a few to 
 sympathize, bnt the majority to look on merely in cnri- 
 osity or to make andil)le counnents that it served the 
 boy right, since he had no business to steal a trip. 
 
 "Got a crazy notion to go to the gold fields, I 
 reckon," said one bystander. "-He ought to be home 
 where liis mannna could spank 1 *..u." 
 
 At this there was a coarse laugh, which was quickly 
 hushed when another man, a young fellow of not more 
 than twenty-three, stepped forward, and announced 
 that he was a doctor. He soon succeeded in bringing 
 Fred around. 
 
 " He wants something to eat as much as anything," 
 said the newcomer. "• There is a restaurant over 
 yonder. Better take ium there and get him some 
 soup and stale bread — his stomach isn't strong enough 
 to bear a regular meal." 
 
 Randy and Earl thanked the doctor and did as ad- 
 vised, while the crowd gradually melted away to tend 
 to its own affairs. Fred was ravenously hungry, yet he 
 ate with diihcuUv when the food was set before him. 
 
 " I've had nothing to eat for about forty hours," he 
 
 II 
 
 
 K-. 
 
V 
 
 T4 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR (iOLD. 
 
 f 
 
 said, when he felt strong enougli to talk. " I spent 
 that four dollars you two gave me in buying pro- 
 visions, crackers, cheese, and the like, but on the second 
 day out the rats got at the crackers and cheese and ate 
 nearly the whole of them. Then one of my bottles of 
 water was smaslied during that storm, and though it 
 was as close as pepper down there I hadn't a mouth- 
 ful to drink. I thought I was going to die just before 
 they opened the hold and began to remove the cargo." 
 
 " But, Fred, what made you do it ? " asked Earl, 
 reproachfully. "It was the height of foolishness." 
 
 " I'm bound to go to the gold fields. Earl. You two 
 are going there to make a fortune, and why can't I 
 make a fortune, too ? " 
 
 " Because you are not fit for life out there, that's 
 why. You suffered a good deal in coming this far, 
 but let me tell you that I expect to suffer a good 
 deal more than that before the Klondike River is 
 reached and we liave endured the hardships of an 
 Alaskan winter. Supposing you succeed in getting 
 away up in Alaska and are taken sick, who is going 
 to care for you, and liow are you going to get back 
 home? Now I don't want to preach, but my advice 
 is, to go back to Basco at once." 
 
 " And that's my advice, too, Fred," broke in Randy. 
 "I know you are as old as I am, but you know you 
 never did such work as Earl and J are used to, and 
 some of the experienced minel'S bVeil httigli at us. If 
 
 iiti. 
 
 
i 
 
 THE FATE OF A STOWAWAY. 
 
 76 
 
 Uncle Foster liadu't known that we were used to hard 
 work out in tlie open, in midwinter at that, lie would 
 never have dreamed of asking us to go with him ; he 
 told us so." 
 
 Randy and Earl both spoke earnestly, and it was not 
 their fault that what tliey had to say did not take effect. 
 But Fred Dobson was both wild and reckless, and he 
 shook his head. 
 
 " I'm bound to go if I have to walk the rest of the 
 way," he said. " 1 thought I would strike your uncle 
 again when we reached the place, but if you are so dead 
 set against me Fll not say another word, but try to 
 paddle my own canoe, as the saying is. Of course Fm 
 nnich obliged for what you did for me in San Francisco 
 and here, and some day Fll make it up to you, see if I 
 don't." 
 
 " We don't want you to make it up, Fred ; ordy act 
 sensible and steer for home when you next strike out" 
 said Earl. He was about to go on, when the entrance 
 of his uncle and Cai)tain Zoss into the restaurant caused 
 him to stop. 
 
 " Humph ! so you've turned up again ! " were Foster 
 Fortney's words. " I heard there had been a stowaway 
 on board of the Q-olden Hope. It was the most foolish 
 move you could make, lad." The prospector turned to 
 his youngest nephew. " Handy, wliere are our outfits ? " 
 
 " Oh my ! " burst out Randy, leaping to his feet. 
 " Earl, we forgot all about them ! " 
 
 W 
 

 m 
 
 T6 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 Earl said nothing, but he reached the door of the res- 
 taurjint ahnost as quickly as his brother. There was a 
 crowd in the roadway outside, but they cjuickly forced 
 a passage through, and ran for the steamer dock. A 
 large number of outfits were spread here, there, and 
 everywhere, but the spot where they had left those 
 belonging to their own party was vacant. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 TIP THE LYNN CANAL. 
 
 Randy and Earl gazed about them in liopeless bewil- 
 derment. The outfits belonging to themselves, their 
 uncle, and to Captain Zoss were gone. Wlio had taken 
 them, and was there any chance of recovery ? 
 
 "We should have looked after them," said Earl, bit- 
 terly. " It was foolishness to leave the stuff, especially 
 after Uncle Foster had warned uj." 
 
 " I wonder if any of those miners who lost their out- 
 fits from the steamer are guilty," said Randy, as they 
 started on another tour of the Juneau wharf. '' I re- 
 member one fellow with a red beard and a scar on his 
 nose who looked at the stuff rather closely when we 
 came ashore." 
 
 " Let us start to make inquiries. Randy. We must 
 get our outfits back. If we don't, Uncle Foster will 
 never forgive us." 
 
 " Yes, and we'll be in a pickle besides," groaned the 
 younger brother. " By the look of things in this set- 
 tlement mining outfits are rather scarce." 
 
 " Yes, I heard one man saying that about everything 
 worth having had been gobbled up several weeks ago 
 
 77 
 
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 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
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 and the storekeepers were awaiting new consignments 
 from San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle." 
 
 With anxious hearts they walked around the wharf 
 and along a side road, also piled high with miners' 
 goods and steamer freight. Presently a man joined 
 them. It was Captain Zoss. 
 
 "Well, whar's our packs?" he questioned, and 
 looked glum when told of what had occurred. " By 
 the boots, lads, we must find 'em — ain't no two ways 
 about that ! Why, to go to the mines without tools 
 would be wuss nor a hen sittin' on a nest without eggs. 
 Been all over the dock, yer say ? " He paused an in- 
 stant. " I'll make a round o' the saloons. If the things 
 was stolen, like as not the thieves would want to git 'em 
 out of sight in quick order, eh ? " 
 
 lie was about to leave them, when they were hailed 
 by a man standing near the entrance to a new store 
 that was going up on the opposite side of the way. It 
 was the doctor who had so kindly come to Fred Dob- 
 son's assistance. 
 
 " What's up ? " he called out. " Looking for your 
 traps ? They're jdl right. I had them brought up 
 here for safe keeping when you went off with the sick 
 lad. I knew they wouldn't be secure down on the 
 wharf. There are half a dozen quarrels on down there 
 over lost and mixed-up baggage." 
 
 Randy and Earl felt much relieved, and so did the 
 captain. They ran over to the new store, and sure 
 
 'I ' 
 Mil 
 
UP THE LYNN CANAL. 
 
 79 
 
 enough, everything was there in a heap, alongside of 
 the packs owned by the doctor. They thanked the 
 medical man for his kindness, and a short talk fol- 
 lowed. The doctor's name was Kenneth Barwaithe, 
 and he was an Englishman who had practised for a 
 year in Victoria. He, too, was bound for the new 
 gold fields, either for mining purposes, or to set him- 
 self up in business. 
 
 " The hundreds oi miners going up there will need 
 doctoring," he explained. " And I am all prepared to 
 dose them with medicine, set a broken leg, amputate 
 an arm, or pull an aching tooth." 
 
 " Thar'll be work for you," said Captain Zoss, with 
 a laugh. " But the wust disease up thar will be one 
 ye can't touch nohow." 
 
 " Indeed ! And what is that?" questioned Kenneth 
 Barwaithe, with interest. 
 
 " Starvation," was the solemn reply. 
 
 In order to relieve their uncle of further anxiety. 
 Randy and Earl returned to where they had left Mr. 
 I'ortney. Tliey found him in earnest conversation 
 with Fred Dobson. The face of the squire's son was 
 very red and his eyes were downcast. 
 
 " I'll write home at once," they heard Fred say, in a 
 low voice. " I'm glad Earl wrote from San Francisco. 
 My folks will at least know I am alive and well — that 
 is, as well as a fellow can be who was half starved to 
 death," he added ruefully. 
 
 I 
 
 
 y 
 
80 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 " And you ought to go home, lad — it's the proper 
 place for you/' 
 
 " Well, maybe I will — after I have earned enough 
 around here to take me, Mr. Portney." 
 
 Foster Portney's hand was in his pocket, and Earl 
 and Randy saw him hand Fred a ten-dollar bill. "Pay 
 me back whenever you feel rich enough to do so," he 
 said, and the squire's son gave him a ready promise to 
 that effect. 
 
 Foster Portney and Captain Zoss had been fortunate 
 enough to secure passage up to Dyea, on a little steam- 
 boat, which was to leave early the next day. The 
 craft was a freight boat, but carried passengers when- 
 ever she could get them. No time was lost in transfer- 
 ring their goods to this craft, Fred Dobson helping 
 them carry their loads. Doctor Barwaithe had also 
 secured passage in the craft, and soon Ijecame one of 
 the party. Later on, matters were talked over by him 
 and the others, and it was agreed that the five should 
 stick together until the Klondike region was reached. 
 The forming of little parties of five or more was popular 
 among those who travelled by the overland route into 
 Alaska. By such means there was less danger of a man 
 getting lost in the mountains, and the preparation of 
 meals along the way was easier, for each man of a party 
 took his turn at feeding the rest, so that only one set 
 of packs had to be unstrapped and packed again, in- 
 stead of the lot. Besides this, the building and sailing 
 
 f 
 
 J 
 
UP THE LYNN CANAL. 
 
 81 
 
 f 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 of a boat down the lakes and through the rapids by jne 
 man was next to imi»ossibk\ 
 
 It was very ditlicult to obtain accorninodations at any 
 of the so-styled hotels in Juneau, so all hands en- 
 camped for the night on the deck of the freighter, Fred 
 Dobson managing to smuggle himself in with the 
 regular party. In the morning Fred approached the 
 captain of the boat for a situation, Init was turned oft' in 
 language far from fit to transcribe to these pages. 
 
 " Got more on board than we want now, boy, so git 
 ashore in a hurry, for we're on the point of sailing," 
 and with a wistful good-by to Randy, Earl, and the 
 others, the squire's son leaped to the dock. Five 
 minutes later the lines were cast off, and the wheezy, 
 overloaded craft started northward on the Lynn 
 Canal. 
 
 The distance from Juneau to Dyea is a hundred and 
 eighteen miles, past Hernev's Bay and Katsehan River 
 into Chilkoot Iidet and finally uj) Dyea Iidet. The 
 run for the most part is past gigantic glaciers on one 
 side and mountains covered with snow and ice on the 
 other. 
 
 " Gracious, this is a touch of winter and no mis- 
 take I " ejaculated Randy, as the steamboat ploughed 
 steadily on her way, and they stood by tlie rail taking 
 in the desolate sight. " See how those little icebergs 
 sparklo in the sunshine." 
 
 " Far off to the west of this canal is the great Muir 
 
 9 
 
 f 
 
 Jl 
 
82 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 li tj 
 
 I 
 i: 
 
 Glacier," ^aid Foster Portiiey. " It is the largest 
 glacier in the world. That island which we just passed 
 is Douglas, and there is situated the great Treadwell 
 Mine, one of the richest gold mines heretofore discov- 
 ered in Alaska." 
 
 " Have we got to climb mountains like that ? " 
 questioned Earl, as he jjointed to the snow-capped 
 summits to the eastward. 
 
 " Have we got to climb 'em? " burst in Captain Zoss. 
 " Why, them ain't an ant hill to the ones we're to crawl 
 over, lad. Just wait till we get up into Dyea Inlet, 
 and you'll catch sight o' mountains as will give you 
 the yellow shakes, as the boys call it. Now I don't 
 want to discourage ye," he went on, as he saw Earl 
 take a deep breatli. " I want to prepare ye for the 
 wust, that's all. That pass — the Chilkoot — is the 
 wust part o' the whole trip, being about three-quarters 
 of a mile liigli and betwixt mountains twice that size." 
 
 " Well, we can climb three-quarters of a mile, I 
 guess, if the grade isn't too steep," said Randy. 
 
 The captain turned away and smiled to himself. He 
 was more than doubtful if the boys would ever get 
 safely over to Lake Linderman, the first of the lakes on 
 tlie other side of the mountain range. 
 
 It was well that they had dressed themselves warmly; 
 for, on account of the sun shining on the glacier«i the air 
 was filled v/ith a mist which chilled them to the bone. 
 The channel was lilled with loose pieces of ice, and ever 
 
UP THE LYNN CANAL. 
 
 83 
 
 .. 
 
 and anon the steamer would strike a miniature iceberg 
 with a crash whicli was clearly heard by all on board. 
 
 After a few hours of gazing at the monotonous pres- 
 entation of glaciers and snow-covered hills and moun- 
 tains, the boys turned their attention to those on board. 
 It was a motley collection of people. Most of the men 
 were Americans, but there was also a fair sprinkling of 
 Canadians, Germans, and half a dozen Indians. The 
 latter were of the Chilkoot tribe, and interested Randy 
 more than anything else. They were a round-faced, 
 stalwart set of fellows, and several of them had bands 
 of black painted across the upper parts of their faces. 
 
 "They paint the black around their eyes as a pre- 
 ventive of snow-blindness," explained Foster Portney. 
 " As soon as either of you find your eyes hurting from 
 the glare you had better put on a pair of the smoked 
 goggles." 
 
 Dinner on the steamer was served under the rather 
 scanty shelter on the upper deck. But fifteen could be 
 accommodated at once, and as there were over sixty 
 people on board, it look some time to satisfy them all. 
 The fare was principally beef stew, bread, coffee, and 
 rice pudding, but the cold air gave every one a good 
 appetite, and the boys did full justice to all that was 
 offered them. 
 
 At turning-in time there was more than one little 
 row, for sleeping accommodations were limited. 
 Berths were at a premium, and had been secured by 
 
 1, . !' 
 
 « ^♦^ 
 
84 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 the more fortunate ones when the steamer had hinded 
 at Juneau. Foster Portney gathered his party around 
 him in the shelter of the wheelliouse, on deck, and here 
 they slept huddled together like sheep in a cattle car. 
 
 " Not like stopping at the Palace Hotel in San 
 Francisco, is it ? " said his uncle to Randy. " But 
 never mind ; as soon as we leave Dyea we'll have all 
 the room we want, and more." 
 
 "Sleeping like this keeps a fellow warm," said 
 Randy, who felt somehow as if he was out for a lark. 
 Hut by and by, when somebody passed over him in 
 the dark and slipped on his chest, he did not think it 
 quite so much fun. 
 
 However, the night passed quickly enough, and at 
 daybreak all were stirring, for they had reached Dyea 
 Inlet, and a landing was expected before noon. A 
 stiff breeze was blowing, and the Inlet, a long, narrow 
 arm of Chilkoot Inlet and the canal, was filled with 
 angry waves blowing from off shore. Presently the 
 first sight of Dyea was gained, and half an hour later 
 an anchor was dropped, and the voyage so far as the 
 steamer was concerned was over. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE START FROM DVEA. 
 
 Randy and Earl found T)yea but a small settlement. 
 There was one store whicli had been established for 
 some time, and halt' a dozen others whicli had sprung 
 up to accommodate the miners and adventurers who 
 were pouring into the place. The total white popula- 
 tion did not number a liundred, but there were a very 
 large number of Indians, — men, women, jind children, 
 — all anxious to obtain employment as pack-carriers 
 o\er the mountains. 
 
 The steamer had anchored some distance from the 
 beach, and it was no light work to get the packs ashore 
 in the heavy sea that was running. Four small boats 
 were employed for the purpose, and more than one 
 bundle was lost overboard in making the transfer to 
 land. 
 
 " There goes one of my packs I " suddenly sang out 
 Dr. Barwaithe, as a small boat loaded high above 
 the gunwales capsized just as the shore was struck. 
 A wild scramble by the miners was made to recover 
 their goods. The doctor would have gone into the 
 icy water also, but he could not swim. 
 
 86 
 
 si£SLC£=:a.s^ 
 
o 
 
 86 
 
 TO ALASKA FOH GOLD. 
 
 M; :!,'■' 
 
 Several Indians who were watching the scene, 
 rushed up to the medical man. "(jet heem fo' one 
 dolla ! " said the largest of the redmcn, and the doctor 
 made the bargain on the spot. At once the Indian 
 and his helper leaped into the surf and swam toward 
 the pack, which contained the doctor's clothing and 
 bedding, and was becoming rapidly water soaked. 
 They reached the pack as it was about to sink, and 
 after ten minutes of hard work brought it out on tlie 
 pebbly shore. 
 
 By the middle of the afternoon all hands found 
 themselves encamped along the half-dried-up stream 
 back of the settlement. Here there were nearly a 
 hundred tents of miners and prospectors who were not 
 quite ready to attempt the trip over Chilkoot Pass. 
 
 The Indian who had rescued the doctor's pack stuck 
 to the medical man for the job of transferring his 
 goods over to Lake Linderman, stating he and his com- 
 panions would do the work for fifteen cents a pound. 
 
 " What do you think of that rate ? " asked Dr. 
 Barwaithe of Foster Portney, while Randy and Earl 
 looked on with interest. 
 
 "I don't know but that it's fair enough," was the 
 reply. 
 
 " But wouldn't it be better to take horses from here 
 and use Indians only over the pass? You know we 
 have about thirteen miles to travel before the pass is 
 reached." 
 
Ml" 
 
 THE START FIIOM UVEA. 
 
 87 
 
 *- 
 
 " We had l)etter take the Indians from here," put in 
 Captain Zoss. "Thar's no tellin' if \vu can git 'em 
 further on, eh?" 
 
 " Yes, and we might as well get used to walking it 
 from here, too," added Mr. Portney. " It will do 
 Kandy and Earl some good, not but that I imagine 
 they can tramp as well as any of us." 
 
 " We've tramped for many a mile through the Maine 
 woods, when we were out hunting," said Randy. " By 
 the way," he went on, " I haven't seen any game yet, 
 outside of a few birds." 
 
 The big Indian, who rejoiced in the name of Salmon 
 Head, was waiting for an luiswer, his squaw and two 
 boys standing close by. The squaw was a tall, thin 
 woman of forty, whose face was painted a greasy black 
 down to the tip of her nose, the ])alance of her coun- 
 tenance being left its natural color, yellowish red. 
 The boys were sturdy lads of perhaps ten and twelve, 
 as used to carrying heavy burdens as their parents. 
 
 The bargain was struck with Salmon Head to have 
 the goods of the entire party packed over from that 
 spot to the shore of Lake Linderman for fifteen cents 
 a pound, the work to be accomplished within the next 
 four days, weather permitting. The boys had ex- 
 pected to carry some of the goods, but at this Foster 
 Portney shook his head. 
 
 " You couldn't carry over forty or fifty pounds and 
 maybe not that over the Pass," he said, "and I 
 
 !v5 
 
 
 :^1 
 
 I 
 
88 
 
 TO ALASKA TOU tiULD. 
 
 •i • 
 
 would nitlier pjiy tin* {men iind liavo you reserve your 
 stnjnt^tli. You can eiicli curry a kiuipsjick tilled with 
 food, in case you wander from the trail, althouf^h don't 
 let this happen if you can possii)ly avoid it. The best 
 rule, in going over any pass, is to keep at least two 
 other members of the party in sight constantly." 
 
 in spite of the close proximity of the snow-capped 
 mountains, tl-e night was a comparatively warm one, 
 and no inconvenience was experienced by the party 
 in their tents. Tlu^y had two, one belonging to Mr. 
 Portney and the boys, the other being one Captain 
 Zoss and Dr. IJarwaithe had purchased at Juneau for 
 mutual cou'fort. The tents were put up end to end, 
 and being both water and wind tight were almost as 
 good to sleep in as a cabin. 
 
 The outlits had been carefully parcelled out to the 
 Indians, Salmon Head cfirrying a load of over a hun- 
 dred and twenty-five pounds, his squaw carrying a 
 hundred pounds, and the sons loads of about half that 
 weight. Relatives of these Indians carried the re- 
 mainder of the loads; for these Chilkoot people, like 
 other redmen, believed in keeping all they could in 
 the family. 
 
 Usually the journey to Lake Linderman was made in 
 two stages, the first from Dyea to the entrance to 
 Chilkoot Pass, and the second over the Pass itself and 
 down to the lake, which may fairly be called the south- 
 ern headwaters of the Yukon River. This course was 
 
TIN-: STAllT I'UOM DYEA. 
 
 89 
 
 to 1)0 pnrsiuMl hy llic in-t'sciit pjirty, and briijjlit and 
 early on tlu^ rollowini; moiiiiiii^ tlioy starteil ont on 
 what was dosliiiiMl to hu the most pcrilons tri[> of tlunr 
 livi's. Cai)tain Zoss went ahead with the Indians, 
 while the hoy;, and their nnele and the doctor kept in 
 a buneh behind. 
 
 At the start, the trip was alonuf the bottom of a deep 
 canon, on either side of which ar(>so mountains and 
 clifl's for the most part cov^ r. d with snow and ice. 
 Down in this canon (lowed wliut is called the Dyea 
 Kiver, a mere mountain t< rrenf. dashin<»' over rocks 
 and cra<j[s and here ami tiien; ')roiideninf^ out into a 
 shallow flow over santl and [>ebl)les. Walking was 
 rou,<;li, for at times they had to leap from one great 
 rock to another or else let themselves down, to wade 
 through water and sand nj) to their knees. The wind 
 had calmed down, yet once in a while it sent upon 
 them a Hurry of fine snow from the distant mountain 
 tops. 
 
 '' We are not getting ahead very fast ! " puffed Randy, 
 as he and the others came to a halt on a flat rock to 
 rest. " We've been walking for three hours, and I 
 doubt if we have covered more than five miles." 
 
 "•1 heard at Dyea that the thirteen miles to the en- 
 trance to the Pass is considered a good day's journey," 
 said Earl. " I'm rather glad I'm not carrying that load 
 Salmon Head has strapped to his back." 
 
 "It would take me a week to get that load up," said 
 
 \-. 
 
 m 
 
 H 
 
 ' m 
 
 I 
 

 m 
 
 • m 
 
 ll 
 
 V,tU i > 
 
 i' 
 
 i'^ 
 
 90 
 
 TO AI-ASKA FOIJ COM). 
 
 Kiindy. "I ean't iimlcrHlaiul liow Ihosc; boy.s ^ai 
 alonpf." 
 
 " It's a matter of traiiiinj''," said Kostor I'ort- 
 noy. "1 daro say oitlier of you can cut down a tree in 
 half the time tliat those Chilkoots can do it." 
 
 On they went au^ain, tlie trail now growing s'UujjMfr 
 and more barren. A few stunted firs lined the canon, 
 and here and tluu'e could be seen a half-dead vine 
 twisted about tlu^ lir braiu'.hes, and that was all, so far 
 as vep^etation went. And this was coming summer 
 time ! 
 
 "It must be dreariness itself in winter," remarked 
 Earl, to his uncle, as they trudged along side by side. 
 " I never saw anything so desolate, not even in the 
 wildest parts of Maine." 
 
 " It is this desolate look which has kept men out of 
 Alaska, Earl. jNlany have known of there being gold 
 there, but they preferred to remain down in the States, 
 where living, at least, was more certain and congenial. 
 You'll find, my lad, that you will need all your nerve 
 and backbone to withstand what is before you. Per- 
 haps I did wrong in urging you to join me." 
 
 " No, you didn't — I'm glad I came, and so is Randy, 
 and we'll get through," answered Earl, hastily. " Oh, 
 look ! " he pointed to where a flock of birds were cir- 
 cling far overhead. " Shall I give them a shot ? " 
 
 (( 
 
 No ! no ! " cried Foster Portney, hastily. " I for- 
 arranj 
 
 got to tell you. I 
 
 iged with the Indians that no 
 
V '» , 
 
 Tf?K MP A HI' FUOM DVEA, 
 
 91 
 
 31'- 
 
 .y» 
 
 li, 
 
 ■) : 
 
 \ 
 
 Hhf)t Hlnmld Ik; linMl ^mi (Ik; U'\\) vxc,{)[)\\uij; soiiu! otk; was 
 in li()iil)I(3 and iircdcd assistiinci!. I'll inlonn tin; 
 otliors." And Im; halted for tlii! otlairs to conif! up. 
 
 Captain Zoss provided tiie dinner at aixtnt on*! 
 o'clock, all hands tnkinL( it easy on some (;lear ro(;ks in 
 the sunshiiKi. As may Ix; supposed, the \'i\ri) was a 
 plain oiH!, yet to Handy and I'^arl nolliin<^^ had ever 
 tasted l)ett(!r, foi* elimhinLC iind tin; l»raein<,' monnlain 
 air gave them enormous aj)p(!tites. I h«'y could have; 
 eaton more than was ])rovided but understood that 
 from henceforth until further suj)j)lies were; assured, 
 rations would be dealt out with a sparin^^ hand. 
 
 As soon as tlu; diiUKir disli(;s had lu.'en cleaned and 
 repacked the journey to Sheep Camp, iis tli(! stoppin<(- 
 pbice was called, was renewed. 'I'lu; trail was now 
 steeper than ever, and more than once the stream of 
 water had to he crossed. 10v(;ry one was sufferinf^'' from 
 wet feet, but as all had on several pairs of heavy socks, 
 this did no further damage than to render them cohl 
 in their nether lind)s. As the trail grew rougher the 
 Indians, who knew every footstep, forged ahcjad, and 
 the others were allowed to shift for themselves. 
 
 It was about the middle of the afternoon that Handy 
 and his uncle were walking one behind the other, with 
 Captain Zoss and Dr. Harwaithe just in the rear. 
 The captain had been relating one of his experiences 
 in mountain clind)ing in Colorado, to which all had lis- 
 tened wdth interest. The story was finished, and they 
 
 ■■'■■, 
 
92 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 H^ 
 
 were congratulating themselves that the end of the 
 (lay's tramp was close at hand, when Handy suddenly 
 looked around in alarm. 
 
 " Where is Earl ? " he asked 
 
 "Earl!" exclaimed Mr. Portney. *'Why, he is 
 ahead, isn't he ? "" 
 
 " No, he dropped behind, to fix his boot," was the 
 quick reply. " Earl ! Earl ! " 
 
 The cry was repeated, and the others also took it up. 
 Then they waited for an answer, but none came. Earl 
 had disappeared. They waited for five minutes for 
 him to make his reappearance, but he did not come; 
 and then they started on a search for him. 
 
 ' 
 
 I 
 

 the 
 nly 
 
 !1 
 
 I IS 
 
 the 
 
 up. 
 
 Carl 
 
 for 
 
 lue; 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 EAKL HAS AN ADVENTrUK. 
 
 As Randy had exphiined, Earl had stopped on the 
 trail to fix his boot. In crossing the nionntain stream 
 he had shipped a lot of water, and he sat down on a 
 rock and held up liis foot, to allow the water to run 
 out on the ground. 
 
 Unfortunately for the youth he had rested on a rock 
 which was by no means secure on the bank of the 
 stream, and now, as he leaned to one side, the rock 
 slipi)ed from its resting-place, and down went poor 
 Earl into the water head first. As luck would have 
 it, he struck in some loose sand, otherwise he would 
 have been seriously injured. Even as it was he was 
 stunned for the moment, and before he could turn he 
 had gulped down a great deal of water. He was nearly 
 blinded by some fine sand getting into his eyes and 
 began to flounder around as though in the midst of 
 an ocean instead of a watercourse less than fifty feet 
 wide and five feet deep. 
 
 It took several minutes for him to save himself by 
 reaching a large rock in the centre of the stream. 
 
 m 
 
94 
 
 TO ALASKA I'Oli (JOLD. 
 
 I 
 
 Collectiiij^ his scattered senses, lie eliisired liis eyes as 
 best be eoukl and took a view of his situation. 
 
 The roek was six feet in diameter and two feet above 
 tlie top of tlie water. On either si(U5 flowed the stream 
 at a rate whieli he knew woukl be (|uite sulliieient to 
 take him off his feet shoukl he attem[)t to ford to shore. 
 What was to be done in tliis emergency he did not at 
 flrst know. The others had gone on ahead, and al- 
 though lie called to them, no one heard his cry. 
 
 Had he had his gun he wouhl have lired it, had the 
 weapon been in condition. But less than (juarter of 
 an hour before he had pjissed the fowling-piece over to 
 Captain Zoss, the captain having asked to inspect it. 
 lie must help himself, or go without assistance. 
 
 Standing on th<^ rock, he saw that escape to either 
 side was out of the question, and escape up the stream 
 was also cut off. Below, however, were a series of 
 rocks running off' to shore, and after some hesitation 
 he drop])ed into the stream and allowed himself to be 
 carried down to these rocks. 
 
 Five minutes of struggling in the current found him 
 safe on the opposite shore to that upon which the lower 
 portion of the trail to Chilkoot Pass lay. The question 
 now was, how to get back to the other side of the 
 river. 
 
 " I'll walk along on this side until 1 get a chance to 
 cross over," he said, half aloud, nd then the loneliness 
 of his situation dawned upon him. He struck out with- 
 
 i 
 
KAHL HAS AN ADVENTURE. 
 
 96 
 
 t 
 
 out delay, detenniiied to eutcli up with the others of 
 the pjtrty jih quickly as [)ossil)le. 
 
 For the lirst (piarter of a mile Earl did very well, 
 l)ut soon he noted to his dismay that the stream was 
 widening, and that, oonsecpiently, he was getting fur- 
 ther and further away from the other side. He had 
 been making his way along a elitt" lined with short 
 firs. Now the eliif eame to an abrupt end, and be- 
 yond he beheld nothing but a mass of jagged roeks 
 and a jungle of brush, to pass through whieh would 
 be next to impossible. 
 
 ''• Stumped now ! " he muttered to himself, and his 
 face fell as he surveyed his situation. The stream at 
 this point was all of one hundred and fifty feet wide, 
 and the trail opposite was not close to the water's edge, 
 but wound in behind the rocks and fir trees. 
 
 "I've got to get over to that trail, that's certain ! " 
 he went on, after a disagreeable pause. " Here goes to 
 try the water again," and with extreme care he began 
 the descent of the clitt', whieh was some twenty feet 
 high. The bottom was reached in safety, and he found 
 himself standing in water and sand half up to his knees. 
 
 Because of the widening of the stream at this point 
 the current was not so strong, and he began to wade in 
 deeper and deeper, until one-quarter of the width had 
 been passed and he found himself up to his waist. He 
 shivered with the cold and felt like going back, but a 
 few steps more brought him to a sand-bar, where the 
 
 m 
 
 • i 
 
96 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR (JOLD. 
 
 
 ■M 
 
 tl 
 
 r 'i 
 
 li V 
 
 
 water scarcely toiiclied liis knees. Overjoyed at tliis, 
 he attempted to follow up the bar, soon reaching and 
 passing the middle of the river. He was wading on 
 more confidently than ever, wheix of a sudden the bar 
 came to an end, and down he plunged into a pool over 
 his head. 
 
 The one thing to do now was to swim, and Earl 
 struck out boldly for the shore, still thirty feet away. 
 The weight of his heavy clothing was against him, and 
 the current carried him on and on down the stream 
 and toward a mass of jagged rocks fearful to behold. 
 Had he been of a less rugged temperament the cold 
 water might have given him both a chill and a cramp. 
 
 Five minutes of fearful anxiety passed, and Earl was 
 almost exhausted, when, putting his foot down, he 
 struck bottom at a depth of four feet. This encour- 
 aged him, and he renewed his effort to reach the bank 
 beyond. Yet another pool had to be crossed, and when 
 finally he did pull himself out of the stream and safe 
 up on a sloping rock he was too exhausted to do aught 
 but lie down on his side and pant for breath. 
 
 It was here that Randy and his uncle found him, just 
 as he was making an effort to gain his feet and con- 
 tinue his search for them. They were overjoyed to 
 learn that he had not suffered serious injury. They 
 called to Captain Zoss and Dr. Barwaithe, who were 
 close by, and soon all were together again. 
 
 Captain Zoss had an extra shirt in his pack, and this 
 
EAllL HAS AN ADVENTrilE. 
 
 97 
 
 jre 
 
 Earl borrowed, along with a dry coat buloiiging to his 
 uncle. Botli articles of wearing apparel were too large 
 for him, but he gladly exchanged them, for the time be- 
 ing, for his wet ones; and then the delayed journey 
 toward Sheep Camp was continued. 
 
 When the resting-place for the night was gained, it 
 was found that all of the Indians had come in over an 
 hour before and had sought out a comfortable camp for 
 them under a large overhanging rock. A number of 
 others had also arrived, and over a dozen tents had 
 been pitched in addition to those already there. Ac- 
 cording to lot, it was Kandy's turn to get a meal ready, 
 and. he set to work without delay, starting a roaring 
 fire of pine branches and logs, that Earl might warm 
 and dry himself. Dr. IJarwaithe had brought with 
 him a newly patented sheet-iron camp stove, and on 
 this a pot of water was soon boiling, to be used in 
 making coffee, while Randy also offered them fried 
 potatoes and a deliciously cooked fish one of the 
 Indians brought in. 
 
 Outside of the doctor, who was not used to walking 
 over such rough ground, no one felt any ill effects of 
 the day's journey, although all were glad to turn in at 
 the earliest possible moment. The doctor had worn a 
 slight blister on his heel, and, in order to prevent this 
 giving him serious concern later, he put some salve on 
 it and bound it up before retiring. 
 
 Ere they crawled into the tent, both boys took a look 
 
 
 :!^l 
 
 H 
 
h ' 
 
 iii 
 
 98 
 
 TO ALASKA FOIl (}OLI). 
 
 lit the great, wliite mountains, wliicli loomed up before 
 them. Here was tlie entrance to Cliilkoot I*ass, and 
 tliere, almost lost among the elouds, was the dreaded 
 summit, with moujitains still higher on either side of 
 it. Handy drew closer to Karl as he surveyed the awe- 
 inspiring scene. 
 
 '' Earl, we've got an everlasting hard climb before 
 us, " he whispered. " Do you think we'll make it ? " 
 
 " We must make it, Kandy," was the low and earnest 
 reply. '"It won't tlo to show the white feather now. 
 Uncle would never forcfive us." 
 
 " Some parts of it look like crawling up the side of 
 a house," and Randy shuddered. " If a fellow should 
 fall, he'd break his neck sure." 
 
 "• I guess you're right, Kandy ; although it may not 
 be so bad when one is right on top of it. There is a 
 sort of a trail, you know, although it's not much. I 
 heard Salmon lleatl tell Uncle he hoped it would be cold 
 to-morrow night, and that we should start for the Pass 
 about four or live o'clock in the afternoon. I wonder 
 what he meant by that." 
 
 "I heard Captain Zoss speaking of it. They start 
 toward evening so as to pass the deepest snows on the 
 summit about midnight when a crust forms to walk on, 
 for at this season of the year the deep snows are too soft 
 to be trusted when the sun is shining." 
 
 " And what happens to a fellow, I wonder, if he breaks 
 through the snow ? " 
 
KAKL MAS AN AiniONTrUK. 
 
 91) 
 
 "I (lon'l know, I'm suic — I i^iiess ho j^ocs to king- 
 dom ('onu'," iind Iviindy slMiddcrud ii<(iiin. " We'll 
 know all ubont it by this linit; to-morrow niglit." And 
 then both boys rutiriMl, to (beam of purilons clindjs over 
 the snow-chul mountains and Icarfnl i'alls into gii^antic 
 crevasses, until both awoke in a Iright and covered with 
 cohl perspirati(m. 
 
 Jt was not until late that anybody was stirring the 
 next day. It was lOarFs turn to get breakfast, auv lie 
 told them if they would wait he would treat them to 
 freshly baked beans and hot bread; and all waited. 
 While Earl was at work, with Kandy heli)ing him, two 
 of the Indian boys eame up, and their efforts at making 
 themselves understood were laughable. Finally Uandy 
 made out that they wanted an ol I silk neckerchief lie 
 possessed, and he gave it to Tomablink, the older youth, 
 who was as proud of the article as if it had been worth 
 a small fortune. 
 
 Under the advice of Foster Portney, all took it easy 
 in camp that day, in order to reserve their strength for 
 the struggle to come. Even the Indians seemed to grow 
 a bit uneasy concerning what was before them ; for, al- 
 though they had climbed over the Pass a number of 
 times, they well knew what a rough and highly danger- 
 ous proceeding each new trip was likely to be. On this 
 terrible Pass more than one Indian and white man had 
 been lost, never to be heard of again. 
 
 At last, at exactly four o'clock in the afternoon, 
 
 
 % 
 

 100 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR UOLD. 
 
 Salmon Head announced his nnidincHS to start. As 
 chief of the Indian party, he liad looked to it that each 
 carrier's pack was i)roi)crly adjusted, and now he gave 
 several directions to the whites to the effect that they 
 should keep together as much as possible and always in 
 sight of his own people. 
 
 " Don't think there be an easy this way or that," he 
 said in broken English. " Indian know best way in 
 the end — you follow him day and night, or you lost. 
 Stick foot deep down when climb, and no let go with 
 hands." 
 
 His manner was so earnest, all promised to remember 
 his words. Then the crowd of whites and Indians was 
 gathered together, the tents were struck and packed ; 
 and the terrifying journey over the dreadful Chilkoot 
 Pass was begun. 
 
CIIAITKIJ XIII. 
 
 AT THE Sl'MMIT OK CHILKOOT TASS. 
 
 At Sheep Camp, which hiy in soinethin<>' of a hollow, 
 there had been a goodly collection of trees and brush, 
 but now, as the little party started on the journey to 
 the summit of Chilkoot Pass, all tliis was left behind, 
 and nothing confronted them but immense beds or 
 glaciers of snow, which crunched under their feet and 
 gave forth a hollow sound. At certain 2)oints they 
 could plainly hear the rushing of water far beneath. 
 
 " Gracious, if a fellow went through this crust of 
 snow what would hapi)en to him ? " said Handy, as he 
 tnulged on, with his uncle just ahead of him and Earl 
 behind. 
 
 " Let us hope that no such fate overtakes any of 
 the party," rej^lied Mr. Portney, gravely. " It is not 
 likely that one can break through here," he added, 
 '"'• for the snow in the trail is pretty well packed 
 down." 
 
 The blinding glare of the sun had caused all to put 
 on their smoked glasses, or goggles, but now, as the 
 great orb of day was lost to sight behind the mountain 
 
 101 
 
 i 
 
:1i 
 
 ll 
 
 Hi 
 
 Pi I I 
 
 191 i_ 
 
 102 
 
 TO ALASKA FOll COLD. 
 
 topH, (heso |)r()t('(!t()rs for tlio eyos wort; rtunovcd, tluit 
 tliey iiiiglit SCO their way clcurtM-. Tho Alaskjiii twi 
 liglit was (irui'pini,^ on tlicni, caiisiiiLJC all tlioir surrouiul- 
 ings to turn to a pale blue color. Tl.o mists of tlu; 
 mountains were also risinpf, and on every hand were 
 weird, jj^hostlikc siiadows which enhancctl this scene of 
 wild desolation. 
 
 On and on went the white nuMnbers of the party, 
 doing their best to keep the sturdy Indian pack-car- 
 riers well in sijjfht. But the red people, with their 
 hideously })ainted faces, knew every foot of the way, 
 and made rapid pi-ou^rcss, and it was all the others 
 couhl do at times to keep up. 
 
 By ten o'clock it began to grow colder, and even 
 the boys could feel the crust of snow on which they 
 were trudging becoming firmer beneath their feet. 
 It was far from dark, a pale glimmer of light hanging 
 on every mountain top. But now the trail became 
 suddenly steeper, and they found themselves going 
 straight up the side of a hill several hundred feet 
 high. 
 
 " Plant your feet firmly at every step," were Foster 
 Portney's words of caution. " And remember, looking 
 back will do you no good." 
 
 This last warning was for Randy's benefit, for the 
 lad had just looked back and shivered over the awful 
 descent below him. A fall would mean a long roll, 
 and a broken neck over a cliff below. 
 
AT TIIK HirMMIT OK Cim.KCHJr I'ASH. 
 
 108 
 
 111 
 
 (^ii])tjiin ZoHs hiul *f()nii on iilicad willj llu; Indians 
 ainl just bt'lori! niidniL^'lil he canu' l)ack with a warnin:^' 
 to watch out for scrvt'ral s[)lits, or crevasses, in tlie 
 ghiciers th(!y wtsre now traversing. 
 
 '' Sahnon lli!ad says hv. heaid a rej)ort of several 
 new ones just htd'ore start in;^', and tlitise are as yet 
 unmarked," he said. 
 
 "W(!M1 l»e as careful as w(; can," said Dr. liar- 
 waithe. "We can (h> no niort!." 
 
 They now passed over a hioad plain of snow wlu;r(! 
 the mists hunjjj more tlu(d<ly than ever. '1 hey had 
 almost reached the centre! of tin? ]>lain when a loud cry 
 from the Indians ahead caused them to halt. 
 
 "What (;an he tht; meaning" of that?" (piestioned 
 Karl, "(.'an they be in trouble?" 
 
 Presently, from among the mists appeared the form 
 of one of the Indian carriers, without his bundle. 
 He soon exjjhuned in broken Knj^lish that he liad ])een 
 sent l)aek by Salmon Head to wai'U them of a split in 
 the ice field just ahead. Oju; of the Indian women had 
 slipped in, and it was by mere good fortune that some 
 of the men had rescued her. 
 
 This Indian remained with them until tlu^ crack 
 was reached, where he resumed his pack and went on. 
 The opening was an irreguhir one, from four to eight 
 feet wide and of unfathomable depth. Fortunately 
 the sides were well defined and firm, so they had small 
 trouble in leaping across. 
 
 n 
 
p I' 
 
 t 
 
 If 
 
 ''I 
 
 I ill 
 
 101 
 
 ro ALASKA ViHl i\0]A). 
 
 " II was ufond oi' lluMii lo send a inaii hiick," Hjiid 
 llir doctor, ;is lie pimscd to jHM'.r dowi into tlio crc-vusst'. 
 " Had wo not Immmi warned wo niisj^lit luivo Hlipptul into 
 that witliont knowing' it." 
 
 'Vho trail now wonnd in and ont. anionic ii nuinluM' of 
 small liills, and onoo aqain tiu^ ps'ity alioad was lost to 
 sii;iit. With the incroasinn' coitl oanu; a stiff wind 
 thn)ui>'h tho i)assos, l)rinL;inn' dow!i npon llunr heads a 
 veritable storm of snow, swept from tlu^ monntaiu tops 
 above. 
 
 " I ean riNidily nndtM'stand how impossibh^ it wonld 
 be to make one's way throni;ii this Pass dnrini;' tlie 
 w^inter," said l)r. Harwaith(\ "• A r(\!j^nlar fall of snow 
 would mean a bli/./ard down here and asnowin<( in from 
 whieh there would be no escape until si)rinL>' arrived." 
 
 "And think of the cold I " said Karl. " IMiew ! 
 the thermometer must i:fo to about forty below zero!" 
 
 " It does go as low as that at times," replied liis 
 uncle. ''No; travelling- through this Pass during the 
 long Alaskan winter is entirely out of tho question. 
 The man to undertake it would be a madman." 
 
 They had come to the end of the comparatively level 
 portion of the trail, and now clind)ing so dangerous 
 was at hand that little more was said. From one steep 
 icv elevation they would crawl to the next, until 
 several hundred feet up. Then came a turn around 
 a clift' wdiere the })assagcway w\is scarcely two feet 
 wide, with a wall on one side and what appeared 
 
 I I 
 
 
AT 'lino siMMir OK ciiii.Koor tahh. 
 
 I or> 
 
 niisly, l)f)t.t(miI(!KH Hpaci! on ili(! otlnn". l[rro trio 
 IiidiiUis li;i(l l";istt!tnMl ii liimd-roixj wliicli (jach vvjih 
 ^lad ('i»()U<,''li to 'jlut'h Jis li(j worniud his way iiloiijL^ 
 to .sal'(!i' ground. 
 
 " VVt'll, I don't want any nion; of that ! " .said Karl, 
 with a lonj^ si,L^li of icliuf. " y\ .slip tlicrc, and it would 
 b(j good-by, suro ! '' 
 
 " Yes, and I guess tlicy would n;!V(;r even get your 
 body," added Itandy. 
 
 Tlieri! was no tini<! left to halt, for tlic; Indians w(T(5 
 pressing on, their enduraiuje, and espeeially the erulur- 
 ane(! of tlie women and the b(jys, jiroving a constant 
 wonder to Randy and lOarl, the latter declaring that 
 they must Ije tougher than pine knotH to stand it. 
 
 "One more big climb, boy.s, and we'll be at the sum- 
 mit ! " was the welconif: announcement made by (Jap- 
 tain Zoss ; but when Earl and Randy looked at the climb 
 he mentioned their hearts fairly sank within them and 
 they wondered how in the world they were going to 
 make it without its costing them their lives. 
 
 An almost f^heer wall of ice and snow confronted 
 them, rising in an irregular form to a height of four 
 hundred feet. This cliff, if such it might be called, 
 was more light at its top than at the base, and conse- 
 (luently it appeared to .stand out towards them as they 
 gazed up at it. Along the face the Indian pack-car- 
 nerij were crawling, like flies on a lumpy wliitewashed 
 wall. 
 
106 
 
 TO ALASKA V()\i (JOLD. 
 
 L' t r 
 
 "We can't do — " l)egan liiiiidy, when he felt his 
 arm pinched by Earl. 
 
 " W . must do it, Randy," came back in a whisper. 
 "The Indians are doing it, and so can we — if we'll 
 put our grit into it." 
 
 " Now take it slow and be sure of one foot before you 
 move the next," said Foster Portney, warning them 
 again. " Dig as deeply into the ice and snow as you 
 can. And above all things. Randy and Earl, dont look 
 hack!'"' ^.nd the uncle shook his fist to emphasize his 
 words. 
 
 A breathing spell Avas taken, and then they started 
 slowly for the base of the cliff, where Captain Zoss got 
 down on his knees to make sure that they were on the 
 right trail, if trail it could be called. He soon an- 
 nounced that one party had gone up at one place and 
 the others at a spot about thirty feet to the left. 
 
 " I'll try my luck here," he said, and the doctor 
 agreed to follow him. There was no telling which 
 trail was the better, and the Portneys took the other, 
 Mr. Portney going first, with Randy next and Earl last. 
 The uncle wished to make sure of the footing before he 
 allowed the boys to come after him. 
 
 The first hundred feet up were not as difficult as 
 Randy and Earl had imagined, but now every step had 
 to be calculated, and when half way up Foster Portney 
 came to a halt. 
 
 " Here's a very steep place," he announced, without, 
 
AT THE SUMMIT OF CIIILKOOT I'ASS. 
 
 107 
 
 liowever, lookint,' back. '' Rfuidy, when yoi' reacli it, 
 catch hold of tlic spur of ice with your left hand and 
 put your foot just beneath it. Tell Earl to do die 
 same." 
 
 " I will," answered Randy, but when the spot men- 
 tioned was reached })oor Randy's heart leaped into his 
 throat. The sheer wall before him was nearly as higli 
 as a house, and there was nothing to cling to but little 
 lumps of ice which stuck out here and there. The 
 lumT)s might crack off, and then — ho did not dare to 
 think further than that. He was strangely tem[)ted to 
 look below him, l)ut his uncle's words of warning rang 
 in his ears — " Dont look hack ! " and he did not. 
 
 One step was taken, and then another, and Randy 
 felt as if he was suspended in the air, with iKjthing 
 above or beneath him. A brief vision of himself lying 
 mangled far below flashed across his mind, and he 
 wished himself safe back in the woods of Maine airain. 
 What was all the gold in Alaska worth alongside of 
 such an agonizing risk of life as this ? 
 
 But he must go on ; he could not remain where he 
 was forever. The next step was even more dit'ticult, 
 and he held his 1)reath as he took it. He had been 
 climbing up the clitf for less than quarter of an hour, 
 yet he felt a year older than when he had begun. 
 Would the climb never come to an end? 
 
 " Take it easy, boys ; we are aluiost there," came the 
 encouraging voice of Foster Portney, although the 
 
 i;i 
 
 i 
 
 I' 
 
 fl- 
 
II 
 
 I 
 
 ''■\ 
 
 w\ 
 
 
 I 
 
 108 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 uncle was almost as fearful as liis nephews. " A little 
 •to the right now, and beware of those snow lumps; 
 they are not firm enough to hold to. I can see the top 
 just above my head. Ah, here I am. Now, Randy, an- 
 other step and give me your hand. Now, Earl, take 
 the same step Randy took. There you are. Thank 
 (xod we are safe so far ! " 
 
 The two boys echoed their uncle's sentiment, with a 
 deep feeling in their hearts which they never forgot. 
 The summit of Chilkoot Pass had been reached at 
 last. 
 
■^ 
 
 
 CTIAI'TER XIV. 
 
 BOAT-niMLl>lN(J AT LAKE LlNlJliKMAN. 
 
 Thk l*ortiieys, huvin^' rciichcd tlio liiglit'st })()iiit 
 of Cliilkoot Puss, were presently joined l)y Ciij)tain 
 Zoss and Dr. Harwaitlie, wlio had L,n)n(3 through a 
 similar experience lo that jnst described. The doctor 
 hatl once come very close to losinij his footiniT, und 
 he declared that he would not make the climb again 
 for a million dollars. 
 
 They sto])ped for a few minntes to view tlie scene 
 from the edge of the cliff. On either side were the 
 still taller mountains, while below them stretched 
 that portion of the Pass just travelled, like a valley 
 of f^littering' ice, thick with mist and wind-swept 
 snow. An intense silence reigned, broken occasion- 
 ally by the booming and crunching of some immense 
 glacier in the distance. 
 
 "A grand scene, but one not particularly suited 
 to my feelings," said the doctor. "Let us go on." 
 
 " Yes ; the sooner we git out o' this yere Pass, the 
 better 1 will be pleased," added the captain. '' Pve 
 had enough climbin' ter last me two lifetimes, eh?" 
 
 109 
 
 ill 
 ; li 
 
 ^i 
 
 : % 
 
tkl 
 
 a i ! 
 
 : 
 
 I 
 
 'I 
 
 I 
 
 110 
 
 TO ALASKA von (iOLI). 
 
 jiiid hi} <^;ivo a j^runt smd strodo olV, iuid ilio others 
 followed. 
 
 " Tliiit is, I boliovo, the most i)erih)Us part of tlie 
 trip to the ^ohl liehls," remarked booster I'ortiiey. 
 ''Of course wo have still a u^ood l)it of roii^li country 
 to traverser and rajtids in the rivers to shoot, but iiotli- 
 inu^ (piite so bad as tiiat." 
 
 Tlu> ice lltdds from the summit sloped gradually 
 downward to a basin some distance below, called 
 Crater Lake. 'I'his little lake was frozen solid from 
 top to bottom and covered with snow. It was 
 luunnn (1 in on three sides by tall mountains, while 
 ou the fourth there was a canon-like opiMiing, where 
 au ice-bound stream led the way over rocks and tiny 
 clitVs to i^ake Linderman, at the end of the Pass, 
 flust before reaching the latter lake, they passed sev- 
 eral large posts set up close to the trail, which was 
 now once more cK'arly delined. 
 
 " Those are surveyors' posts," said Foster Portney, 
 in reply to a question from Karl. "• We have just 
 passed from United States into British territory." 
 
 " This, then, is the Northwest Territory," said Earl. 
 
 " Yes, my boy ; and the entire Klondike region, 
 from Ogilvie to Relic Isle, is in that territory." 
 
 As they descended to the lower level of the Pass., 
 the solid ice gave way to rotten ice and slush, in 
 which they frequently sank to their ankles. Here 
 the stream broadened out into several ponds, and 
 
U()Ar-mJlIil)IN(l AT LAKIO LINDEKMAN. 
 
 Ill 
 
 finally i'ikIimI in a wide, marshy expanse;, f()rniin«( tlie 
 njipiT end of Lake; liinilcrnian. Alon^ llio cdgt; of 
 tills maisli they i)U!k(;(l their way, lirst, however, 
 stoi)i)inL( for dinner, for th(3 iii^dit had passed and 
 tlie foienoon had been eonsnnied in the jonrney from 
 Crater Lake. 'I'he Indians kei)t pressing on, and they 
 followed. 
 
 It was dark again when they eame up at last with 
 their paek-earriers en(;amped nnder some timber, 
 whieh st(jod on ji little hlul'f not ()V(!r two hundred 
 feet fi'om the lake. Salmon Head's i)arty had started 
 ji rousint^ lire, and this was a weleome sight, for it 
 made all feel more at home. No time was lost in 
 getting out the eooking utensils and the doctor's 
 stove ; and while they were preparing other things, 
 the Indians brought several fish from the lake to be 
 baked. 
 
 '' I guess we'll get our fill of fish before long," re- 
 marked Earl. 
 
 *' Don't you want any now?" smiled his uncle. 
 
 "Want any, Uncle Foster? Indeed I do I Why, 
 I'm so hungry I could almost eat horse meat ! " was 
 Karl's earnest reply ; and he bustled around with the 
 cups and plates, that they might not be delayed as 
 soon as the coffee, biscuits, and fish were done. 
 
 The Indians remained near ])y all night, and early 
 in the morning a general reckoning-up took place, 
 and the pack-carriers were paid off in gold and silver, 
 
 1'! i-'i 
 
 |fii 
 
 m 
 
W I 
 
 
 m 
 
 J! 
 
 ! 
 
 112 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR CJOLD. 
 
 not cfiriii*!^ to tjikc the paper money wliieli was offered. 
 All had done very well, and Foster i*ortney, (Jap- 
 tain Zoss, and Dr. Barwaitlie did not dis[)Ute the 
 anionnts asked, although they were a tritle hii^ii. As 
 soon as they were paid off, the Indians packed up 
 tlieir own articles, hut a handful in nund)er, and 
 hurried away in the direction whence they had 
 come. 
 
 " Good gracious ! are they going right back to 
 Dyea?" exclaimed Randy, in amazement. 
 
 "Yes, my lad," was Captain Zoss's answer. "Sal- 
 mon Head calculates to pilot another lot o' miners 
 over as soon as possible. It's his hayin' time, ye see, 
 an' he intends ter make the most o' it." 
 
 At this Earl laughed. " I guess he's not going to 
 let his legs get stiff," he cried. " I'm as stiff as an 
 old mule this morning. What's to do to-day?" 
 
 " We'll locate some timber for boat-building," said 
 his uncle, "and get our traps into shape, and then 
 rest. Tliere is no use in killing ourselves all at 
 once. We've got a matter of five hundred miles to 
 journey yet." 
 
 "If we go up into the timber, T suppose we can 
 try our hand at shooting something if anything turns 
 up," said Randy. 
 
 "Certainly; shoot all the game you can, boys. 
 We'll want it to help eke out our stores." 
 
 There were numerous odds and ends to do about 
 
lJ()AT-l!l'iM)IN<; AT LAKl-: LINDKUMAN. 
 
 113 
 
 till! t';mi[), iuul if was not until al'liT diiiiu'i- tliat thcv 
 slariud into tiic tiiulu'r to select some wood wliieli 
 might be used in boal-buildinuf. It was now tliat 
 the boys' knowledge of timber stood them in good 
 stead ; and it took but a slioi't while to |)iek out a 
 tree which was close-graincMl and comparatively Tree 
 from knots. They had l)rouglit their axes with them, 
 and had the tree down in short order, 'rhen they 
 lopped oiY the branches and cut oil" the t(tp, and left 
 it in the sun to dry out as much as [tossible before 
 atta('king it with their boat -building tools. 
 
 This accom[)lished, l'2arl and Kandy set off, the 
 former with the shot-gun and the othei' with his pis- 
 tol, to stii" up whatever might b(^ around in the way 
 of game. Thev followed the vdirv. of the cliff to 
 where it slo|)ed down to the lake shore. 
 
 l*resentlv Kai'l thought he saw something in the 
 brush along the water front, and, taking up a half- 
 decayed stick, he threw it at the spot. At once 
 there was a s(piawk, and half a dozc^n wild geese 
 arose in the air. liang! went the shot-gun, and 
 crack! went Randy's [)istol, and three of the geese 
 were seen to throw back their heads and sink. 
 
 " We hit 'em ! " cried Randy, and ran down, fol- 
 lowed by his brother. Two of the fowls were dead, 
 and the other w^as speedily j)ut t)ut of its misery by 
 Karl with a blow from the gun-stock. They had 
 been cautioned not to waste their ammunition, so had 
 
 '•tl 
 
 ■41 
 
 'i 
 
 
Ih 
 
 1i 
 
 , i 
 
 114 
 
 TO ALASKA KCJII (JO LI). 
 
 not Ventured u second round ill tlic halant'u of tlie 
 Hock. 
 
 " Tliese oiiL;!it to miil<c good uiitiiiL(," observed 
 Kandy, as he picked up the ^auie. ^ Tliat is, if 
 they (h)n't taste too lishy. Ilei'e is my buHet hole, 
 riij^ht tln'ou,i»'li tlie neck. You killed the other two." 
 
 With tlie dead i>eese over their shoulders, they con- 
 tinued their hunt for game, and presently stirred up 
 a nnnd)er of wild birds, at which Earl blazed away, 
 l)ringing down live. The birds were small and hardly 
 worth the trouble of cleaning and cooking, yet they 
 took them along. 
 
 " Geese, eh ? " exclaimed Captain Zoss, as they en- 
 tered camp. '* Wall, that's not so bad ! We kin 
 have a goose pot-pie o' one, and stuff the other with 
 bread an' beans, eh ? *" All hands agreed this would 
 be an excellent plan, and the boys set about clean- 
 ing the game without delay, the captain assisting them 
 at the work. 
 
 Toward night they espied a band of Indians coming 
 down the trail with their packs and followed by half 
 a dozen miners, a hardy but not an evil-looking crowd. 
 The miners had left Dyea twenty-four hours later than 
 themselves and had brouccht witir them the material for 
 a flat-bottomed scow, fifteen feet long and four feet 
 wide. The Indians had carried this material over the 
 Pass, but how it had been accomplished was a mystery 
 to the boys and the others. 
 
HOAT-IU IMHN(i ON I.AKK IJNhKltMAN, 
 
 115 
 
 '*II;niu" iiic, if I don't rt'ckoii tlit'v Iiuvc ii scci'i't wiiy 
 
 u 
 
 tlii'ir (twn,"" was ('aptaiii Zoss's coimiiciil. 
 
 ri 
 
 lev 
 
 (M)iil(lii't carl tlu'iii hoards (i|) lliat steep ttlilT, iioliow ! 
 And Handy and I'^arl wfie liall" indiniMl to Ik'Ucvu tlu' 
 captain's sus])i('ions to In' trnc. 
 
 Tliu miners, who went l)V the; name of tlie I(hdio 
 crowd, heeanse they eanie Ironi tiiat State, encamped 
 next to the (h)ctor's crowd, as tliey were sjieedily 
 termed, on account of having a medical man witli 
 them, and all became well acquainted before night. 
 The Idaho crowd had just heard of an extra large 
 Ihid being made on (Johl liottom Creek, which flowed 
 into the Klondike River, and they were anxious to ijfet 
 up there without delay, and conse([uently spent half 
 the night in putting their boat together Tor an early 
 start on the followiiiir nu)rning. 
 
 *' You're the fust boys I've lieerd tell on bouiul for 
 the gold diggin's," vsaid one of the men to Handy ami 
 Earl. "I'm afeard ye'll tind it kinder tough luck, for 
 as far ez 1 kin understand it is tough even ou a man. 
 Whar are ye from? Calif orny ? " 
 
 "No, from the backwoods of iMaine," answered Earl. 
 
 And 
 
 we are used to roughing it 
 
 " (xee shoo ! l^idn't know the news had struck out 
 so all-lired far ez thet. Wall, if yt)u're from the back- 
 woods, 'tain't likely you'll suffer ez nuu'h ez some of 
 the tenderfoots wot's older. Wish ye the best o' liu'k." 
 And the man turned away to his boat-building again. 
 
 {!gr: 
 
 m 
 
IIG 
 
 Vit ALASKA I'Oll (lOM). 
 
 
 Ki,u;lit o'(il()('k of (lu^ tollowiiiijf moriiiiiLj fouiid tlio 
 Idiiiio crowd mi its way down liukc liindcniiaii. In 
 (lie meantime [\\v hoys, l'\)ster I'oitiiey, ami (-aptaiii 
 Zoss Itad started into the timluT witli tlieir tools, h^av- 
 iiiLf Dr. Ihirwaitht^ to wateli e;im|> and l)al\e several 
 days' sui)i)ly t»t' hnnid and hiseiiits, and also to parhoil 
 some heans ioi- hakini;". 
 
 Th. tree seleetiMl for cntlinL'' nj) had heiMi allowed 
 to I'all over a larL,a> Hat loek, and now the lirst woik 
 was to [)ro[) np tlu^ lower end. This done, hoth ends 
 were sawed oil' even and a i^ood portion of the hark 
 was sealed oi'l". Then Ivirl and Uandy sharptiiied nj) 
 several wedges and tri(Ml theii- hands at splitting' np 
 the trnnk into a snitahio si/A! lor whi^jsawini;". 
 
 Tliis was no liu'ht work, and had they not had a 
 knowledn-e of wooderaft it would have heen next to 
 im[K)ssil)le to do what tlu^ lads, aidiul hy their unele 
 and the ea[)tain, aeeomidished. IJy ninhtfall the trei; 
 was split and sawed up into more than a do/en shd)s, 
 of varying thiekncss, and these were Uiid out for 
 workintj^ up in the morning. 
 
 When the party returned to the edge of the hdu; 
 they found th;tt three el her crowds had come in ovi^r 
 the Pass, and there was quite a settlement of tents 
 alongshore. In one of the parties there was a young 
 woman, the wife of a prospector, wlio had stood the 
 arduous elimb nearly as well as any one. 
 
 " llullo, Portney ! " suddenly cried a voice to Earl, 
 
nOAT-IU'Il.lUNd ON KAKK UN DKIIM AN. 117 
 
 US he WHS \Viilkiii<,^ Jiiouiid iiiixuiL^ (liu Iciits. " I didn't 
 know you had ^'ol lliiH far." 
 
 hurl tiiriHid Hwiltly, and was nnarly (hinifoundrMl 
 to lind liiinsclf confronted l>y Tom Poland, wliilo 
 rlaHpor (iuai'dlcy stood hut a low lout away. 
 
s 
 
 
 Mi 
 
 1: 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 ON TO LAKE BENNETT. 
 
 The face of Toin Roland wore a smile, but in his 
 eyes was an anxious look which Earl did not fail to 
 notice as he surveyed the two acquaintances from 
 Hasco. The young prospector was much taken aback 
 by this !5udden appearance, for he had not dreamed of 
 meeting Roland and Guardley in this out-of-the-way 
 spot. 
 
 "Ain't 3"ou glad to see a feller from Maine?" went 
 on Roland, as Earl did not speak ; and he held out his 
 hand, which the youth took rather coldly. Guardley 
 had come up to shake hands too, but now he did not 
 risk making the offer. 
 
 "Are you tv.o bound for the Klondike?" at length 
 asked Earl. 
 
 "• Of course," was Roland's sharp reply. " What 
 else would we be doing up here ? " 
 
 "What started you — the fact that we were going?" 
 
 "Well, I allow as that had a little to do with it, 
 Earl ; but Guardley got a letter from a friend of his 
 who is up there now — a man named Stephens. He 
 
 118 
 
ON TO LAKIO BENNKTT. 
 
 119 
 
 said Guiirdley ought to come \\[) at once, and as he 
 didn't want to go ahjne, I came along. How are you 
 makinfif (mt?'' 
 
 "We arc (h)ing very w^ell." 
 
 "You and your brother came on with your uncle, 
 didn't you ? " 
 
 "Yen." 
 
 "Any others in the party?" 
 
 " Yes ; two men." 
 
 Tom UohvUcrs eyes drop])ed for a moment. "Me 
 and (xuardley luive been havin' rather a hard road of 
 it, all alone," he went on. " We've been thinking of 
 joining forces with somebody." 
 
 "^Yell, our cjowd is complete," answered Earl, 
 quickly. 
 
 " Then you won't consider taking in two more, pro- 
 viding, of course, w^e do our share of work and pay our 
 share of the expenses." 
 
 "I don't think so, Koland." 
 
 " Who is at the head of your party ? " 
 
 "Nobody in particular; we all work together." 
 
 "Maybe you had better speak to the boy's uncle," 
 put in Guiirdley. "Come on.*' 
 
 He stalked olf, and after some slight hesitation Tom 
 Roland followed, witli Earl at his side. Foster Port- 
 ney was found mending a corner of the tent, which had 
 become torn in jjacking. Randy was beside him and 
 uttered a cry when he beheld the two men from Basco. 
 
 m 
 
 i:v| 
 
 ■1 
 
 .3! 
 
 i 
 
;. 'i 
 
 .»!■ 
 
 \Hj ^ 
 
 120 
 
 TO ALASKA K()R f.OLD. 
 
 '"•Tom Roland Jind Jasper (xuardloy ! " lie whispered 
 to his uncle. " Tliosc^ are the fellows we thought got 
 that money on a false identilication ! " 
 
 "Is that so?" returned Foster Portney. "What 
 can Earl be hrinofinc^ them here for*^ ' 
 
 "This is Mr. Portney, I take it," said Guardley, after 
 clearing his throat awkwardly. "I was thinking — " 
 
 " Me and his friend want to join us," put in Earl. 
 "1 told them that our party was complete. " 
 
 "IIullo, Handy!" broke in Roland, carelexlv 
 " YouM like us to come into your crowd, wcn;) 
 you?" 
 
 Randy was staggered at the request, coming so un- 
 expectedly. Me glanced at I^^arl before replying. 
 "No, I guess not," he said. 
 
 " Why, what's the matter with you ? " cried Roland, 
 lialf angrily. "We are all Maine folks, and friends 
 oui^ht to stick together, seems to me." 
 
 Me turned to Foster Portney and introduced him- 
 self and (luardle ;,', and stated his case, adding thtit he 
 and his companion only wanted to join some party 
 until Dawson City was reached. Mr. Portney listened 
 quietly, and then turned to Captain Zoss, who stood 
 near. 
 
 ''I don't believe we want any more in oar crowd, do 
 you ? " 
 
 "I reckon we've got a-})lenty," was the c- i!'in's 
 answer. "Still, if they are friends to the l)oys — " 
 
 
:)arty 
 uied 
 jtood 
 
 in's 
 
 
 I 
 
 ON TO LAKE nr.NNETT. 
 
 121 
 
 " But they are not," wliispcred Earl. " And what is 
 more, we consider tiieiu doubtful characters." 
 
 ''Then we don't want 'em, nohow." 
 
 "T)iis camp is full," came from inside, where Dr. 
 Harwaithe sat, examinhig his sore foot, whicli was 
 neither better nor worse. " That boat we are build- 
 ing won't hold more than five people, along with our 
 outfits." 
 
 The faces of both lloland and Guardley grew dark. 
 " All right ; if you don't want us, we'll hook fast sorae- 
 whei'e else," muttered lloland, and turned on his heel. 
 
 " Maybe you'll regret throwing us off some day," 
 came from (Juardley, as he passed Earl ; and then the 
 two men were lost to sight among the tents up the 
 lake shore. 
 
 " Oil, what cheek ! " burst from Randy,, when they 
 were gone. " I wouldn't have lloland in the party for 
 a farm." 
 
 " I'd be afraid of Guardley's stealing everything we 
 had," said Earl. ''• As if we didn't know ids real char- 
 acter, and that he had been up before Judge Dobson 
 lots of times ! " 
 
 " I reckon they'll stanJ watching, especially that last 
 cur — from what lie said to Randy," said Captain Zoss. 
 " He's got a bad eye, ho has, eh? " 
 
 All hands slept soundly after their hard day's work 
 in the timber, and it was not until they heard others 
 stirring in the morning that they arose. As he was 
 
 •ii 
 

 t* l> 
 
 r ■ 
 
 122 
 
 TO ALASK'A KOI? OOM). 
 
 not workinjr on the I)OJi(, Dr. l{jir\vjiillie look it upon 
 himsolf to perform the " houseliold duticH," as ]w. 
 expressed it, €and soon a well-cooked breakfast was 
 arranged on a rude table Captain Zoss had stuck up. 
 The doctor was an excellent cook, and Foster Portney 
 could not lielp but ask him whence his knowledge had 
 been derived. 
 
 " It's easily explained," said the doctor. " I have an 
 older si ^■" ' dio was once tlie head of a cooking school 
 in Montrc She insisted on it that every one siiould 
 know how to cook, especially a bachelor like myself, 
 and she used to deliver lier lectures to me, at home, 
 before delivering them at the school. 1 believe I was 
 an apt pupil, but 1 never dreamed at that time of how 
 useful tlie knowledcre would become." 
 
 " Which goes for to prove a feller can't know too 
 much," remarked Captain Zoss. " But come on," he 
 added, draining off his big tin cup of coffee, and 
 springing up. "That ere boat ain't going to build 
 itself." And off he hurrieil for the woods, carrying all 
 of the tools he could carry. In a moment \h.e boys and 
 Foster Portney followed him. 
 
 They found the rough slabs of lumber as they had 
 left them, and sticking them up in convenient places, 
 began the task of smoothing them off into boards, work- 
 ing first with their axes and then with t\\d drawing- 
 knife and the plane. It was no light labor, and night 
 was again upon them by the time the boards were ready 
 
ON TO LAKK lUCNNI-yrT. 
 
 1 "''i 
 
 had 
 
 )laces, 
 
 work- 
 
 wing- 
 
 niglit 
 
 ready 
 
 and lianliid to tin; odi^e of tlu; lake. After supper Fos- 
 ter Portiiey broiiL,dit out a measuring-rule Jind niark(!(l 
 off tlie (lifTerent parts of the boat, wliieli was to he a 
 flat-hottoni affair, with a blunt stern and rather a long- 
 pointed how. 
 
 Anotlier day at Lake Lindernian saw the eraft put 
 together, false bottom, seats, and all. It was a clumsy 
 affair, and they were glad that they had enough oakum 
 and pitch along to make her fairly water-tight. The 
 other parties in camp were also boat-building, and the 
 scene in the clear and fairly warm weather was a busy 
 one. 
 
 Randy had cut down a small, straight tree for a 
 mast, and this was easily set in place and held by 
 guards running across from one gunwale to another. 
 The yard and the boom of this mast were primitive 
 affairs, to be put up whenever desired. 
 
 As soon as the pitch had hardened, preparations for 
 leaving the camp were made. All the goods and tools 
 were packed up into the smallest possible space, and 
 stored on board of the Wild Goose, as Handy had chris- 
 tened the craft, the eatables, clothing, and blankets 
 being placed on top, so as not to ])e injured by the 
 water which might get in. The last thing to be taken 
 down was the tent, the fly of which was then adjusted 
 for a sail. 
 
 " All aboard I " cried Randy, as he leaped into the 
 bow, with Earl behind him. Captain Zoss followed 
 
 ■•fit 
 
 i 
 
 } 
 
 i- 
 
 'i 
 
124 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR (iOLD. 
 
 ii . 
 
 *' . 
 
 I ! 
 
 I ; 
 
 'ii I 
 
 them, to help keep ii lookout ahead, Avhile I\Ir. Portney 
 and Dr. Barwaithe took phices in tlie stern, one to 
 manage the rudder and the other with an oar ready 
 for use, should they run upon a bar or mud-flat. 
 
 Lake Linderman is but a few miles long, lying in the 
 midst of snow-clad mountains, similar to those left be- 
 liind, although not quite so liigh. At its lower end it 
 connects with Lake liennett by a short river where are 
 situated the Homan Rapids. Tliese rapids are among 
 the most dangerous encountered in sailing along the 
 headwaters of the Yukon, and are feared more by some 
 miners than are the famous Wliite Horse Kapids, which 
 the party must pass through later on. To avoid the 
 Homan Rapids many miners travelled straight from 
 Chilkoot Pass to Lake IJennett before stop2)ing to build 
 their boats. 
 
 But it V :is all new territory to our party, for even 
 Foster Portney, in his previous trip to Alaska, had not 
 passed in this directicm. A stiff breeze sent them on 
 their way down Lake Linderman, and all expressed 
 themselves as well satisfied with the sailing qualities of 
 the Wild Goose. 
 
 "We're coming to the end of the lake," observed 
 Earl, when scarcely an hour had passed. " There is 
 the river, over to the right." 
 
 In a few minutes n\ore the sail was lowered, and they 
 came to anchor at the mouth of the river. The water 
 at this point was smooth enough, but some distance 
 
ortney 
 one to 
 
 ready 
 at. 
 
 in the 
 eft be- 
 
 end it 
 ere are 
 
 among 
 >ng the 
 )y some 
 1, which 
 oid the 
 lit from 
 to build 
 
 or even 
 ad not 
 lem on 
 )ressed 
 ities of 
 
 bserved 
 'here is 
 
 nd they 
 e water 
 listance 
 
 'TnK Waikr was Boii.inc; on E\kkv Sikk." — Paire 13=^. 
 
1 
 
 II 
 
ON TO LAKE IlENNKXT. 
 
 12; 
 
 .) 
 
 alieatl could be seen tlie leapiiii^ and s\virliii<r wliitecaps 
 of the rapids leadiiii^ to the hdve l)eh)\v. 
 
 "I reckon we'll have to take a line ashore and haul 
 her through," observed C'aptain /oss, al'ier an exami- 
 nation of the situation. " We don't want to run no 
 risk of bein' upsot so early in the game." 
 
 This was agreed to, and the captain and I)r, 
 Barwaithe took one line to the left shore and Foster 
 Portney and Randy another to the right, leaving Earl 
 to steer or use the rudder, as might be best. 
 
 Some loose 1.5, lloating along the lake shores, liiid 
 partly choked the stream, but there was a eleai* i)laee 
 near the centre, and into this the Wild Goose drifted. 
 It was not long before she was caught in the strong 
 current, which sent the ice cakes crunching and bang- 
 ing along her sides and the spray Hying up into Earl's 
 face. He had started to use the rudder, but now saw 
 this was useless, and sprang forward with the long oar. 
 
 " Steady to the left ! Not to the right ! Swing her 
 around a bit, you fellows over there ! Easy now, 
 easy ! Shove off from that rock. Earl ! Now then, 
 let her down a few feet ! That was a narrow shave, 
 boys ! There you go again ! Steady now ! steady I 
 steady ! " 
 
 So the cries and directions ran on, as the boat pro- 
 ceeded on her perilous voyage. The water was boiling 
 on every side, and the lines which held the craft were 
 as tight as whipcords. Considerable water had been 
 
 
ill 
 
 I 
 
 126 
 
 TO ALASKA KOR (JOLD. 
 
 shipped, and Kail wa.s wut from IknkI to foot. liiii 'le 
 kept his phice and slioved ol'f, tliis way and that, witli 
 niiji^ht and main. 
 
 " Hold hard ! " suddenly shouted Foster Portney. 
 " Look out, Earl ; tlie line is going to break ! " 
 
 The words were hardly spoken when snap ! went 
 the line, the boat end hitting Karl a sharp crack in tlie 
 neck. Thus released, tlie Wild Goose swung around 
 and made straight for a series of rocks which all had 
 been working hard to avoid. Should she strike she 
 would become a total wreck, beyond a doubt, and all 
 their outfits would be lost. 
 
 
 H- 
 
 
■ 
 
 t ae 
 with 
 
 iiey. 
 
 ^veiit 
 1 the 
 
 DUlld 
 
 had 
 I she 
 d all 
 
 t 
 ]# 
 
 CIIAI'TEU XVI. 
 
 AN p:XCITIN(i NKHIT IN CAMP. 
 
 When the line parted, Foster Portney and Randy 
 were thrown Hat on tiiuir hacks in the six inches of 
 slush and water in which they had heen wading along 
 the edge of the rapids. JUit they did not care for this, 
 the one thought of both was of Earl and how the boat 
 would fare now that there was only one line by which 
 to guide her. 
 
 As for Earl, the shock also caused him to lose his 
 balance, and he went down heavily on one of the packs 
 with which the Wild Goose was freighted. But he re- 
 covered instantly, and sprang to the bow, oar in hand. 
 The craft had swung around, as has been related, and 
 was on the point of smashing on the rocks when he 
 put out the oar and tried to sheer off. 
 
 " Hold her ! hold her ! " roared Captcain Zoss to 
 Earl. ''Tnke the line, but don't iviH ! " he added to 
 the doctor, and the next instant iio was in the icy 
 water up to his waist. He could not reach the bow of 
 the boat, but he gained the stern, and catching hold of 
 the rudder he swung the Wild Goose in toward a rock 
 and held her there. 
 
 127 
 
 
 pis 
 
 It 
 
 9* 
 
hi 
 
 ii :? ? 
 
 ill •< 1 1 
 
 128 
 
 TO ALASKA Foil (!OLI). 
 
 "Throw ilie broken lino to Karl and let liini tie it, 
 quick ! " he shouted to Foster I'ortney ; but tlie broken 
 line was floating amid the loose ice, and it was several 
 seconds before it could be secured. In that time the 
 current again caught the boat from another direction, 
 and sheering along the rocks in front, the craft made a 
 wild plunge ahead and downward, dragging the cap- 
 tain in her wake. 
 
 "Earl will be killed! " groaned Handy, and his heart 
 leaped into his throat as the Wild Groose seemed swal- 
 lowed up in the foaming and boiling waters below 
 them. His uncle did not reply, but darted out of the 
 water and down the bank of the river as fast as his feet 
 could carry him. Dr. Barwaithe, who had been 
 pelled to let go the line in order to save himself, was 
 also running, and now Randy likewise took to his 
 heels. 
 
 Fortunately for Earl he kept his wits about him, 
 even though he realized the great peril he was in. In 
 previous years he had helped raft lumber in Maine 
 during the spring freshets, so that the situation was 
 not such a novel one. But there was a vast difference 
 between steering logs which could not be harmed and 
 navigating a boat loaded with all their possessions, and 
 he felt the responsibility, lie clung to the long oar 
 and used it as best he could, whenever the opportunity 
 offered, which was not often. 
 
 In less than ten minutes the ride was over and the 
 
 I 
 
 A 
 
AN EXriTINd NKillT IN ('AM1». 
 
 129 
 
 IVild Goose sliol witli ii swish into I/iko IW'iiiu'tt. I>y 
 tliis tinu! Ciiptiiiii Zoss liiul imiiiant'(l l(> iriiwl on boar;' 
 and givo Earl a lu'lpin!^ hand. Tlie craft hail struck 
 a dozen times, twice ratlusr sliar[)ly, hut heyond a 
 scrapin<jf on one side and a Hli<4ht cra(!k in the how, 
 which was speedily caulked up, she escaped injury. 
 The two on hoard ran to one shore, to take Dr. 
 Barwaithe on hoard, and then stood over to where Mr. 
 Portney and Handy awaited them. 
 
 " That was a providential escape I " were Foster 
 Portney's words, when he saw that ICarl was safe. 
 " I wouldn't have you run such a risk again for a 
 fortune ! " 
 
 *' And 1 don't want to run such a risk again," replied 
 Earl, with rather a sickly smile. I le was greatly shaken 
 up, and it was a long while before he felt like himself. 
 Randy could hardly keep from hugging his brother 
 because of the escajje. 
 
 " It was a fool move of ours from the start," said 
 Captain Zoss, speaking plainly, for the icy bath had 
 not improved his temper. "• We should have packed 
 our outfits along the river and let the boat take care 
 of herself, with plenty of lines to guide lier. 1 won't 
 stand fer any such move as that ag'in ; not much, eh ? " 
 
 " You are right, captain," said Foster Portney, 
 gravely. " We'll be more cautious in the future." 
 
 " Yes ! yes ! " broke in the doctor. " What should 
 we have done had this young man been killed and all 
 
 ^ 
 
i 
 
 f«. *' 
 
 
 hi 
 
 11 
 
 '0d 
 
 
 130 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 our traps been lost? It would liave been l)etter to 
 have carried boat and all around fiuni one lake to 
 the next." 
 
 It was a sober party which went into camp that 
 night on the rather rocky shore of Lake Bennett, sober 
 and ratlier out of sortie in the bargain. The captain 
 insisted on building an immense lire, and while he sat 
 drying himself by it he found fault with everything 
 wlvich came into view. Later on the others of the 
 crowd found, that tiie captain got these moods every 
 once in a while and never meant all he said, but now 
 they did not know this and it made the two boys, at 
 least, unhappy. 
 
 "Might have knowed it," grumbled Captain Zoss, 
 " with two kids along, instead o' nothing but growed- 
 up men as know their business. The next time I jine 
 a crowd it will be o' those as has at least voted, eh ? " 
 
 " I can't agree with you that it was the boys' fault," 
 replied Dr. Barwaithe. "The line broke, and that 
 started the whole thing." 
 
 " Well, boys is boys, and men wouldn't have let sech 
 a thing happen ! " snapped the captain. " See yere, 
 I want my coffee hot ! " he roared to Randy, who 
 was preparing supper. "No lukewarm dishwater fer 
 me, eh ? " 
 
 " I'll give it to } ou as hot as the fire will make it ; I 
 can't do any more," was Randy's short answer. He was 
 as much out of sorts as any one. Then the captain 
 
AN i<:x('iTiN(; ni(;ht in camp. 
 
 131 
 
 tii'Mit'd to Earl, and found fault with tliu timber in the 
 l)out ; and \)\ the time they sat down tu eat, all .elt 
 thoioughly put out. 
 
 The tloetor tried to eidiven matters by relating some 
 of his experiences in colh'ge, and he even gave them a 
 Sony' or two, for he \\'as a Lj^-ood sintfer with a sweet 
 tenor voice. All enjoyed the singing, but the captain 
 looked as glum as ever. 
 
 "I'm sorry we've got that old curmudgeon along," 
 said Earl, as he and Jiandy turned in togetlier, on the 
 rubber blanket. *' (Jracious, 1 never imagined he could 
 be so disagreeable I " 
 
 "• Nor 1," gruml)led his ])rother. " And to think that 
 we have got to put up with hiiU until we reach the gold 
 diggings ! " 
 
 "i'he tent had been pitched in the shelter of a number 
 of liigh rocks and at some distance fi'om the lake front. 
 The Wild Goose rested in a tiny cove, secured by a 
 painter attached to a stake driven deeply into the 
 sandy sliore. There was a little swell on the water, 
 caused by the rising wind, Ijut no one supposed this 
 would prove suflicient to do the craft any harm. 
 
 As they expected to remain in that camp but one 
 night only, a single tent hao been erected for the entire 
 party, so all hands were 'i addled closely together. It 
 was not long before they were all asleep. 
 
 When Earl awoke it was still dark. He roused up 
 with a start, to iind the wind blowing violently. Out- 
 
 ■n 
 
 I:,, 
 
 
 
 ti 
 
132 
 
 TO ALASKA KOli (KHJ). 
 
 s\do it was raiiiinij^ and Hiiowiiii:^ loLTctluT, and it was 
 sonui snow on Ids laci^ wldcli had cansed iuin to u\vai\(!. 
 Ilo was ah( ut to sjfot up, wlicn Uandy (gulled to him. 
 
 -What's up?" 
 
 '" 'Phoro's a storm on, snow and rain, and I jMCuess 
 we'll have to look to the i'astenings of the tent," 
 answ(M'ed Earl. 
 
 The talkinijf awoke the others. The wind was in- 
 ereusiuL:^ rapidly, and already the front left ei;d of the 
 tent was llai)i)in«j^ violently, torn loos(^ from its i)e^<j^ing. 
 Karl donned his overet)at. and ran outside to hold it 
 down, while he called to Kandy to bring the hanauur 
 with whieh to hury the l)e<j^s anew. 
 
 '' Fasten her tiij'ht ; I'll take a look after the boat ! " 
 eried Ca[)tain Zoss, and ruslunl off in the darkness, 
 followed by Foster l*ortney, liy this time the doctoi- 
 was also out, and he and the boys began the task of 
 securing the shelter. A lieavy gust of wind came on, 
 ami in a Hash the canvas was sailing high in the air, 
 held down only by the pegs on one side. To secure the 
 cloth 
 
 was no mean VvO.k 
 
 and they had to wait for fully 
 a minute in the rain and snow, nntil the wi m1 abated. 
 '* Tliis is ueiuix to the ufold diLTilinffs with, a ven- 
 
 f>j-»' 
 
 eeance,*' murnnired Dr. J'.arwaithe. 
 
 i,i 
 
 A fellow could 'most lly there in this wind I 
 
 »» 
 
 panted ivandy. ''Earl, have you a peg handy? 
 
 »j 
 
 a one 
 
 Not 
 
 Neither have I, and it's as dark as pitch. 
 
 » 
 
 ii 
 
AN EX(;iTIN(J NMJirr IN ('AMI'. 
 
 ia:j 
 
 C of 
 on, 
 iiir, 
 tlu! 
 
 " \\vr^^ iin^ two ])('jj^s," siiid llin (lorlor. " F wonder if 
 I can stir uj> lliiil, lire," Im' uddcd, sl.JirtinLf to whore 
 llu! (liiinplini liiid IxM^n. 'I'lic Wvr. was out, and the Hhoot- 
 iron s(()V(! hiy over on its si<l(', willi ii nicsH of Ixian.s 
 overinrned in tlu! oven. To linlil ii im^w lir(! nn(h!r ex- 
 isting;' circMunstanees was out- of tiie (pKJstion, and tlio 
 mediciil nian W(!iit. hack to i-ssist \hr. hoys. 
 
 Tlie tent had hardly hecni seenred when there came 
 a great llnrry of snow whi(;h almost hliiided them. 
 Kandy had h(H;n for rnnniii!^ down to tlie lake, hnt 
 now lu! erawhid nnder IIk; eanvas and lujsitated. In 
 the n.eantime Dr. I)ai-waith(5 set ihc! stove n[> onc(; more 
 and ti'ied to rescue sneh of tlu^ Ikniiis as w(!re worth it. 
 
 "The rain is [^nvinf^ way to snow — " hegan Karl, 
 whcMi he sto])|H!d shoi't, as a faint sliont icaelKid them 
 throiijjfh the whistlini( Avind. " It's IJnclii's voi(;(; ! We 
 are wanted down there I " 1m inldcd, and started off on 
 a run. As tlie vvy wv re|K!ated IJaiidy followed. A 
 minute's run and the\ "'a<'hed tin hcaeh a liniidred 
 feet above where ('aptain Zoss and Foster I'ortney 
 were standin<*'. 
 
 " Wliat's the matter?" denumded lOarl, (|uicl ly. 
 
 "The l)oat is p^one," was liis uncle's alarnjing ^eply. 
 "She lias drifted off in the storm, and we can't catch 
 sight of her anywhere ! " 
 
 !f 
 
 
 H 
 

 I 
 
 'I't 
 
 ciiAPTEii xvri. 
 
 A HUNT FOR FOOD. 
 
 Randy and Earl were much dismayed by their 
 uncle's announcement. Th3 Wild Goose had disap- 
 peared ! Where to ? Ah, that was the question. In 
 vain they tried to pierce the darkness of the night 
 and the snow-squall. Nothing in the shape of a craft 
 could be discerned upon the broad waters of Lake 
 Bennett. 
 
 " I told ye to mind how ye tied up that yere craft," 
 growled Captain Z^^s, wrathf ully, to Earl. " Any lub- 
 ber could have tied her up better than you did." 
 
 ''• You expect me to do everything ! " retorted Earl, 
 beginning to lose his temper, too. "I did the best I 
 could. Why didn't you look after it ? " 
 
 " He was too busy taking it easy by the fire," put in 
 Randy, bound to stand up for his brother, as well as to 
 put in a "shot" for himself. 
 
 " None o' your impudence, boy ! " roared the captain, 
 and he turned as if to strike Randy. Jiut now Foster 
 Portney caught his arm and threw it back. 
 
 " Stop it, all of you ! " said he. " This is no time vo 
 
 184 
 
 I 
 
A HUJ^T FOR FOOD. 
 
 135 
 
 quarrel. Tlie wind, and not Earl, is responsil)le for 
 this, for I looked to tlie tyinsf up myself, after he was 
 done. We're all out of sorts, but we needn't act like 
 children over it. Our duty is to lind the boat, and 
 that as quickly as possible." 
 
 "I reckon she's gone down tlie lake," j^rumbled the 
 captain, after an awkward pause. "The wind's that 
 way." 
 
 " We'll go down and see if we can't sight her," an- 
 swered Foster Portney. 
 
 Away they went on a run. Earl, who was tall and 
 light in weight, easily outdistanced the rest and reached 
 a rocky cliff, where the lake made a slight bend. He 
 went up the cliff, to stumble headlong into a narrow 
 gulch, cutting his chin and his left hand. Picking 
 himself up, he started on, but soon stopped. " I ought 
 to warn the others," was liis though./, and he turned 
 and hurried back. 
 
 Captain Zoss was ahead of the others and was on top 
 of the cliff when Earl shouted to him. " Stop, captain, 
 stop, or you'll get hurt ! " came at the top of his voice, 
 and the captain halted just in time to save himself from 
 a disastrous fall. He climbed dow^n the gulch and up 
 at the other side, and yelled a warning to those behind. 
 Soon all four stood upon another level stretch of the 
 lake shore. 
 
 Nothing w\as to be seen — that is, nothing but the 
 flying snowflakes dropping into the wind-swept and 
 
 
 '2 
 
 I ( 
 
 i f 
 * I 
 
136 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 white-capped waters beneath. Tliey continued to walk 
 on, until the cold chilled each to the marrow of his 
 bones. 
 
 " We might as well get back and wait till morning," 
 said Foster Portney, with a lieavy sigh. " We can do 
 nothing in the darkness. Let us hope the boat will 
 beach herself somewhere and remain right-side up." 
 
 With chattering teetli they started on the return. 
 Randy by his uncle's side and Earl behind Captain 
 Zoss. Half the distance to the tent had been covered 
 when the captain paused and ranged up beside Earl. 
 
 " Earl, you mustn't mind me when I git in my tan- 
 trums," he said jerkily. " I git 'em every once in a 
 while, see ? It's nateral with me — allers was. But I 
 ain't bad at heart, an' I shan't forgit ye for savin' me a 
 dirty fall, mark that ! And it's not your fault the boat 
 is gone — anything would have torn loose in this yere 
 gale." lie paused for a moment. "An' I didn't mean 
 ter hit Randy — it's only a way I have ter frighten 
 folks — a poor way, too, as I acknowledge. Come on." 
 And before Earl could reply he was stalking on, his head 
 bent far down, to keep the snow from his eyes. Earl 
 clung close to him, and from that night he and the cap- 
 tain were better friends than ever. Later on Randy 
 received a like "apology," and when he got to know 
 the captain better voted him " all right, though a bit 
 cranky at times." 
 
 Dr. Barwaithe was as dismayed as any of them 
 
A HUNT FOR FOOD. 
 
 137 
 
 had been, when the news was broken to him, but he 
 agreed that nothing' was to be accomplished wliile the 
 darkness and the storm lasted. lie had d'-agged the 
 cooking stove up to the entrance to the tent and was 
 trying to start a fire. Twice the tiny flames had flick- 
 ered and gone out, but now, fanned vigorously, the 
 wood caught, and soon tlie stove was red-hot, the top 
 spluttering with the snowflakes which fell upon it. The 
 fire warmed the air in the 1 nt, and for the balance of 
 the night the party rested comfortably in body if not 
 in mind. 
 
 With the coming of morning the storm abated, 
 and by eight o'clock the sun was struggling to shine 
 through the drifting clouds. The captain, as if to 
 atone for his misdeeds, prepared breakfast, giving to 
 Earl and Randy the best of the flap-jacks turned out. 
 The captain was a great hand at these cakes, and the 
 party was certain to get them whenever he was cook. 
 
 " For all we know, the boat may have gone clear 
 down to the entrance to Tagish Lake," remarked 
 Foster Portney, while finishing the repast. "I see 
 nothing for us to do but t ) walk along the lake shore 
 and keep our eyes open." 
 
 "Shall we take our traps along?" asked the doctor. 
 " I can carry the cook stove if you can divide the rest 
 of the stuff among you." 
 
 A short discussion followed, and feeling certain the 
 boat had gone down the lake, if anvAvhere, it was de- 
 
 ('"fi 
 
 
 m 
 
 I I 
 
 ill 
 
 'J 
 
 li 
 
138 
 
 TO ALASKA FOIl CJOLl). 
 
 cided by all hands to pack tlie outfit and take it along. 
 The packing took some time, and when the start was 
 made the storm had cleared away entirely, leaving the 
 sky as bright as one could wish. 
 
 A mile of the shore had been covered when Foster 
 Portney called a halt and directed attention to an 
 object floating in the direction from which they had 
 come. " It's a boat ! " he cried, a moment later. 
 
 " Our boat ? " questioned Randy, eagerly. 
 
 "I can't say." Mr. I'ortney and the others watched 
 the craft with interest. "No, it's not our boat, but 
 another, and there are several people on board." 
 
 "Let's hail 'em, and git 'em to search for the Wild 
 Goose,"' said Captain Zoss, and they walked back, rnd 
 after some trouble succeeded in attracting the attention 
 of the party on the water. There were three men in 
 the boat and a woman, the latter being the same they 
 had met in camp at Lake Linderman. To all the new- 
 comers Foster Portney told his story. 
 
 " O' course we'll help you," said the miner who had 
 his wife on board. " One o' you can git aboard here, 
 and we'll cruise around the lake on a hunt. Ain't got 
 room fer more 'n one," he went on ; " and say, who's the 
 doctor among ye ? " 
 
 " I am," responded Dr. Barwaithe. 
 
 "Then you might ez well do the trick, fer Lizy 
 here don't feel extry well, an' it will be fair play fer 
 you to give her some medicine, I take it." 
 
 U 
 
 '0. 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
A HUNT von r<)01>. 
 
 130 
 
 Wild 
 
 new- 
 
 " I'll do what I can for her," said the doctor. " Wnt 
 most of my medicines are on board of the lost boat." 
 
 " Then we've got ter find her, sure pop, fer Lizy 
 does feel most distressin' like, with a pain in her head 
 an' a crick in her back," went on Wodley, the miner. 
 
 The doctor hopped on board, and after a few words 
 more the boat set off in search of the Wild Goose^ and 
 the liunt from the lake shore was continued. Slowly 
 the forenoon wore away and still nothing was seen 
 of the missing craft. The other boat with the do(;tor 
 had long since been lost to view up the lake. 
 
 It was getting toward supper time when Foster Port- 
 ney turned to Earl, who, in addition to some of the 
 camping outfit, carried the shot-gun. " I just caught 
 a glance of something on legs up among yonder rocks," 
 he said. "If you can, you might as well knock it 
 over, for it won't be long before all of us will want 
 something to eat." 
 
 Earl was glad enough to try his hand at liunting, 
 and turned over his traps to his companions. Soon he 
 was climbing the rocks to which his uncle had pointed. 
 He had not gone over five hundred feet when he beheld 
 a small deer gazing at him in alarm. Before he could 
 draw a bead on the animal the deer was gone behind a 
 neighboring cliff. 
 
 Feeling moderately sure that this was the animal his 
 uncle had seen, and that the dcoi' would not go far, 
 but might even come back out of curiosity. Earl began 
 
 > 
 
 'I 
 ■It 
 
 f: 
 
 
 
 ;' ! ■ 
 
! 
 
 i;. I 
 
 140 
 
 TO ALASKA KOU GOLD. 
 
 to climb the cliff. A ])rofusion of brush grew among 
 the rocks, and these afforded him a good hand-hold, 
 and he was soon at the top. 
 
 Altliough hemmed in on three sides by mountains, 
 the way to the lake was clear, and looking in that di- 
 rection lie saw, far to the opposite shore, the boat con- 
 taining Dr. liarwaithe and their newly made friends. 
 He watched the boat for a minute, when a clatter of 
 sharp hoofs on the cliff made him whirl around, just in 
 time to catcli a second sight of the deer. His gun 
 came up quick enough now, and the charge took the 
 animal full in the breast. 
 
 Struck in tiiis fashion, many an animal would have 
 rolled over dead. But tlie deer of Alaska, which are 
 growing more scarce every year, are a sturdy lot, and 
 though terribly wounded, this specimen did not drop. 
 Staggering for a brief moment, he turned and then fled 
 in the direction from which he had come. 
 
 Earl was amazed, but, determined not to lose his 
 game after such a shot, he hastily reloaded and made 
 after the game Less than two score of steps brought 
 him almost to the end of the cliff, and he discovered the 
 deer crouched in the shelter of the rocks, its dark eyes 
 glaring angrily. Up came his gun, and the weapon was 
 discharged just as the animal sprang forward. The 
 shot was a glancing one, doing little harm, and the 
 next instant the wounded beast was upon the boy. 
 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 
 ! 
 
 of 
 
 ON TO Till-: WIIITIO HOUSE IJAI'IDS. 
 
 For a brief instant, as tlu; deer ruslied upon him, 
 Earl was fairly ])aralyze(l, liaviiin' had no idea that the 
 wounded animal niinlit attack liini. IJut as those <rlai'- 
 ing eyes came closer and the antleis were lowered, 
 he realized that something' must be done, and leaped 
 to the inner side oi" the narrow cliff. 
 
 Crash ! the deer had struck him on tlie arm. It was 
 a heavy blow, and only the sliar[) rock to one side of 
 him saved the youtli from serious injury. Then, as 
 the animal bounded back for a second attack. Earl 
 shoved out the g'un, pressed it at the deer's breast, and 
 sent the beast tundjling from the cliff into the gulch 
 below. It was done so rapidly that the animal had no 
 time to save itself. It went down with a crasli and a 
 dull thud, and, looking over the rocks, the boy saw 
 that it lay on its back unable to run off on account of 
 a broken leg. As soon as he could, lie reloaded the 
 shot-gun and put his game out of its misery. 
 
 " That was a narrow escape, and no fooling ! " he 
 lialf muttered, as he looked about for some place where 
 
 141 
 
 • )■ 
 
 .1 
 
 :!i 
 
 I ;• 
 
 'm 
 
 is 
 
' i 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 •n;. 
 
 nil 
 
 V { 
 
 142 
 
 TO ALASKA I'OU CJOIil). 
 
 ho might (UjscuikI to tlu3 bottom of tlio <>;iiU;li. A 
 qiiiu'tcr of ail liour hitur ha had tho deur hound on 
 top of a true branch, and was draj^j^inj^ it toward thu 
 lake shore. 
 
 "Atleer!" cried Kandy and Foster l*ortney, simul- 
 taneously, as tliey caui^lit siuflit of the [)rize. " Well, 
 that was well worth goiiii( after I " continued the 
 latter. 
 
 '•■You had a narrow escape!" exclaimed Randy, 
 when Karl's story was told. ^'•If you hadn't shoved 
 him over, he would have <^()rt!(l you to dijath." 
 
 It was ({uite dark by the time they went into cam[). 
 The deer was soon cut up, and they dined that eveniiiL,^ 
 on the choi(U!st of venis(>n steak. Tlu! remaindei' of the 
 meat was hunL>' up to dry, while a portion of it was 
 thoroughly salti'd. 
 
 In addition to the lire in the cam[) stove, a big blaze 
 was lit oil the shore, that Dr. iiarwaithe and the 
 others might be guided hither if they succeeded in 
 hiiding the Wild Goose. But the night wore away 
 without interruption, and by six o'clock the next 
 morning the searcii for the missing craft was renewed. 
 
 " We're most down to Tagisli Lake, I reckon," re- 
 marked Captain Zoss. " I don't believe the Wild 
 Goose could go through, 'ceptin' she was bottom side 
 up and minus our traps, which I don't hope fer, eh ? " 
 
 The entrance to Tagisli Lake was reached, and they 
 >vere specuhM ing on what to do next, when Handy 
 
ON TO THIO Wliri'K llOliSK KAl'lDS. 
 
 143 
 
 sIiouIimI, "'' lliM'iJ they conic, iiiid they liiivu the Wihl 
 Goone ill tow ! " 
 
 His uimui'ieemeiit [H'oved correct, and quiirter of 
 Jill hour hiter W'odley sent liis own craft up to tlie 
 bunk with a swisli tlirou^h the water-jrniss and tundra, 
 or moss, wliich was now l)e^'innin<^ to show itself on 
 every side. The Wild Goose was eh)SO behind, and 
 they noted with satisfaction that slie seemed to be in 
 the same condition as thtiy had left her. 
 
 " We found iier stuck in tlie mud on the other side," 
 announced Dr. Barwaitlie. " Tlie wind had just sent 
 her along and left her, and the only damage done is 
 to some of the provisions whic; were soaked by the 
 rain and snow." 
 
 " We can be thankful it's not worse," replied Foster 
 Portney. "" If she had not turned up, 1 don't know 
 what we would have done." 
 
 Dr. Barwaitlie had become well acquainted with the 
 party, and had given Mrs. Wodley some medicine con- 
 taining a large quantity of cpiinine, for tlie woman was 
 suffering from cliills and fever, something frequently 
 met with in Alaska. 
 
 It did not take long for both parties to haul their 
 boats into Tagish Lake, and once on that broad sheet 
 of water, all sail was set for the six miles of river which 
 connects that body of water with Marsh Lake, called 
 by many Mud l^ake, on account of its shallowness and 
 soft bottom. 
 
 '\\ 
 
 ;^ i > !' 
 
 :..{;. 
 
 (:' 
 
 I \-:'^ 
 
 
144 
 
 TO ALASKA KOli COLD. 
 
 As tliey skiiiinuul aloni*-, Karl n^d Ivaiidy, undtT the 
 directions of their iiiHde, sortetl over tiie provisions, 
 putting aside for immediate use sueh as would not keep 
 after being wet. 'Jliis had scarcely been linished when 
 the end of Tagish l^ake a[)peared in sight. 
 
 " There is some sort o' a camp ahead," announced 
 Captain Zoss. 'vDon't look like er miner's strike, 
 either. Injuns, I'll bet ! " 
 
 The captain was right. The camp was a rude one, 
 consisting of half a dozen huls and dugouts, The 
 Indians numbered about two score, and they were the 
 most disagreeable Kandy and Iv'l had yet beheld. 
 Each was painted from forehead to chin with greasy 
 black and red paint, and ail wore lilthy skin suits 
 wdiich could be smelt ''further than yon could see 
 them," according to Randy's notitm. The Indians 
 tried to sell them some fish, but the nuMubers of the 
 party declined, and pointed to the tleer meat. Then 
 one of the Indians begged Earl to let him have the 
 deer's head and antlers for a string of bcautil'ul i)ike, 
 and the youth made the trade; for although he would 
 have likea to keep the trophy, carrying it u]) into 
 the gold regions was out of the question. The deer 
 meat had been divided with the Wodley party, and 
 now a similar disposition was made of the fish. 
 
 The day was fine, with Ihe wind in the right direc- 
 lion, and soon they e^ine to the end of Marsh Lake, 
 which is iifteen miles long, and heavily fringed on all 
 
 f 
 
1 li 
 
 ON TO THE WllITE MOUSE llAl'IDS. 
 
 ur> 
 
 sides with tim])L*i' iiud bnisli. On several occiisioiis 
 tliey ran in Avater sf) sliallow tluiy were; in dani^^er ol' 
 going aground; })ut tlie sliarp eyes of Captain Zoss 
 saved tlieni, and the seeond day saw tlieni en(*ani})ed 
 witliin sight of tlie lifty-niih) i-iver which conneets 
 Marsh Lake with Lake I^abarge, tlie hist of the lakes 
 they were to traverse on the way to the gold regions. 
 
 " By day after to-morrow we'll strike the White 
 IIoss Rapids," said Captain Zoss. ''Then, I reckon 
 we'll have jest sech a time as we had up ter i Ionian 
 Kapids." 
 
 " Kxeuse me ! " rejoined Earl. " One sueh experi- 
 ence is enough in a lifetime." 
 
 " I have l)een talking to Wodley," i>ut in Fosti;r 
 Portney. "He has been through the ra])ids, and he 
 says he will give us a luind when we get there. He 
 advises taking the boats through almost empty." 
 
 The eaptaiji "allowed" this would be safer, although, 
 to be sure, it would also be far more laborious, for 
 everythin[r not left ii. the boat would have to be 
 carried over the roughest kind of a trail, running 
 some distance away from the stream. 
 
 The two parties camped side by side, and it made 
 each feel more at home to ha\ e the other at hand, for 
 among these lofty and cold-lojking mountains one was 
 very apt to have a lonely feeling creeping over him if 
 no companion were at hand. 
 
 " IIow a man could attempt this trip all alone is 
 
 fv 
 
 Mil 
 
 > ill 
 
 jil 
 
 MH 
 
 ! &^ 
 
mm A 
 
 fir t M 
 
 ar: .i 
 
 
 fif 
 
 14(3 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR (JOLD. 
 
 somelliing I can't undurstjind,'" observed Uaiidy. "Jiii- 
 au^ire gettiiij^ lost in tlios(^ mountains ovei' yonder ! It 
 makes a fellow shiver to tliiidc of it ! " 
 
 " Men have been h)st uit here," n^jdied Dr. liar- 
 waitlie, gravely, "and lost so tiioroughly they have 
 never been heard of sigain. If a man gets lost in the 
 mountains, and he is of a nervous temperament, the 
 chjinees are that after a week or a month of it he will 
 lose his mind and go erazy." 
 
 "I guess that is what would happen to me," an- 
 swered Kandy. " Oh, wliat's that stung nu; ? A mos- 
 quito, I deehire ! Wlio would expect to lind one of 
 those pests at this season t;f the year?" 
 
 "You'll get mos(putoes enougli presently," replied 
 Foster Portney. "Don't you remember tlie mosqinto 
 netting I brought along? During the sliort summer 
 hei'e the insects are apt to worry the life out of a 
 pers, n." 
 
 " J M' »j)()se they thrive in tliis moss that I see 
 around," said Karl. '■'' Wiiat did you say it was called, 
 Uncle Foster? tundra?" 
 
 " Yes, tundra, Karl. The moss is thicker than this 
 up in the north and covers every tiling. If it wasn't 
 for the moss, I think the ground might thaw out more 
 in the summer, but as it is, the moss ])re vents the sun 
 from striking in, and the ground is as hard as in mid- 
 winter six or eight feet below the surface." 
 
 " The moss doesn't seem to have any effect on the 
 
wmmmmm 
 
 ON TO THK WMITI': IIOIISK ItAIMDS. 
 
 147 
 
 berry biisht'S, llioiijj^li," said KaiMly. '' 1 see 'em every- 
 where. Do tliey bear fruit?" 
 
 " Oil, yes, iliey luive everytliinj^ in the way of ber- 
 ries up here, Kaiidy. Hut thtjy are rather small, and 
 tliey haven't the flavor of those at home. The berries 
 have to take tiie place; of larg-er fruits, sucli as apples, 
 pears, and peac^hes, and the l)irds live on them." 
 
 "Well, we woji't starve as loni,^ as we have >erries, 
 birds, and fish," Siud Earl. "■ I (h)n't see where ihis cry 
 of starvation comes in, I must say." 
 
 " O' course ye don't — not now! " ])urst in Captain 
 Zoss. " But wait till winter sets in. Tlien tiie berries 
 will be gone, an' birds will be mi«rlity scarce." 
 
 " But we 11 have the lish, ca[)tain. We can cut lioles 
 in the ice on the river and spear tliem, as we do down 
 in Maine." 
 
 " Wall, maybe, my lad. But ye don't catch me 
 a-tryin' it when 1 kin git anything else — not with tlie 
 ice eight oi ten feet thick an' the mercury down to 
 forty below nuthin' at all ! " 
 
 It was not long after that they turned in, and never 
 did they sleep more soundly, although a number of mos- 
 quitoes visited them. Foster Portney was the first to 
 get up, and by the time tlie boys followed, a delicious 
 smell of frying lish and boiling coffee was floating 
 through the air. 
 
 A ten minutes' ride on the lake brought them close 
 to the entrance of the river. Here ihe water was 
 
 i 
 
 11] 
 ill 
 
 Ml I 
 
 K ■: 
 
 1 > 
 
 i 
 
 'V-r 
 
148 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR (iOLD. 
 
 broken up into u dozen currents, swirliniT- tliis w.ay and 
 that and tli rowing the spray in (!very dircn'-tion. On 
 either side of tliis watercourse were hiii^h Avails. 
 
 '"' Now fer the tucf o' war ! " said Captain Zoss, aiul 
 innnediate preparations were made to shoot the canon 
 and the falls of which Kandy and Karl had heard so 
 much. Once past tliat dauLcerous spot, the remain- 
 der of the trip to the j^old regions would be an ensy 
 one. 
 
 a t- 
 
i 
 i! 
 
 CIIAFTi:il XIX. 
 
 NEAKING TITIO KM) OF A LUNG .lOUKNEY. 
 
 Both Karl and Randy lia,d luiard from tlie miner 
 Wodley that it was oidy of late yciir.s that ])rospectors 
 after gold in Alaska liad had the daring to shoot the 
 White Horse Kapids, of vvliicli even the Indians in 
 their light eano(!S were afraid. Foi'uun'ly white nuin 
 had })acked everything, even to their boats, ronnd the 
 dangerous runs of water, ii task which to them looked 
 liereulean, when they gazed at the tall monntains, and 
 at the erooked trail Wodley j)ointe(l out. 
 
 After mueh talking by all hands, it was decided that 
 VVodley's boat should go through first, loaded down 
 only with the mining tools, whi(;h would not suffer 
 from getting wet. Wodhiy was at first going to take 
 the trip alone, leaving his wile and the other miners of 
 the party to join the I'ortney crowd, but at the last 
 moment Ca[)tain Zoss asked to be allowed to take a 
 hand, and the offer was aci;epted. 
 
 The sail was taken from the fiuHfer, as Wodley had 
 named his craft, a heavy-set irlTnir, built to stiind some 
 rough usage, and, each armed with an oar and a heavy 
 
 149 
 
 ii If 
 
 ■1 ■ 
 
 
 
 :.,. 
 
 ,r' 
 
 i (■; 
 
 ,• t 
 
 I -: \i 
 
 ! i| 
 
Jill , \»i\miK 1 1 V" M.^^ll>|l»"WJt>l!i^i 
 
 160 
 
 TO ALASKA FOIl GOLD. 
 
 I' I 
 
 pole, the two men shoved off from the rocky shore. 
 A few strokes sufficed to send them into the current, 
 and fairly caught, the boat swung around and started 
 on her mad career through the caiion of rocks and 
 water and flying spray. 
 
 " She's off ! " shouted Earl, and followed by Randy 
 he sped alongshore and up to the edge of the canon, 
 where he might see what progress was made. l>ut 
 hardly had they readied a convenient spot when the 
 Buster sliot along far beneath them, and around a l)end, 
 and was hidden from view in the midst of a whirlpool 
 of waters tliat threatened each instant to ingulf her. 
 
 " If she isn't smashed up before she reaches the end 
 of the canon, then I'll miss my guess ! " ejaculated 
 Earl. " My, but how she did spin along ! " 
 
 "' Wodley ought to know what he's doing," answered 
 Randy. "If she is smashed up, I hope he and the 
 captain come out alive." 
 
 Tliey returned to where the others had been left, 
 and took up the heavy packs which had been assigned 
 to them. All the things to he carried had been equally 
 divided among the men and the boys, and it was calcu- 
 lated that three trips would be necessary to move the 
 outfits. 
 
 That day proved the hardest they had yet experi- 
 enced, and by the time it was dark both Randy and 
 Earl felt as if their backs were broken and their feet, 
 to use Earl's expression, "walked off." They had car- 
 
NEARINO THE END OV A I.()N(J .lOURNEY. 151 
 
 ried one-third of their traps to ji buautiful spot just 
 at the head of the worst of the Wliite Horse Uajiids, 
 which, it may be well to add here, are many miles in 
 extent. 
 
 Contrary to the ex^^ectation of the boys, Wodley and 
 Captain Zoss had brought the Buster through in safety. 
 They had had oidy one alarm, just at the end of the 
 caiion proper, wlien the boat had swung around on a 
 liidden roek and sliipped about lialf a barrel of water. 
 They were wet to tlie skin, and this, ah)ng with the 
 story they told, made Mrs. Wodley insist upon it that 
 her husband allow the other men of the party to bring 
 tlie Wild Goose tlirough, on the day following. 
 
 As Captain Zoss had made the trip once, it was 
 decided that he and Earl should take the next trip, 
 while the others made another tramp over tlie trail 
 with more of the traps. They encamped at the White 
 Horse Rapids, but started back toward Lake Marsh 
 before sunrise. 
 
 " It's easy enough. Earl," said the captain, on em- 
 barking on the Wild Goose. " All you've got to do is 
 to keep your wits about you and your eyes on the 
 rocks. Tie the pail fast to the seat, so it won't float 
 away if the boat gives too much of a lurch. If we 
 have to bail any, you had better do it." 
 
 They were soon on the way, out of the brightness of 
 the early sunshine into the gloom of the yawning 
 caiion, which seemed to swallow them up. Tlie roar 
 
 
 If 
 
 ,f 
 
 1 ; 
 
 ; I M 
 
 
 iltlil 
 
[52 
 
 TO ALASKA KOll GOLD. 
 
 
 of tlie waters l)ctweeii tlu; rocks wjis deafeniiif^, and 
 tlic ilyiiig' spray sent a shiver tlirougli Earl. Yet lie 
 stood to Ills post manfully, realiziiit^ that there was 
 no turning back, now that the perilous trip was once 
 begun. 
 
 " To the left shora ! " roared Captain Zoss, presently, 
 and Earl scarcely heard him. Tlie captain waved his 
 elbow frantically, while using his pole, and Earl saw 
 what was wanted. They were running close to some 
 half-submerged rocks. A vigorous use of the pole, a 
 slight grating which made lluj youth hold his breath, 
 and that danger at least was past. 
 
 lUit more Avere alunid, and tlu^y grew thicker and 
 tliicker as the Wild troose leaped, turned, and twisted, 
 first in one mad current and then another. Swish ! 
 came a huge wave into the craft, nearly taking Earl 
 from his feet. Then, before he could make up his 
 mind whether to begin bailing or not, the boat slid up 
 almost on her stern's end, and most of the water went 
 flying forth. "Nov/ for the left shore, and mind the 
 channel ! " roared the captain, once more, and then the 
 oars came into play, nnd on they bounded through a 
 clear cut in the rocks not over twenty-five feet wide. 
 The cut at an end, the captain threw down his oar with 
 a deep breath of satisfaction. 
 
 " The wust on it's over," he announced. " Jest pole 
 her along easy-like now, and we'll be down to camp 
 inside of half an hour." 
 
NEARINd THE END OF A LONG JOUKNEY. I'lS 
 
 The stniin on the Wild (roose luid caused several of 
 the seams to part, but it was decided to do nothing 
 with these until after the worst of the Wiiite Horse 
 Rapids had been passed. They must now take their 
 crafts out of water and carry or ride them on rollers to 
 the foot of the falls. 
 
 This was a job lastincf several days, for both the 
 Wild Goose and the Buster were heavy, and it took all 
 the men in both parties to move one boat at a time. 
 But at last the greatest of the falls was passed, and 
 then it was decided to draw the boats along through 
 what remained, and after anothei" hard day's labor they 
 had the satisfaction of finding themselves free from 
 further obstacles, and encamped midway between Tah- 
 kheena River and the head of Lake Labarge. That day 
 was Sunday, and it was spent in perfect rest by all. 
 
 Thus far since the snow-squall on Lake Bennett, fine 
 weather had favored them, but now Monday set in 
 cloudy and threatening. As soon as breakfast was 
 over, the Wild G-oose was patched up and pitched over, 
 and all of the outlit placed on board. The Buster was 
 already loaded, and with the wind from the westward 
 they tacked down the river and into Lake Labarge, a 
 clear sheet of water, some twenty odd miles in length, 
 and varying from two to four miles in width. About 
 midway from either end of tlie lake there was an island, 
 and on this rocky shore they were compelled to seek 
 shelter about the middle of the afternoon, for the wind 
 
 IV 
 
 
 m 
 
 is 
 

 
 .' ! 
 
 1 
 
 nV " 
 
 
 154 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 had increased to a good-sized blow, and to sail in such 
 a boat was, consequently, out of the question. 
 
 Both the Wild Goose untl the Butster had hardly been 
 drawn up out of harm's way than it began to rain. 
 Seeing this, all lost no time in pitching the tents and 
 in building fires to keep warm, for in this section of 
 Alaska a rain even in the summer is sure to make one 
 feel cold. The tents were pegged down with extra 
 care, and this was a good thing, for by nightfall the 
 wind had increased to a hurricane. 
 
 The travellers to the gold regions were stormbound 
 at Lake Labarge for two days. It did not rain all this 
 time, but the wind blew ^ oo strongly to venture from 
 shore. The time was spent inside the tent and hung 
 rather heavily, although occasionally relieved by a 
 song from the doctor, or a yarn told by Captain Zoss, 
 or Wodley, who, along with his wife, and Crimmins 
 and Johnson, the other two miners, made themselves 
 quite at home with the Portney party. 
 
 " The wind has moderated at last ! " said Randy, 
 who was the first out on the third morning. " Now let 
 us make the most of the fine weather while it lasts." 
 
 The others were more than willing, and the stove 
 and camping outfit were taken down to the Wild Goose 
 without delay. The Wodley party was also stirring, 
 but did not start until some time later on ; and the two 
 parties did not see each other again until many a day 
 later. 
 
f!l 
 
 NKAUlN(i THIO KM) OF A LONG .lUUUNKV. 
 
 h')b 
 
 let 
 
 cove 
 'oose 
 ing, 
 two 
 day 
 
 Tlio journey to the end of Lake Labaruce wascjuickly 
 made, and tliey entered the tliirty-niih3 watercourse, at 
 that time uiniamed, which connects thi; hike witli tlie 
 Big Salmon and tlie l^ewes rivers, liandy and Karl were 
 in charge, the men taking it easy over tlieir pipes, for 
 the captain was an inveterate smoker, and Mr. Portney 
 and the doctor indvdged occasionally in the weed. 
 
 A good many miles had been covered, when Earl, 
 happening to glance at his pocket compass, announced 
 that they were sailing almost due southward. " And 
 that can't be right," he said to Kandy. " We ought 
 to be headed for the northwest." 
 
 " Well, we're on the river all right," answered 
 Randy. Nevertheless, he spoke to his uncle about it, 
 who at once consulted his pocket map. 
 
 " I'll tell you what you've done," he announced 
 presently. " Instead of sticking to the river that flows 
 northward, you have turned into the Teslin, which 
 flows to the south. Swing the Wild Goose around at 
 once." 
 
 Much crestfallen over their mistake, the boys did as 
 requested. They had to go back nearly four miles, as 
 they calculated, before they saw the opening which had 
 previously escaped their notice. But once right, they 
 found the wind directly in their favor, and with the 
 sail set to its fullest, they bowled along until the Big 
 Salmon was reached, and they swept into the broad 
 waters of the Lewes River. 
 
 P 
 
 
 4 
 
 ! M 
 
v- 
 
 
 156 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 "And now for the Yukon juul the gold regions 1" 
 cried Dr. Harwaithe. " How much further liave 
 we to go? " he questioned, turning to Foster Portney. 
 
 " About three hundred and fifty miles," was the . 
 answer. " And with the exception of the Rink and 
 Five Finger rapids, which don't amount to much, so I 
 have heard, we'll have straight sailing. Ten days 
 more ought to see us at Dawson City, ready to stake 
 our claims." 
 
 
 f ?: 
 
 
t'f 
 
 
 THK (lOLl) KIKI.DS A I' I.AST. 
 
 On the loUowiiig day the v ind (li(!(l down utterly, 
 and no proj^ress couhl he made in tlie Wild Goose ex- 
 cepting hy tiie use of oars, and this was sh)w and hiho- 
 rious work. They took turns at rowing, (wo at a turn, 
 witli tlie others taking it easy on the blankets, for the 
 river was now broad and deep and as smooth as a mill- 
 pond. 
 
 On the second day they seemed to leave the rocks 
 behind, and emerged into a slightly hilly country. 
 Here the banks of the stream were overgrown with 
 bushes and flowers, the latter just starting to push 
 forth their buds in countless profusion of variety and 
 color. The transformation was almost magical and 
 more than one spoke of it. 
 
 "That's the way of things in Alaska," said Foster 
 Portney. " There are no spring and autumn ; just 
 winter and summer, and that's all. The warm weather 
 which is now coming on will last until September, and 
 then winter will come almost before you know it." 
 
 Earl had noticed the increase in heat since leaving 
 
 167 
 
 i\ 
 
 hi I 
 
 hi! 
 
 m 
 
ir,s 
 
 ro Ai,Asi\.\ I'Oi; ccfM). 
 
 " 1, 
 
 ^H 
 
 M !i 
 
 lii<^ Iiilv(>s, and uow Uv jM'rspircd IVccIv while j)iilliii^ at. 
 <lu' loiijj ua?'. Ivaiidy sal in (In; Imiw (akiiiL;' in llic; 
 .si^lUs. A llock III" wild l;'«m's«' caiiu' HViccjiiiiL;' Inward 
 llioir., ami Im> asked loi- piM'iDissioii lo lake a. shot wiili 
 tlie u'un. His aim was a i^oud one, and Iwn <»!" Ilie, 
 erealures fell where lliev were readily piekcid uj). 
 
 "We'll have slulV{Mi n'ooso to-iiij^hl,"* said Iheeaplain, 
 with a ij^rin. "• It's a pity wo ain't l;«>1' sage .uT onions 
 liM" sluiT it with." 
 
 "• i\M'ha])s I ean find sonuMhinjj^ lo take ilu) pliico of 
 saL;e."" said the doetor. "■ This vaiMcty ol' hnsiicH Jiiid 
 vines ong'ht \o produee sonu^ siniiliir herb/' 
 
 l)urin>x the ])ast two days they had noted a imndjer 
 of islands in tlu» river, and that nijj^ht they made a 
 lanilini:;' on one of these, in ])referen('o to tyinLic uj) on 
 shore. Mosquitoes wen* more nnmerous than i^ver, 
 but a sraudixo built by Foster Portney soon drove the 
 mosi of tlu^ insee's otT. 
 
 The island was several acres in extent, and while the 
 captain busied liimsclf in roast in<x a goose and frying 
 some potatoes he had "'traded in" from Wodley for a 
 bit of bacon. Randy and Earl took a tramp around, to 
 stretch their legs and })rospect on the sly. One carried 
 a pick and a shovel and the other a gold-washing })an, 
 and coming ; o a Ik^Uow where they could work unob- 
 served, tliey set about getting out some dirt from under 
 a series of rocks. The pan was soon full, and then 
 Earl started to w^asli by pouring waiter on top and 
 
iiiK (,i>f.\) I ii;m)s a'I' LAsr. 
 
 ir,!) 
 
 f^nviiiL,'' if (Ik' r(»tiiry iiiulion he Imd iKsiid liis unch; 
 MM'iil imi. 
 
 Tin; l;il)(tr w;is lender lli;iii ritlirr of tlifin liiid irriuj(- 
 incd, iiiul lour piinriilH ol' diil, w<'r<^ wiislicd out, liiaviii^ 
 iiolliiii|L^ hill HMioolli stones Ix'liind. Tliey wcr-e, ji,}»oiif, 
 lo coiiliiiiie llie process, when they heiird their iineh; 
 culliii^ tlieiii, iiiid II. moment hi'ec l''osler I'ortney ji])- 
 ptjured. He stii/'.e.d to hiiij^h, hut (juiekly eh<;(;k(3(l 
 Iiims<'li". 
 
 '•'' Dij^'^iug lor ^^old, eli?" he siiid. "Well, I dDri't 
 lliink youMl find iiny here The, lorriiation of ifn; 
 ground isn't, ri;^lit,. If th<!r(! is iiny precious rn<;tal 
 Jirouud at all, it's ill t he hot tom of yiider- liver. Mif^dit 
 as \V(dl j^n'M! il up." And s(»ni(!\vhat dis;^nist(!d the hoyn 
 r(!turn(!d to camp. It was the- '»idy time they tried 
 [>r()sp(^ctin,L,'' until the i-cL^nhir gold fields w(!re reached. 
 
 Two days hitc^i' found th(!n) at the Kink and Five 
 r"'ing(U' iMpids. Owing to tlx; iiudting of the snow 
 and ice under the increasing h<!at of tlje sun, tiie river 
 was very high now, and, conscMiuently. both spots were 
 passcid with con»[)arative ease, the dang(;rous roeks 
 l)eing eovered to a depth of ii yard oi more. In con- 
 S(Mpieii(;(! of this increase of water, the river had ovei- 
 tlow(!(l its hank for miles, forming great lakes and 
 marshes everywhere, aiid at times it was almost impos- 
 sible for them to kee[) to the chaunt;!. Once they did 
 make a false tm-n, only to liiid themselves, lialf an hour 
 later, in a "blind pocket," as Dr. Harwaithe put it. 
 
 n 
 
[(il 
 
 ;;:!|: 
 
 
 
 »ii 
 
 iii^ 
 
 
 160 
 
 TO ALASKA Foi: (;()LD. 
 
 The rapids jind tlie Tiu;lnin lliver })iisse(l, it was 
 almost a straight sail northwest to tlie niiiis of ohl 
 Fort Selkirk. I>ut little could he seen of tlie former 
 fort, the Indians haviuLif overturned the very founda- 
 tions in their search for trinkets and articles of value. 
 They encamped at the spot over-ni^ht and were joined 
 on the following morning by two other parties who 
 had crossed Chilkoot Pass two days after themselves. 
 
 Of these i)arties Earl asked for news of Tom lloland 
 and Jasper (luardley, and was informed that the men 
 had joined a crowd of Irishmen from I Portland, who 
 were coming tlirough on a large raft. " They're a 
 tough crowd, too — all of 'em,'' said the speaker. 
 " If they don't get into trouble l)efore they leave tlio 
 gold diggings, it will be mighty queer." 
 
 From old Fort Selkirk to Dawson CUty is a distance of 
 one hundred and sixty miles, through a country so varied 
 that it is next to impossible to describe it. At times the 
 voyagers found themselves sailing cahnly along on a 
 broad expanse of water dotted here and there with 
 wooded islands, rich in new foliage and evergreen trees, 
 and again the stream would narrow, with high and rocky 
 hills on either side. Here the water would flow swiftly 
 over and around jagged rocks, and the utmost care 
 would have to be exercised in avoiding a smash-up. 
 Once they did receive a severe shaking-up and had to 
 run for a low island with all possible s[)eed, to avoid 
 becoming waterlogged. This happened in the fore- 
 
\y 
 
 Till-: (JOLI) FIKLDS AT LAST. 
 
 IGl 
 
 noon, and it Unyk tlu; l)iiliin('t! of lliu day lo iiiakt) tliu 
 Wild Gooac as Koawcu'tli}' as Ixd'oro. 
 
 A week and niori; lia<l slipju-d l)y sincu! leaviiin' the 
 Rink Rapids, and now all were nn (lie walcli for tlio 
 lirst siu'lit of tlio ik;\v ^'old liclds. I'^vtiry one was in a 
 state of suj)[)ressed exeiteinent. 'i'ley laid met half 
 a dozen miners sailiiiij ])a('k and forth on the I'ivei' and 
 from these had learned that everything- was '" boominj^"," 
 and that strikes wen; [)ainiinL;' out hi^. The eyes of 
 })oth Randy and Karl i^listened wlien they heard these 
 stories, and the hardships endured sinee Icavinj^' Dyea 
 were foi'jj^otten. 
 
 "• Hurrah ! there's a mincer's lent I " su(hlenly sliouted 
 Randy, kite one aftiirnoon. '■'• W^e've struck the dig- 
 ixin<^s at hist ! " 
 
 ''There are half a do/en tents and a hoard eahin ! " 
 adtleil Earl, pointini^ still fui'tluM- on. *" I L^uess you're 
 riglit, Randy. 1 wonder if that is the Klondike River 
 over yonder. It looks mij4'lity small." 
 
 " That's only a eieek," said Foster Portney. " We'll 
 land and see how far we ai'e from Daw.-itm." 
 
 The Wlhl Goose was easily beaeJied, and they lost no 
 time in hunting up the miners to whom the tents and 
 the cabin belonged. They were a party of Frenehmen 
 from Canada and eould s[)eak but little hjiglish. Dr. 
 liarwaithe spoke to them in their luitive tongue and 
 »oon learned that the })la(;e was I taker's Creek and th.'it 
 Dawson City was about six miles further on. The 
 
 M 
 
 llii. 
 
/ 
 
 162 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 .1 
 
 
 If ■ III 
 
 ?|8 t 
 
 I'm 
 
 i}':r^ 
 
 M 
 
 hi''' • ' 
 
 hi ' ^ 
 
 i' ■! 
 
 If.': I r« 
 
 %-' 
 
 Freiichineii were very conservative, but iidinitted that 
 they were doing very well at plaeer-niining, taking out 
 an avei'age of thirty dollars a day per man. 
 
 " Thirty dollars a day ! " cried Handy. " A fellow 
 can get rich (j^uick enough at that rate." 
 
 "Hardly — with such a sliort season," answered his 
 uncle. "Yet thirty dollars isn't bad by any means." 
 
 "I'm up yere to strike a fortune," put in the captain. 
 " No measly little thirty dollars a day fer me ! " 
 
 Both Randy and Earl wished to remain beliind to 
 see the Frenchmen wash out the gold dust, but the 
 others were impatient to go on, and they were soon on 
 the way once more. 
 
 " If tht claims are good around here, it won't be long 
 before they are taken up," said Foster Fortney. " For, 
 as you can see, men are pouring in over the mountains 
 every day, not to say anything of those who make the 
 long trip by way of the ocean and up the Yukon." 
 
 " Well, Fm just crazy to get to work," declared 
 Randy. " Just think of the gold lying around ready 
 to be picked up ! " 
 
 His uncle smiled. Foor Randy ! Little did he 
 dream of the many backaches and privations in store 
 for him. 
 
 To the loft of the river there now arose a long chain 
 of hills and mountains, sloping grjidually to the water's 
 edge; on the right were smaller hills and great marshes, 
 fairly choked with bushes and wild growths of vines 
 
m 
 
 THE GOLD FIELDS AT LAST. 
 
 163 
 
 jiiul flowers. The tundra was everywhere, and over 
 all circled flocks and flocks of wild birds, a few mosqui- 
 toes, and something they had not yet seen — horseflies. 
 The horseflies were black and green in color, and a bite 
 from one of them made Ca[)tain Zoss utter a mighty 
 yell of pain. " It was like the stab of a dagger ! " he 
 declared afterwards, and so angry did the bite become, 
 and so prinful, that the doctor was called upon to treat 
 it with a soothing lotion. 
 
 It was after seven o'clock, but still daylight, when 
 Dr. Barwaithe raised his hand for the otliers to be- 
 come silent. "• Listen ! " he said. " I think I heard a 
 steamboat whistle. All ! I was right. A boat is on 
 the river ! " 
 
 A few minutes passed, and they heard the whistle 
 again. Then Earl pointed ahead excitedly. " There's 
 the boat, and she is tied up to the river bank. There 
 are half a dozen buildings and fifty tents or more. I'll 
 wager it's Dawson I " 
 
 With hearts which beat (quickly they sailed forward, 
 using the oars to make the Wild Goose move the faster. 
 Another turn of the stream and tlie mining town could 
 be seen quite plainly. Ten minutes later they ran up 
 just behind the steamboat and tied fast. The long 
 trip was at an end. The new diggings, wHJi all tlieir 
 golden hopes, lay before them. 
 
!■: (^ 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 A DAV IN DAWSOX CITY. 
 
 At the time of wliieh I wiile, Duwson City was little 
 better than a rude inining camp, eontainiiig, as has been 
 previously mentioned, a half dozen board buildings and 
 lifty tents, strung along what was known as tlie prinei- 
 l)al "street." Back in the tindjer land a rude saw-mill 
 had been set up, and this was begimung to get out lum- 
 ber at the moderate price of one hundred and twenty- 
 live dollars per thousand feet ! 
 
 A year before Dawson (^ity liad been unknown, but 
 the rich tinds of gold on Bonanza and Gold Bottom 
 creeks had caused tlie miners to leave Circle City and 
 Forty jNIile Post and boom the new El Dorado, as it 
 was termed, and the settlement grew as if by magic. 
 From the wild rush to stake claims many rows resulted, 
 but the cooler heads speedily took matters in hand, and 
 each man was allowed a claim from live to fifteen hun- 
 dred feet h>ng and extending the width of the creek or 
 guh'h in which it was located. 
 
 These claims were not located upon the Klondike 
 River, wliicli joins the Yukon at Dawson City, as has 
 been often supposed, but upon the little watercourses 
 
m 
 
 A DAY IN DAW. SUN CLTY. 
 
 105 
 
 ruiiniiijx into tlie Klondike. Tlioso Gfold-bcariiiLi' die:- 
 ,i^ings are, or weru, variously oallcd Honaii/.a, (iold Bot- 
 tom, and Bear creeks, which flow into the Klondike 
 direct, and Hunker, I^ast Chance, VA Dorado, Adams, 
 Shan tantuy, and other creeks and semi-wet i^ulclies which 
 are tributaries to the creeks lirst named. 'I'lie names 
 were arbitrar3% and were ol'ten chant;-ed to suit the 
 miners' tastes. 
 
 To Randy and Earl, the camp present(!d the appear- 
 ance of having "just moved in," as the younger brother 
 termed it. On every side were miners' outlits stacked 
 in little piles, while their owners were either at hand 
 erecting tents, or off prospecting or buying supplies. 
 There was but one store, a rude; board building not over 
 twenty by thirty feet, in which everything on hand was 
 offered at most extravagant prices. Flour sold for 
 sixty dollars per barrel, beans fifty cents per pound, 
 bacon and canned meats seventy-five cents per pound, 
 and other goods in proportion. There were no fresh 
 meats excepting two sides of beef just brought in by 
 the little flat-bottomed steamljoat fi'om (Urcle City, and 
 which were rapidly disposed of at two dollars to live 
 dollars per pound. A crate of eggs were at hand, to be 
 purchased at one dollar per dozen, but as most of the 
 eggs were stale, the contents of the crate went begging. 
 Of miners' tools, a pick or a shovel brought ten dollars 
 to fifteen dollars, while washing pans were not to be 
 found, and had to be manufactured by the miners them- 
 
 m^ 
 
 I 'J 
 
 'Til 
 
 r 
 
m^ik 
 
 160 
 
 TO ALASKA FOli COLD. 
 
 selves. Wearin.L*' apparel was also searee, and Karl saw 
 twenty dollars given for a ilaiuiel shirt, and five dollars 
 for a pair of socks, both articles being paid for in gold 
 dust. 
 
 As it was evening, most of the miners had given up 
 work and come into the camp to talk, trade, and learn 
 the latest news. Every one was in a quiver of excite- 
 ment, and the announcement that an extra good find had 
 been made on Hunker Creek caused many to strike out 
 during the night to make new claims in that vicinity. 
 
 " Let us go, too ! " cried Randy, and Earl joined in ; 
 but the men talked it over and decided to remain in 
 Dawson City until they learned more about the " lay of 
 the land." They pitched their tent as close to where 
 their boat lay as possible, but it is doubtful if any of 
 tlie party slept 7;hrongh that short night, which had 
 hardly anything of darkness. 
 
 All told, there were not over six hundred white men 
 in camp, and, in addition, there were perhaps a hundred 
 Indians, with their squaws, children, and dogs; for no 
 Alaskan Indian family is complete without from one to 
 a half-dozen canines attached. The Indians Avere there 
 to sell tish and game, and to pick up odd jobs of pack- 
 carrying. They took but little interest in the gold 
 strikes, and it was but rarely that they could be found 
 mining, and then never for themselves. 
 
 One of the tirst lessons to be learned l)y the boys and 
 the others, was that of keeping ihuiV uil^llts intact. 
 
A DAY IN DAWSON CITY. 
 
 167 
 
 ikI 
 •t. 
 
 Iliirdly were tliey up in tlu' iiioi'iiiiig than u dozen 
 miners and |)r()S[»L'etoi'S eiune slinl'llin^- around oi't'ering 
 them various i)riees for this and tlial. Had lliey been 
 willing to sell, they ecjuld have dis^josed of all they jjos- 
 sessed by noon, but, eautioned by Foster Portney, they 
 were iirni, and nothing was allowed to change hands 
 but a small bottle of cough syrup which the doctor sold 
 for an ounce of gold, worth sixteen dollars, to a poor fel- 
 low suffering with a slight attack of pneumonia. The 
 doctor wanted no pay, but the miner insisted on giving 
 it, saying he would pay a thousand dollars if the physi- 
 cian would make him as well and strong as ever again. 
 
 After many careful incpiiries, it was decided that the 
 party should first try its luck on (iold Bottom Creek, at 
 some spot near to where the watercourse was joinf^d by 
 Hunker and Last Chance creeks. They had learned 
 that while Bonanza and El Dorado creeks were j)aying 
 well, all the best claims in those localities were already 
 staked out. 
 
 Two days later found them encamped at the entrance 
 to a tiny watercourse, which flowed into Gold IJottom 
 Creek. They had come in from the Klondike with 
 their outfits on their backs and half a dozen Indians to 
 aid them, for the trail was over rough rocks and through 
 lowlands of berry bushes and tundra, — a wearisome 
 walk which to Randy, at least, seemed to liave no end. 
 Often they sank up to their knees in the muck and cold 
 water, and once the doctor got '"•stuck" and had to Ijc 
 
 
 I 
 
168 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 Mimi 
 
 1:1 
 
 ! I 
 
 ;^ 
 
 liaiilcd forth by iiiiiiii str(3n<^tli imd inlinis ono boot, 
 wliicli was afterward recovered. A ^iromising spot waa 
 reaohcid by nip^litfall, tlie Indians wuro paid and sent off, 
 and thoy set about inakini^ themselves a home, tempo- 
 rary or p(!rinan(!iit, as fortune might elect. 
 
 A flat surface on the side of a small hill was selected, 
 and the tents were placed end to end, as before, but 
 tightened down to stay. Then a trench was dug around 
 the sides and tlu; back, so that when it rained the water 
 might drain off. This (h)ne, the interior was carpeted 
 with small branches of pine and evergreen. 
 
 " A good, healthful smell," said the doctor, referring 
 to the greens; "and one; that will ward off many a cohl. 
 On the top of those branches one ought to sleep almost 
 as comfortably as on a fe.ither be(h" 
 
 The interior of the tents arranged, a fu'eplace was 
 next in order, a semicircuhir affair of stone, in which 
 the sheet-iron stove might be slieltered from the wind. 
 Then came a cache for the provisions to be stored away; 
 and their domestic arrangements were complete. 
 
 It was bright and early on the day following that all 
 hands set off to prospect along the bottom of the gulch, 
 which the boys had named Prosper. They were di- 
 vided into two parties, the doctor and the captain in 
 one, and the boys and their uncle in the other. The 
 latter turned up to the left arm of the gulch and pres- 
 ently came to a little hollow, where the tiny stream of 
 water flowing along had deposited some coarse sand to 
 a depth of eight to twenty inches. 
 
^v 
 
 m 
 
 A DAY IN DAWSON CITY. 
 
 1(19 
 
 "Now W(3'll sliovcl ii[) some of tliis sand in tlic |)iin 
 iiiul s(3(j wliat it anioiiiits to," said Foster Portnoy. 
 " Don't take what is ri_Lflit on toj), boys. If there is 
 any .ijfohl, it is (h)wn next to tlu; bed rock. And don't 
 fdl the [)an too lull." The boys workc^d eaj^erly, and 
 soon liad the pan nearly fnll of tlie sand. Mr. I'ort- 
 ney then carried it to a nearl)y pool and allowed tin; 
 water to rnn over the top, then brnsluMJ oiY the snrfaee 
 and bcq-an to "wash down." This look several niin- 
 ntes, and Handy and Karl stood Ijy almost breathless 
 dnrin^' the process. 
 
 At last only a handfnl of sand and dirt remained at 
 the bottom of the i)an. All thi'fU! examined it with 
 care. Here and there eonld be seen a tiny grain of 
 dnll yellow. 
 
 "That is i^'old," explained Fosti'r i'ortni^y. " Hnt 
 there is hardly enont^h to pay ; probably three or i'onr 
 cents' worth in all." 
 
 " Is that all ! " cried Handy, and his voice was fnll of 
 disapi)ointment. Earl said nothing, bnt gathered np 
 the pick and shovel and moved on. 
 
 In two days a dozen otlu^r spots had been tried with 
 even worse success, and the three in the party began to 
 imagine that the gulch was of no consecpience, so far as 
 staking a claim there was concerned. To add to their 
 discomfiture a miner cinm; along who said he had gone 
 all over that locality a month |)i'evi(tus. 
 
 " \in't nothin' thar," he announced; "nothin' wnth 
 
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 IMAGE EVALUATION 
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 PhotDgraphic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 Corporation 
 
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 W|f>trW>.Y. 145tO 
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 170 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 over four or five cents ii luinful. lietter try your luck 
 elsewar, friends." 
 
 "We'll put in another day over here," announced 
 Foster Portney. "One day won't count very much, 
 and ground is often gone over a dozen times before 
 the right strike is made." 
 
 They had brought a lunch with them, and now sat 
 down on the edge of a small stony clift' to eat it. The 
 boys were tremendously hungry and could have de- 
 voured twice as much as what was on hand, but they 
 were beginning to learn that short rations would be 
 something to look forward to for some time to come. 
 
 Having eaten what was allotted to him, Handy be- 
 gan to poke around with the pick, while his uncle and 
 Earl still rested. The cliff was divided into two sec- 
 tions, and between was a lot of rotten stone, dirt, 
 muck, and rubbish. Striking the jDick deeply into this. 
 Randy loosened a portion of the stone, and out it rolled 
 into tlie gulch, bringing the dirt and a good portion of 
 the rubbish after it. He began to scatter the stuff to 
 the right and the left when something shiny caught his 
 eye, and stooping he picked it up, while his heart 
 leaped into his throat. 
 
 " Uncle Foster ! Earl ! Look at this ! " he cried, 
 and ran to them, holding up the object as he did so. 
 It was larger than an egg and quite heavy. Foster 
 Portney gave one glance and then leaped forward, 
 dropping what food still remained in his hand. 
 
A DAY IN DAWSON CITY. 
 
 '* Where did you liiul it, Riindy ? " he exclaimed. 
 " Over yonder," was the Iiasty reply. " But is it 
 gold, Uncle Foster ? " 
 
 " Yes, Randy, it's a nu|Tget as sure as you're born — 
 a nugget worth at least two hundred dollars. And 
 what's better yet," went on Mr. Portney as Handy be- 
 gan to dance with delight, -the chances are that 
 there are more where this came from ! " 
 
 ii 
 
 
 
 H 
 m 
 
 
 
 r ' u\ 
 
 mm 
 
I 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 DIGGING FOR GOLD. 
 
 A NUGGET worth two hundred dollars I Randy 
 could scarcely believe his eyes and ears. He gazed 
 at his uncl^ for a moment in open-moutlied wonder. 
 
 "• You're in luck, and po mistake ! " broke in Earl, 
 as he also examined tlie yellowish lumj). " Say, but 
 that's a strike to start on, isn't it ! " 
 
 He had lioi)ed to make the first find himself, but he 
 was too unselfisli to begrudge Ids brotlier tliat pleasure. 
 Leaving the lump in his uncle's possession. Randy led 
 the way back to where the find had been made, and all 
 three set to work without delay to empty tlie " pocket," 
 as Foster Portney called it, and examine tlie contents. 
 
 " Here's another ! " cried Earl, presently. " It's not 
 quite so large, though." 
 
 " 15ut it's worth at least a hundred dollars. Earl," 
 answered his uncle. " And see, here are a number of 
 little fellows worth from ten dollars to fifty each. 
 Randy has struck a bonanza beyond a doubt. Don't 
 scatter tliat dirt too much, for we must wash out every 
 ounce of it for little nuggets and dust." 
 
 "And maybe there is a vein of gold back there," 
 
 172 
 
I)I(;(;iNG FOIl GOLD. 
 
 173 
 
 n*e, 
 
 said Uiindy, proudly. "If tliure is, wa can all work it, 
 can't we?" 
 
 " Yes, unless tlie captain and the doctor have struck 
 something cfpially good. There, that seems to he the 
 last of the nuggets. I^et us count them. Fourteen in 
 all, and worth at least four hundred dollars. It paid 
 to stay over in spite of what that miner said, didn't 
 it?" And Foster l*ortney laughed, and the boys joined 
 in readily, for the discovery of so much gold had put 
 all into tJie best of humor. 
 
 The nuggets picked out, they set to work to wash 
 out the sand and dirt. While Foster Portney lilled 
 the pan and washed, tlie two boys took turns in bring- 
 ing u[) water from the pool, using for the [)urpose a 
 rubber water bag the man Inul thouglitfuUy provided 
 for just such an emergency. The washings continued 
 until it was quite dark, and by that time hidf of the 
 dirt iiad been gone over and something like two ounces 
 of gold dust extracted. 
 
 " Not so bad," said Mr. I'ortney. '" l*erhaps to- 
 morrow we'll do even better." 
 
 "I could keep on all night," declared Kandy, who 
 was loath to quit the locality. " Somebody may come 
 in and take the claim away from us l)efore m(>rning." 
 
 " We'll leave the i)ick and the shovel in it, and that 
 will prevent them," was the answer ; and this was 
 done. No miner dares to toucli anotlier's "prospect" 
 so long as any tools remain in it. 
 
 1 
 
 Vji I 
 
 ■ hi 
 Hi 
 
 ■ -^ ■ ]} -■ 
 
 ii 
 
174 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 Wh^n they got buck to camp they found the doctor 
 and the captain already there. The two had tried half 
 a dozen spots, but only one had yielded sullicient gold 
 dust to warrant their continuing to work it. They 
 listened with keen interest to the account of the find 
 made by Randy, and were quite willing to take a hand 
 at prospecting that locality the next day. 
 
 Eight o'clock found all hard at work. While the 
 captain and Earl washed, the others went into the 
 opening of the cliff and brought out all that remained 
 of the dirt and loose stones. There was not a great 
 deal, and sliortly after noon every shovelful was heaped 
 up close to the artificial pool of water Dr. Barwaithe 
 had constructed. While the washing continued, Foster 
 Portney examined the sides and the bottom of the 
 opening, and then moved forward through a tangled 
 mass of brushwood and tundra until he came to the 
 bed of a second gulch a hundred feet distance from 
 the first. 
 
 " There is nothing more in the pocket," he declared. 
 " And if there is any more gold, it is either in that 
 gulch or this, and 1 am half inclined to think it is over 
 there, although we may as well prospect this gulch 
 thoroughly first." 
 
 By the morrow the washings from the pocket came 
 to an end, with four more ounces of gold to the credit 
 of the prospectors, making in all a find of about five 
 hundred dollars. Previous to going into camp it had 
 
DKJCJINC. FOR GOLD. 
 
 175 
 
 been decided that tor the present everything found 
 should be divided into live parts, one to go to the cap- 
 tain, one to tlie doctor, and three to Foster Portney for 
 liiniself and his nephews. The Portney share, as we 
 know, was to be divided, one-lialf to Mr. Portney and 
 one-cjuarter to each of the boys. Thus the boys re- 
 ceived each three-twentieths of the entire amount 
 found ; not a hirge portion, but then they had nothing 
 to pay out for expenses, wliich were bound to be con- 
 siderable, and each was perfectly willing that his uncle 
 should have the one-tenth extra of the whole amount 
 on that account. 
 
 " Three-twentieths of live hundred dollars is seventy- 
 five dollars," said liandy to Earl, when they were alone. 
 " We've each earned that, free and clear, so far. That's 
 not bad." 
 
 " If only we can continue, we'll make our fortunes," 
 replied Earl, earnestly. " But the pocket's at an end, 
 and now we've got to prospect elsewhere." 
 
 The days went by, and they tried the first of the 
 gulches from end to end, sometimes working together, 
 and then each man and boy for himself. But though 
 they struck gold often it was never in paying quan- 
 tities, and the end of the week saw them somewhat 
 discouraged. 
 
 " It wouldn't be so bad, only we made such a fine 
 start," grumbled Randy. " Now there's no telling 
 when we shall find gold again." 
 
 
 'i^fi 
 
 
 St 
 
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 im 
 
 ^i-:f 
 
a^W "•»•." »l"l>«l«»i» 
 
 li 
 
 ill 
 
 H J 
 
 1,1 ■ 
 
 i ii ill 
 
 i 
 
 176 
 
 TO ALASKA FOll (JOLD. 
 
 "That's the fortunes o' prospeetiii'," siiid the ejip- 
 tain. " It may be we won't git a smell o' gold in the 
 hull district ag'iii ! " 
 
 " I move we try that other guleh on Monday," put 
 in the doctor. "It's full of loose sand, isn't it?" he 
 went on to Foster I'ortney. 
 
 " Yes, the sand and gravel are fit least two feet 
 thick," was the answer. ""J believe there is gold there, 
 as 1 said before, but to clear off the brush and moss will 
 be no easy task." 
 
 " We came out here for work," said Earl. " I didn't 
 expect to sit around and sun myself." And all laughed 
 at this remark. 
 
 It was Sunday, and late on Saturday night a miner 
 had been around announcin<j: a reliLjious meetin<^ to be 
 held over at the Bottom at noon. Mv. l^ortney, the 
 boys, and the doctor walked over, nearly half a mile, 
 leaving the captain in chai'ge of the camp. 'I'hey 
 found about fifty miners collected around an impro- 
 vised platform, where an earnest-looking young man 
 was reading a chapter from his Bible. A song by 
 three of the women present followed, and then came 
 a short sermon on the brotherhood of man and the 
 value of a faith which would carry a man above the 
 temptation to do wrong, even in that desolate region. 
 At the close of the service a collection was taken up,; 
 for the preacher's benefit, some of the miners giving 
 ordinary money, and others pouring gold dust into 
 
DKJGINr. FOK fiOLD. 
 
 177 
 
 the littlo cluiniois ba<^ the [n-t'jiL'lier luid provicU'd lor 
 tluit purpose. 
 
 At this meetinj^ tlie Portneys ajjfsiin met the Wod- 
 ley crowd, wlio had hx-atcd alxmt a mile u[) (Jold 
 Bottom Creek, at a phiee called lv()si!l)ud, a name par- 
 ticularly inappropriate, since no roses were to be found 
 in the vicinity. Wodley and his companions were 
 doing fairly well, and thoui,dit the '"doctor's Hock" 
 might do worse than to locate just above them. 
 
 " We'll remeinber that," said Foster I'ortney. " l>ut 
 first we are going to try again over wiiere we are." 
 
 Wodley had heard again from 'I'om lloland and 
 Guardley. He said the gang, as he termed it, which 
 they luid joined had gone up Iluidvcr Creek and staked 
 out three claims somewhere al)ove Discovery, as the 
 first claim on a creek or gulch is called. The claims 
 had overlapped some already staked out, and the 
 miners in that section had had several lights and had 
 threatened to drive out all the newcomers if they 
 did not do what was right. 
 
 " I was going over to Hunker Creek myself," con- 
 cluded Wodley. " But I don't want to (]uarrel with 
 anybody." 
 
 Monday morning found the entire l^ortney crowd 
 over to Tangle Gulch, as Mr. Portney christened it. 
 It was a name well chosen, for the tangle of bushes, 
 vines, and moss was "• simply out of sight," so Earl 
 said, although as a matter of fact it was very much in 
 
 N 
 
 II 
 
 ■I 
 
 v: 
 
 m^ 
 
 m 
 
ITS 
 
 TO ALASKA roit COLD. 
 
 sii^lil — tliiit iiiitl iiolliiiiLif clsr. No ()in» could move I'or- 
 Wiircl more than a yard hcfort^ liaviiii,' (o stop (o looscui 
 liiiiisi'ir, cillu!!' iVoiii tiic Ixislii's and vines or tlio (diii^- 
 iii,<<f moss, and muck itiidcr tlic moss. And to add to 
 llicir discond\)r( tlicy stirred up a U'^ion of m(>s(|ui- 
 t(H\s, n'nats, and black llius, uhiidi iit)veri!d over their 
 heads like a cloiid. 
 
 '' Let us hurn the hrnsh first of all," said the doctor, 
 when at last the middle of tlu; i^nlch was reached. 
 "'I'hat will clear the surface and scatter those pests 
 overhead. Oh, my!" lie broke off sliort as he 
 went (h)\vn intt) a concealed water hoU? wiiiclj was 
 several feet deej). "• Here's another of tiie pleasurt^s 
 of huntin«if ij^old in Alaska ! " and this was said so 
 comically that everybody roared. 
 
 Axes and knives had been brought alonj^, and soon 
 a hirijfe i)ile of the brush iiad been cut Jind piled in a 
 heap and set on lire. As it was green, it burnt slowly 
 and raised a large smoke, which made the mosquitoes 
 scatter innnediately. From that day niitil the end of 
 the summer they kept a smudge lire for protection. 
 The brush cleared from the sides of the gulch, which 
 was very narrow, they went at the tundra, throwing 
 the moss wherever it would be out of the way. This 
 took a long time, and it was not until almost nightfall 
 that they got down to the sand and gravel of the 
 choked-up watercourse. 
 
 "Now well see if there is anything in this gulch or 
 
B 
 
 i)i(j(;iN(; roll coM). 
 
 171) 
 
 not," Hiii«l Mm ciipliiiii, us In; sc^oojumI up tlii! lirst jKinfiil 
 
 oil' tllO lK'(ll(K'k. " If thcMl! iHu't, tlujll Wc'vu IukI IMOSt 
 
 sill-(ircMl liiiid work fcr niilhiir, tOi '/ " And ho stiuliMl 
 ill to wji.sh up the .siiud, ^rmvul, luid dirt, while tho others 
 looi<cd on in l)rt'iitld(!ss intcMHsst. 
 
 ■ 
 
 1 or 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 
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 ■iin 
 
 n 
 
 :i!' 
 
 fW' 
 
 » 
 
 ■1 . 1 i 
 
 SI 
 
 d 
 
 
I 
 
 ClIAITKlt Will. 
 
 GOOD LUCK AND I5AI). 
 
 As ihii capliiiii wiiiilutl to savc^ evury jTmin of «,^ol(l 
 ill ilic piin, lie waslunl very ciiri'lully, and it was Inlly 
 live inimitcs ))t'foi'o lla; last of Ihu saiul ami dirt was 
 dispost'd of iind tliey could t'oim; to a caUudation as to 
 tli(! valMu of tliu }«.dl(AV iiiL'tal left. 
 
 For i^old tluM'o was, true cnou^li, shiniiit;" hri^litly 
 before tlair eyes — and tliere was more than tiiis, too, 
 for sonm of it was of a l>la(;kisli eolor. The others 
 eouUl not helieve in the value of this until Foster I'ort- 
 ney assured them that he had fre(|U('Utly heard of blaek 
 gold being turned up in the Yukon distriet. 
 
 "Half an ounee at least,"' was the verdict arrived at 
 by both the captain and Mr. I*ortney ; " and that's eight 
 dollars." 
 
 " Then we had better stay, hadn't we ? " said Karl. 
 
 " Why, of course, llarl ; you didn't expect to do 
 much better than that, unless you struck nuggets." 
 
 '■'• One fellow over to (lold JJottom said he was tak- 
 ing out a hundred dollars to the panful," put in Randy. 
 
 " Fairy stories, my lad," answ^ered the captain. " A 
 
 180 
 
T) 
 
 r, i 
 
 ill 
 
 rht 
 
 do 
 
 C'OOI) MKMv AM) HAD. 
 
 ISl 
 
 cLiiin a.s will turn out ci'ji'lit dollars to tlio pan is luiL^dity 
 good — as good as I'm a-Iookiu' for just now." 
 
 "And we haven't gone very far into this gulch," 
 put in the doetoi*. '"It may he hcttcr further up." 
 
 *' And it maybe worse," sai<l b'nstrr Portney, "al- 
 though I'm inclined to think it will i>e better. We 
 had b(!st stake out our claims without (hday." 
 
 This was readily agreed to, and before they went 
 back to th(5 tents they h;"1 staked out three claims, 
 one for each of the mc^n. Kurl migiit have taken u]) a 
 claim, too, being just old cnou'rh, l)Ut tiie three covered 
 all the ground whicli the party tlioiight of any account. 
 Each claim was live hundrc d I'eet long and tlu^ u]>per 
 one covered both gulches, which was an excc.'llcnt thing, 
 as it would giv(; them a fail- amoiuit of wat(;r by which 
 to (h) their washing. 'I'he posts firmly plantiid and 
 marked, they walked slowly back to camp, talking over 
 the prospects and nia})ping out their future work. 
 
 It was decided to move the tents to a more conven- 
 ient locality, and a spot was readily found at a point 
 al)Ove where the two gulches joined, or rather where 
 the one gulch s[)lit into two. The ti'ansfer to this new 
 home-spot was ma<le the next day by Earl, Handy, nnd 
 the doctor, Mr. Portney and the captain g<»ing back to 
 uncover several other portions of the claims, to ascer- 
 tain, if possible, just what their values might be. 
 
 The next week was a busy oni'. The camp removed 
 and put into comfortable shiiptr, the next work was to 
 
 
 
 til 
 
 
 
 i f S V- 
 
 ■ i 
 if- 
 
ISV! 
 
 h) AiVMKA Kon <i(H,i». 
 
 «linn up tlio ^«'nl('li vnIitip (ii<> |i(m>Iv«<I IhhI Immmi roiitHi, mm 
 llitil itll llti« \Viili>r iiii!',lii (low lliiitu|;;li M(iM<|iiili) llul 
 low, !)s tli(« (lot>(i«r liml l;itM>t iiMiMl\ ihiMicil lli«< iipw 
 il»>;v;in>VM. n miiiio (liiil mIiuK lo i(. TliiM work whm 
 <loiio h\ l\;m(l\ :nt(l I>r. IliiivMiil Im', \vIiiI(< Mini 
 joiiuMl tho ciiptitiM tiixl Ills niii'lo in hnniiiii;- liowii 
 tho hiMsh Miul s;«'(li«i>; ri«l ol' (lie Inmlni. 
 
 nolt>i't> lurniiij'; [\\v wutrr iVoin rrosprr (Jiilrli iiiln 
 Mostjuilo Hollow, l'\>NhM' Torliu'v lulviHcd Hiiikinj^ 
 s«'\«Mal holos mIohjV the liilliM- j;;ulrii, (liiU niiy ^old 
 \\iisl\t>d alom;; '»v \\\o \\o\\ woiiM ho «'imi;lil . TIk* «'iip- 
 tain put ihrsr (low n. !Mm1 thru fiimo 1Im< loti)^; liihor ol' 
 rU';\i\m>»' thr siiiul Miul »lirt I'iamm IIio ImmItoi-Iv Ix'Iow. 
 As i( wouKl \\,\\o takon mII siiiiniuM' (o cKmiii out. (lu) 
 iMUiro botU>m ol" llu» sjulrli, only iho <l(M«piM' purl. wiiH 
 iUtiU'koil i\\u\ luMv M runway l\)r (ho wulor was uuulo, a 
 \oo\ to tMi> loot witlo. 
 
 Tho wator \\'m\ just hoiMJ turuiMl alon^ MoM(piil() 
 Hi^llow auvl washiui;" ht\!;nu whou a parly of proHpoo- 
 tors (vom Forty Mih* Post oanu^ alonu;' and ospiod (lu) 
 olaiuis. Thoy at ouco w ishoil to know tlu^ parlioulars 
 ot" tl\o tind uiado. aiui, assuriMl (hat (hiu'i^ was p;oU\ 
 tlioro, ono of (ho mou h>st no tiiuo in puttinjj^ up Iuh 
 stakos bolow thoui, wliiU* two t)ti»ors wont abovo. In- 
 side of a wook aftor this tlio UoUow boastetl of oi^^ht 
 oh\ims, and a littlo sottUnuont spruiifjf up at tho Fork, 
 a^ tho minors named tho spot whore tlie l*ortiioy crowd 
 had located. 
 
<.Mii|) |,t (K ANI» IIAI>. 
 
 I8fl 
 
 ffl 
 
 *' We'll liiiv*' II louii Ih'ic licroic I In- MHirirrMT Im nvr,'* 
 Miiiil I'/in I ; IhiI Im* uiin iimI nony lo litivc < (iiii|i)iiiy, »'M|(C- 
 (•illlly IIM I lie IM'VVCdIlM'IM WK- )| II ll)lil IVIIovvM-well m«!l, 
 
 HIhI ll|)|tlll rill I V IiuIH'mI to lilt' ('(MC AlMMIIt^ Ill'-IM VV«I>1 
 
 n. yiHiiijr liiwyi lioin |)jil<(»hi, iind I' und |)i, l»>ir- 
 Wiiil lie HOMii licriiiiic III"' u'iit iiMnl f»l IimimIh. 
 
 'I'lin hIioiI Alii'iLii, Miiiiiiiicr wii'i now rciirliiiij^ itH 
 liri^lil, itiiij IImwcim iiikI I»< riicH vvic |mowiii(^ cvf y- 
 wlicrn ill llm vviliJrMl |ir(»riiMi(»ii, vvliih- »liiiiii}^ llm Mii'MIe, 
 m1' I lie (liiy I. In- huh l»('ii,|. dftvvii mo Ui-vccly lliiil. l.lic.y wf.ro 
 oricii ('(iiiiiM'lliMJ jo Hcc|( I lie Mli;Mle lor Iioiiih ;i,I. ;i, liirie,. 
 
 ''My )^n'ar,i(HiM, llm Hollow in like ji, pepper hox!" 
 Hiiid KiMidy one; (hiy, iih lie. e;uiie. inl.o eii.nip vvitli lii.s 
 HJiiil. wi'l l.liroii|^di vvilli jxiinpiniljon. " Nol, a l>re,ii,t,li 
 ol" iiir Hl.iri'iii)^'." 
 
 " Aim! I Ik; lioller il, Im, I. lie, vvorne I he Ilie.H ;ue," ;i,.lded 
 ICarl. " I (ieeliiie, l.lM!y H(;eiii to l>ot,lier /ne, ludic, tlian 
 oven llie iiioHfjililoeM." 
 
 IlHiially il, ('ooled olT lovvii.rd seven or eif^dit o'e.lo(;k, 
 iwmi l.lioil^di tlie Hiin Hiill .slione, well ii|> in thf; nky, but 
 this nij^iil. ju'oved aH warm an tin; »hi.y liar) l>e<;/i, and 
 moHl, of tlic- pii.rl,y weni, t,o .sle,ej> outdorj/H, un;i.hi(; to 
 Htaiid it iiiHid(! ol" tin; closf; t<:nt,H. ()ut.sid<;, thf;y had 
 to wind their iKtad.s and ncekH in ino.sfjiiito n«;ttin^ and 
 cover up their liandH, to ke';p from heinj.^ pchterod to 
 death. It was the most uneomforlahh.' twenty-four 
 lionrH they liad yet \}\»i in. 
 
 "The old Harry take AlaHka*" burst out Dr. 
 
 (r 
 
I 
 
 184 
 
 TO ALASKA FOIl (JOLD. 
 
 ]^ 
 
 i 
 
 
 I 
 
 i^ '< 
 
 I»iir\vaithe, finally. (hm mosquito liad alij^litetl on 
 liis nose, and two otiiurs on liis neck. "It's worth all 
 the gold you cjin get, and more, too, to stand these 
 impudent pests. Oh ! " And making half a dozen 
 wild slashes he finally scrambled up and ran around 
 the tents to throw his tormentoi's off. 
 
 Tlie captain was suffering from a slight attack of 
 scurvy, brought on by eating so much salt food. The 
 doctor had given him some medicine^ but this did little 
 good, and the captain was gt^tting into a bad way when 
 one of the old miners, who had just come in, came to 
 his aid. 
 
 " Eat tomatoes, cap'n,"" he said. " Best thing on 
 airth fer scurvy, liill Watson wuz down with it wust 
 way an' nuthin' licl[)cd him but tomatoes. He e.at 'most 
 a bushel o' 'em, an' they made a new man o' him. Eat 
 tomatoes." 
 
 " Tomatoes may be very good," said the doctor. 
 "• They are a very strong, green vegetable, you know. 
 Vou might try them." 
 
 And the captain did try them, first using up some of 
 the cans brought along, and then buying a ([uart of 
 fresh tomatoes at Dawson City, for two dollars. Sure 
 enough, the tomatoes helped wonderfully, and about a 
 week later the scurvy left him. 
 
 Nearly a month had now ])assed since the party had 
 located at Moscjuito Hollow, and in that time they had 
 taken out three snudl nuggets worth probably fifty 
 
GOOD LUCK AND BAD. 
 
 185 
 
 dollars apiece, and a little short of a hundred and fifty 
 ounces of gold dust. Counting the gold dust as worth 
 sixteen dollars an ounce, this gave them, in round 
 figures, twenty-five hundred dollars for their labor. 
 
 " Twenty-five hundred dollars ! " said Earl. "That's 
 a good deal more than we could earn at liome." 
 
 Captain Zoss gave a deep sigh and shook his head. 
 "I ain't satisfied," he said. "1 didn't come up to 
 Alaska to work fer no five hundred a month. I'm 
 goin' elsewhar fer luck." 
 
 " You won't stay here ? " asked Rjindy, quickly. He 
 had begun to like the captain very much. 
 
 " No, lad ; I'm yere to make a fortune or nuthin'. I 
 quit the hollow ter-morrow." 
 
 " Well, you have that right, captain, although I'm 
 sorry to see you go," said Foster Portney. 
 
 " Which means thet you an' the boys stay," answered 
 the captain, quickly. " I'm sorry ye won't go with me. 
 I want ter try Hunker Creek." 
 
 " I think I'll stay," said Foster Portney, quietly. 
 " I'll give the gulch a few weeks longer, for the way I 
 look at it we're making wages and have the chance to 
 make a strike. What do you say, boys? " 
 
 Randy was in for following the captain, but a look 
 from Earl made him change tlie words on the end of 
 his tongue. " I'll do as you think best, Uncle Foster." 
 
 " And so will I," said Earl. 
 
 Then they looked at the doctor, who was kicking the 
 
 f 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 !P 
 
 1 
 
 !■■ 
 
 i 
 
 
 r-| 1 
 
 • ''! 
 
 1 'i 
 
 
 
 ..At 
 
 ;;i 
 
 ■■' i!i 
 
186 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 V i 
 
 toe of his boot ag.ainst the tent pole in speculative way. 
 It was several seconds before the medical man spoke. 
 
 "I — I think I'll go with ihe captain," he said 
 finally. "Not but that I hate to part company," he 
 added hastily. " But I came up here to make a big 
 hit, and if I wanted to work for what we've been mak- 
 ing here, I could get it easier by going into Dawson 
 City and hanging out my shingle — you all know that. 
 I hope we part the best of friends." 
 
 " We will," said Foster Portney. " We'll divide our 
 gold as per agreement, and also the outfits." 
 
 " And I'll give you my share of this gulch free," said 
 the captain, and the doctor said the same. 
 
 Of this, however, Foster Portney would not hear. 
 He insisted on paving each of them a hundred dollars, 
 and drawing up regular papers, which were signed in 
 the presence of two of the outside miners. On the day 
 following the doctor and the captain packed up their 
 traps, hired four Indians to help them, and set off, first 
 however, giving Mr. Portney and each of the boys a 
 hearty handshake. In a few minutes they were out of 
 sight. 
 
 " And now to work the Hollow for all it is worth," 
 said Foster Portney, when they were left alone. " And 
 remember, from henceforth, whatever v.^ turn up be- 
 longs to us and to nobody else." 
 
Mi r 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 fm 
 
 AN UNLOOKED-FOR ARRIVAL. 
 
 »» 
 
 Although the boys missed Dr. liarwaithe and 
 Captain Zoss greatly, there was much of satisfaction in 
 the thought that their uncle had expressed; namely, 
 that henceforth whatever was taken out of the three 
 claims on Mosquito Hollow gulch would belong to 
 them and to nobody else. 
 
 "Of course, we can't expect to do as much work as 
 was done before," was the way Earl reasoned. '' But 
 we are just as liable as ever to make a big strike." 
 
 During the following week the weather turned off 
 somewhat cooler, and this made work easier and more 
 rapid. All three went at it with a will, and the six 
 days brought in six hundred dollars in dust. 
 
 " That's a hundred and lifty apiece for us, Earl," 
 said Randy, after figuring up. " It beats lumbering 
 down in Maine all hollow, doesn't it ? " 
 
 " I'll tell you better after we've gone through a win- 
 ter up here, Randy. From ail accounts the weather is 
 something awful, and we've got to stand it, for getting 
 away is out of the question after the first of Sep- 
 tember." 
 
 187 
 
 
 In 
 
Ill 
 
 .Mi 
 
 f i 
 
 in 
 
 188 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 "Well, let's not anticipate trouble. I guess Uncle 
 will see that we are as well provided for as possible," 
 answered Randy, who could think of nothing but the 
 gold dust brought in daily. 
 
 So far they had done all their washing with ■ hand 
 pans. Foster Portney had tried to obtain a cradle, or 
 a " Long Tom," but had failed. Now he announced 
 his intention to go over to the saw-mill at Dawson and 
 buy the necessary boards for several sluice boxes. He 
 left on Friday, stating he would probably not return 
 before Monday or Tuesday. 
 
 The week had brought a number of newcomers to 
 the vicinity, who had staked claims on other gulches 
 within a radius of half a mile. Some of these late 
 arrivals had come over the mountain pass, while the 
 majority had taken the longer route up the Pacific 
 Ocean and the Yukon. The Fork seemed to be a 
 favorite camping ground, and there were times when 
 as many as a score of tents were pitched there. 
 
 One of the newcomers was from Hunker Creek, and 
 he brought news of the doctor and the captain. The 
 pair had staked two claims some distance above Dis- 
 covery and were doing fairly well, although they had 
 by no means struck it as rich as anticipated. 
 
 It was on Saturday evening, when Randy and Earl 
 were busy washing out some of their underwear — for 
 they of course had to play their own washerwoman — 
 that news was brought to them that there was a young 
 
AN UNLOOKED-FOR AIllUVAL. 
 
 189 
 
 fellow down at a, camp Lelow who luid expressed a de- 
 sire that Randy or Earl come to see him. 
 
 " He ain't give no name, but lie's a slim-bnilt chap 
 an' don't look like lie was cut out fer rouc^hing it," said 
 the messenger. *' He's half sick, and he was grub- 
 struck when me and my pard picked him up." 
 
 "A slim-built chap — "began Randy, when Earl 
 broke in : " It's Fred Dobsoii, the crazy fool ! " 
 
 "Fred ! " cried Randy. He turned to the messenger 
 and asked the miner to give him a better description of 
 the boy; but this was not forthcoming, and he hurried 
 off with the man, leaving P2arl in charge of the tent. 
 
 The camp below was (quarter of a mile away, over a 
 hill thick with blackberry bushes, liut something like 
 a trail had been tramped down from the Fork, and it 
 did not take the two long to cover the distance. . They 
 had just come over the hill in sight of several tents 
 when Randy beheld somebody get up from a seat on a 
 fallen log and totter toward him. 
 
 " Randy Portney ! " It was Fred Dol)son's voice, 
 but so thin and hollow Randy scarcely recognized it. 
 " Oh, how glad I am to see somebody I know ! " 
 
 " Fred ! Kow in the world did you get up here ! " 
 burst out Randy. He took the hand of the squire's 
 son, and led the way back to the seat. " How thin and 
 pale you look ! I thought you had gone back to 
 Basco ! " 
 
 Fred heaved a deep sigh. Then he looked Randy 
 
 1h 
 
 I • 
 •I 
 
 ¥^ 
 
li! 
 
 190 
 
 TO ALASKA FOIl (lOLD. 
 
 I:: 
 
 full in the face for Ji moment. His eyes were moist, 
 and he tried in vain to keep hack the tears. Hut it 
 was impossihle, and throwing his head on Randy's 
 shoulder, he wept like a child. 
 
 The tears touched Uandy to the heart, and he cauglit 
 the thin hands and pressed them warmly. " Nev(u* 
 mind, Fred," he said. " Now you are up here I'll do 
 what I can for you. So let up and tell me your story." 
 
 It was several minutes before Fred could do this. 
 " I came up by the way of the Chilkoot Pass," he said, 
 when he felt able to sjieak. " I joined a party I met 
 in Juneau, a crowd of men from Chicago, and they 
 promised to see me through if I would do my share of 
 work. But the work was too hard for me, and they 
 treated me like a dog, and at Baker's Creek they 
 kicked me out of camp and compelled me to shift for 
 myself." 
 
 '' How long ago was this ? " 
 
 " A week ago. Since that time I've been knocking 
 around from pillar to post, looking for something I 
 could do, so as to earn at least enough to eat. I did 
 get one job in Dawson City washing dishes in the res- 
 taurant, but even there the food the boss wanted me to 
 eat was more than I could stand, as it was nothing but 
 leavings." 
 
 " And when did you hear of us ? " 
 
 " Yesterday. I struck a miner named Wodley and 
 he gave me your directions. Oh, Randy, what a fool I 
 
>1 
 
 AN lNL«>tUvi:i>F<H; AlrlUVAL. 
 
 101 
 
 was to come to Alaska ! If only I IkuI taken your ad- 
 viee and j^one baek to liasco ! " And it was only by 
 an eft'ort that Fred Dobson ke[)t himself from crying 
 anew. He felt miseral)le, weak, and hungry, liad had 
 scarcely a kind word for weeks, and was on the point 
 of giving up in despair. 
 
 "•Do your parents know where you are?" asked 
 Randy, after another pause. 
 
 " Yes, I wrote to them just l)cfore leaving Juneau — 
 I couldn't think of going so far away without doing 
 that." 
 
 " Well, that was at least one sensible move, Fred." 
 Randy thought for a moment. " Our camp is about 
 half a mile from here, over that hill. Can you walk 
 that far ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, Randy ; I can walk a good way now I've 
 found a friend." Fred arose as (juickly as he could. 
 "Are you and your friends all together yet?" 
 
 "No; there are only my uncle, Earl, and myself 
 now." 
 
 The two were soon on the journey over the hill. 
 Fred was still rather shaky, and Randy gave him his 
 arm to help him at the difficult places. When they 
 reached camp, Earl had all the washing out and 
 everything tidied up. 
 
 " So it is you, Fred ? " he said, as he held out his 
 hand. "I thought you back in liasco by this time." 
 
 " I only wish I was ! I made the biggest mistake 
 
 
 *• : 
 
 u 
 
w 
 
 192 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 of my life when I ran away, so there ! and I don't 
 care who knows it ! " And Fred threw himself on a 
 bench in front of the tent. 
 
 "If there is any of that bean soup left, you had 
 better give Fred some," said Randy, with a knowing 
 glance which did not escape Earl. "And I'm going 
 to fry some of the fish I caught over in the river 
 last night." 
 
 Half an hour later the wanderer was sitting down 
 to as appetizing a supper as he had tasted since 
 leaving the States. While he ate he told his story 
 in detail, to which Randy and Earl listened with 
 much interest. That Fred had had a hard time of 
 it there could be no doubt ; and tliat he had learned 
 a lesson he would never forget was also apparent. 
 
 "If there was only some way of getting home, I'd 
 start to-morrow," he said. "But I'm up here now, 
 and I've got to do for myself — somehow." He looked 
 wistfully at Earl and Randy. " Do you think I could 
 make some kind of a deal with your uncle to keep 
 me? I know I am not as strong and hardy as you, 
 but I can do something, and I won't look for any 
 pay." 
 
 "I don't know what uncle will say," said Earl. 
 "He has gone to Dawson, and won't be back before 
 Monday or Tuesday. I guess you can stay here till 
 that time." 
 
 " Yes ; and if he won't take you in, I'll help you 
 
AN unluokl:i)-fou akkival. 
 
 193 
 
 )arl. 
 
 jfore 
 
 till 
 
 you 
 
 some," added Randy. "We've been more fortunate 
 than you." 
 
 Fred was curious to know how they had made out, 
 and Earl and Randy told him. He was ania/od to 
 think they had done so well ; and his face brij^ditcned 
 a good deal when he remembered how iiamly had 
 said he would help him. 
 
 Sunday was spent in camp. Fred, who was com- 
 pletely tired out, slept the greater part of the (hiy, 
 although at meal times, weak as he was, he insisted 
 on washing the dishes and the pots and kettles, just 
 to show that he was in earnest about working. This 
 made Earl and Randy smile to themselves. 
 
 "Think of Fred washing dishes like that at home," 
 whispered Earl to his brother. "If only the squire 
 could see him now, I guess he'd almost forgive him 
 for running away ! " 
 
 On Monday tlie two brothers went to work as usual 
 in the Hollow. Fred followed them over and was 
 much interested in their labors. Oiioo he tried shov- 
 elling up the sand and dirt, but Earl told him he 
 had better take it easy and get back his strength ; 
 and then he walked back to the tent, to spend the 
 balance of the day in mending his clothing, which 
 was sadly in need of repairs. When the boys came 
 back, he had supper ready for them, and never had 
 they had a meal in camp that was l^ctter cooked. 
 
 "Cooking was the cue thing I learned coming up 
 
 I'. HI 
 
 II u 
 
 , 
 
 i 
 
194 
 
 TO ALASKA KOII iUMM, 
 
 here," Fred explained. "Tlieic was a nej^ro in tlie 
 party who liad heiMi a elu;f in a Chieago hotel; and 
 he was the one soul in the crowd that treated me 
 half decently." 
 
 " Perhaps uncle will retain you as cook," said Handy, 
 mischievously, and then he stopped short, for he did 
 not wish to hurt Fred's feelin_L(s. 'I'he supper passed 
 off pleasantly, and Fred announced that he felt a 
 hundred times better than the day previous. 
 
 It was around ten o'clock, and the sun had just 
 set over the mountains to the westward, leaving the 
 Hollow in an uncertain, pale-blue light, which would 
 last until sunrise at four, when a messenger on mule- 
 back dashed along the trail from (iold Bottom. 
 " Thar's a lynchin' goin' on down to Smedley's I " he 
 yelled, as he sped by. "They've caught a sneak thief 
 by the name o' (iuardley, an' they're goin' ter make 
 him do er dance on nuthin'. Better be gittin' down 
 thar, if ye want ter see justice done ! " 
 
 if I 1 
 
CIIAPTKIl XXV. 
 
 t i 
 
 MOKE WOlUv IN THE (IIXCHES. 
 
 "They are goincf to lynch ii fellow named Guard- 
 ley ! " ejaculated Karl. *' 1 wonder if it can be Jasper 
 Guardley." 
 
 "It must be ; it's not likely there is another (iuard- 
 ley up here — the name isn't as common as all that, 
 returned Randy. " Shall we go ? " 
 
 Earl hesitated. There was something appalling in a 
 lynching, to his mind. Yet he was curious to know 
 more of the crime for which the prisoner was about to 
 suffer. 
 
 " Yes, we might as well — if Fred will watch the 
 camp," he answered. 
 
 " I'll watch it as well as I can," answered Fred. The 
 work he had been doing had tired him more than he 
 would admit, and he was glad enough to take it easy. 
 He knew Guardley, but took small interest in the man 
 his father had sent up more than once for petty crimes. 
 
 In less than five minutes Earl and Kandy were off, 
 stalking over the hills and along Gold Bottom Creek as 
 rapidly as tl ''ir tired limbs would carry them. Smed- 
 
 1»J6 
 
 
 ^ it 
 
 ;,1 
 
 n 
 
 •ri 
 
 
196 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 ley's, a settlement of twoscoro of tents iind one lioard 
 cabin where a few odds and ends could be bon<,dit, was 
 nearly two miles distance, yet tliey arrived tliere in less 
 than half an hour — fast time when the state of the 
 trails they had travelled was taken into consideration. 
 
 They found that the prisoner liad been bound, hands 
 and fe( t, and placed in the storeroom of the board 
 cal)in, a little shed in the rear, scarcely eicflit feet by 
 twelve and liardly high enout^h for a man to stand in. 
 'I'wo rough-looking miners were on guard, one Avith a 
 gun, Piid the other with an old-fashioned horse-pistol 
 over a foot long. 
 
 " What do you want ? " demanded one of the miners 
 of Earl, as the latter pushed his way forward through 
 the fast-gathering crowd. "This ain't no place fer a 
 young rooster like you." 
 
 " I would like to see the prisoner, please," answered 
 Earl. " I think 1 know him." 
 
 " You ain't the feller's pard, are ye ? " demanded the 
 second guard, suspiciously. 
 
 " No. I am from Maine, and I knew a Guardley up 
 tliere who came to these diggings. 1 wanted to find 
 out if it was the same man." 
 
 " Say, is tliat Karl l\3rtney ? " came from within, and 
 both Earl and Randy recognized Jasper Guardley's 
 voice. " If it is, I'd like to talk to him." 
 
 " Yes, Guardley," answered Earl. " What's the 
 trouble?" 
 
and 
 [ley's 
 
 the 
 
 ! ^' ^ 
 
 f 
 
 "I WOII.U I IKE TO Sl.K I UK, rRISONKK, Vl K.\SE." -- /'d^'f /(/>. 
 
f 
 
 1 
 
 B 
 
 
 1 
 
 n 
 
 iii 
 
 ; i i 
 
MORE AVORK IN THE GULCHES. 
 
 197 
 
 " Can't you come in and talk to me ? " 
 
 '' ril come in if the guards will allow it," and Eaii 
 looked at the men. 
 
 "Go on in; but leave yer gun with me, if yer got 
 one," was the reply, from the man who had lirst ad- 
 dressed Earl. 
 
 " I haven't any i)istol," oaid the youth, and passed 
 into the shed. Randy was about to follow, but the 
 guard stopped him. "• One's enough, my lad ; you 
 wait outside." And Randy fell back into the crowd, 
 which kept increasing every minute. 
 
 From those around him. Randy learned that Guard- 
 ley was being held for the theft of eighty ounces of 
 gold dust, which had been buried by a miner, named 
 Cozzins, under the flooring of his tent. Cozzins had 
 missed his gold tJiat morning, and three other miners 
 had testified to seeing Guardiey sneaking around the 
 place, in company with another man, presumably Tom 
 Roland. Roland and the gold were both gone, and 
 Guardiey had been " collared " just as he was about to 
 leave for Dawson City. The miners around Smedley's 
 had held a meeting, and it was likely that Guardiey 's 
 crime would cost him his life. 
 
 " For you see we ain't got nc jails here," explained 
 one miner. "An' to leave sech a measly critter run 
 would be puttin' a premium on crime." 
 
 When Earl came out of the shed l.is face was very 
 pale, and he was on the point of passing the guards 
 
I 
 
 198 
 
 TO ALASKA Foil COLD. 
 
 without a word, when they stopped him. "Well, wot 
 did ye make out?" demanded one, laconically. 
 
 "He says he didn't take the gold — that tlie robhery 
 was planned and executed by his partner. It is awful 
 to think of taking his life." 
 
 "It's his own fault, lad — he should have thunk o' 
 those things afore he consented to help on the job." 
 
 " When will they — they — " 
 
 "Perform the ceremony? I reckon some time be- 
 tween now an' sunrise, onless the crowd changes its 
 mind. They're goin' to talk it over agin ez soon as Coz- 
 zins comes back. He's huntin' fer tliet other rascal." 
 
 After this Earl joined Randy, who was anxious to 
 hear what Guardley had had to say. The two walked 
 some distance away. 
 
 " I believe Tom Roland stole the gold," began Earl, 
 " but Guardley was willing he should, and he remained 
 on guard around the tent while Roland dug it up, so 
 he's just as guilty." 
 
 " But to take his life — " shuddered Randy. 
 
 " I hope they change their minds about that. And, 
 by the way, we were right about that money in Boston. 
 Roland got that, and he had that lost letter, too. 
 Guardley admitted it, although he didn't give me any 
 particulars. He is trying to lay the blame of every- 
 thing on Roland." 
 
 A shout interrupted tlie conversation at this point. 
 Cozzins had come back after an exciting but fruitless 
 
i 
 
 MOllK WOIiK IN THE (lULC^HES. 
 
 191) 
 
 chase. At his appearance the scene took on a new ac- 
 tivity, and the wouUl-be lynching party moved to the 
 front of the so-called store, where half a dozen tlaring 
 torches and two smoking kerosene lamps lit up the weird 
 scene. Here Cozzins told his story, and then Guardley 
 was brought out, trembling in every liml). He begged 
 over and over again to be let go, and his earnestness 
 had its effect even on the man who had been robbed. 
 A talk lasting a (piarter of an hour followed, and then 
 Guardley was given his choice of two sentences, — the 
 one being that already pronounced, and the other being 
 a whip-lashing on his bare back, and a drumming out 
 of the camp, with the warning that if he ever showed 
 up there again, he was to be shot on sight. With a 
 long sigh of relief he chose the latter punishment, and 
 was ordered to strip, while Cozzins prepared for his 
 part in the affair, by hunting up the hardest and 
 strongest rawhide dog-whip to be found. 
 
 " I don't want to see the whi[)ping," whispered 
 Randy; "let us go home. Poor (iuardley ! I guess 
 Cozzins will make him suffer as he has never suffered 
 before ! " 
 
 " I hope it teaches hiir a lesson to turn over a new 
 leaf," answered i^^arl. " But I'm afraid there isn't any 
 reform to Guardley. He hasn't even enough manliness 
 to shoulder his share of the blame, but tries to put it 
 all off on Roland. Come on." And they turned away 
 without another word. Before they were out of hear- 
 
 
200 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 ing distance of the camp, a shriek rent the air, telling 
 that Guardley's punishment had already begun. 
 
 The boys had expected their uncle to come back by 
 Tuesday as told ; but in the afternoon one of the miners, 
 working down Mosquito Hollow, brought word from 
 Dawson City that Mr. Portney could not get his lumber 
 for two or three days, and might be absent the remainder 
 of the week in consequence. So there was nothing to 
 do but to keep on working at the claims with the hand 
 pans, and this Randy and Earl did, Fred helping them 
 as far as he was able. The boy who had been so ill- 
 treated and half starved was growing stronger rapidly, 
 and he showed a willingness to do even the most disa- 
 greeable things which was as astonishing as it was 
 gratifying. 
 
 Friday found the trio working up along a little 
 split in the rocks on the right bank of the gulch. The 
 split was not over two feet wide by twelve feet long, and 
 it was filled with gravel and muck, with here and there 
 the nest of a field mouse among the tundra. Earl had 
 suggested clearing out the split, and he had gone in 
 first to loosen the gravel with his pick. About three 
 loads of soil had been removed and carted down to the 
 gulch stream, and now Earl found the balance of the 
 split blocked by a huge rock. 
 
 " Doesn't seem to amount to much," he said, throw- 
 ing down his tools to mop the perspiration from his 
 brow. 
 
 
^! 
 
 MUUE WORK IN THE GULCHES. 
 
 201 
 
 " Let me go in there," suggested Fred, and caught 
 up the pick. Swinging the tool over his shoulder, he 
 brought it down with all force at a spot where the rock 
 showed a slight crack. 
 
 " Look out, or you'll break that pick ! " called out 
 Randy, when the front half of the rock fell away, and 
 Fred had to jump up to avoid having his feet crushed. 
 As he made the leap, his eyes caught sight of a sur- 
 face of yellow half hidden by muck and moss. He 
 struck at it with the pick, and out came a nugget 
 nearly as big as his fist. He grabbed it up in a trans- 
 port of delight. 
 
 " Look ! look ! A nugget ! Oh, what a big fellow ! 
 How much do you think it's worth?" he cried; and 
 rubbed the muck off with his coat sleeve. " It looks 
 as if it was solid ! " 
 
 " It is almost solid," said Earl, weighing the find in 
 his hand. " It's worth two or three hundred dollars at 
 least." And then he added, by way of a caution, 
 " You'll have to remember, Fred, that this is my 
 uncle's claim." 
 
 " Oh, I know that. But it ought to be worth some- 
 thing for finding it," said Fred, wistfully. 
 
 " Certainly, we'll make it right." 
 
 " Of course we will," added Handy. " Let us see if 
 there are any more nuggets in there. This may be a 
 pocket, like the one I found on Prosper Gulch." He 
 went forward, but Earl was ahead of him, and was 
 
 !3[ 
 
 I 
 
202 
 
 TO AliASKA KOIt (}()|J>. 
 
 tPl 
 
 usiiii^ llio picOc with all llu? sjx'ccl aiid skill sit his com- 
 mand. As the rcmaiiidtir of i\n) rock came away, a 
 mass of sand, j^ravcl, and dirt followed. 
 
 "Here arc four small nuj^^j^cls," said Randy, picking 
 them up. '' Fifly-(h)llar (inds, every one of them." 
 
 Karl said nothinj^, althonj^h lie heard the talk. lie 
 had espied a c^lojun of dull yellow wedged in between 
 the side of the split and a second rock. lie tried to 
 force the second ro(^k out, and as it moved forward 
 the ji^leam of yellow became larj^er and larger, until his 
 hand could not have covered it. lie worked on franti- 
 cally, hardly daring to breathe. At last the rock fell 
 and the face of the nugget lay reveahul, shaped very 
 much like the sole and heel of a large man's shoe. 
 
 "What have you got?" asked Randy and Fred 
 simultaneously, seeing something was up ; but Earl 
 kept right on, picking aw ay below the find, and to both 
 sides. It seemed to him the thing would never come 
 out, and as he realized how large the nugget was, his 
 hands trembled so he could scarcely hold the pick. 
 " I've struck a fortune ! " he muttered, at last, in a 
 strangely hoarse voice. " See if anybody is looking. 
 Randy." And then the nugget came loose, and he 
 clutched it in both hands and held it up, — a dull, 
 dirty, yellowish lump, worth at least three thousand 
 dollars 1 
 
 > .: 
 
coin- 
 /ay, a 
 
 
 • 
 
 itwoeii 
 icd to 
 )r\vaiHl 
 liil liis 
 fraiiti- 
 ck fell 
 (1 very 
 
 I 
 
 J • 
 
 Fred 
 
 t Earl 
 
 o both 
 
 r come 
 
 as, Ills 
 
 pick, 
 in a 
 )okiii<jf, 
 
 nd he 
 dull, 
 
 usaiid 
 
 CHAPTER xxvr. 
 
 SLUICE FJOXKS AND JMIKI'A IIATIONS FOIl WINTP^Il. 
 
 A NiuuM'yr worth three thousand dollars was, by 
 far, the largest find yet made in that district, and the 
 three young miners could scarcely believe it true, as 
 they surveyed the lump in Karl's hands. 
 
 "Do you suppose it's pure gold?" asked Randy, as 
 he took it from his brother. " It's heavy enough." 
 
 "I think it's almost pure," said Earl. "We've 
 struck it rich this time. Be sure and keej) your mouth 
 shut, both of you, or we'll have all of (iold IJottom up 
 here," he added. " We've got at least four thousand 
 dollars' worth of stuff out of there, so far, and goodness 
 only knows how much more there is." 
 
 " Here come a couple of miners now," whispered 
 Fred, happening to glance down tlie gulch. He 
 dropped some of the smaller nuggets into his pockets, 
 while Randy took care of the rest. Earl let the large 
 lump fall into the dirt and covered it up with tundra 
 muck. 
 
 "Well, pards, how air ye makin' it?" asked one of 
 the miners, as he halted on the edge of the gulch. 
 
 203 
 
 ' i 
 
 1 1 
 
204 
 
 TO ALASKA I'ow (loLD. 
 
 "Oil, wo'n; (loiiit^ riiii'ly well," uiiswcred Karl, as 
 coolly as lie could, although still liijL,dily excited. 
 ''VVlicro arc you houud?" 
 
 '''riiouiifht we'd try it over to Hunker Creek. Some 
 good re[)orts from there this week." 
 
 '* So Tve heard," said Uaiidy. "• I wonder if it would 
 pay us to go over." 
 
 '* It might — everyhody has an equal chance, ye 
 know," said the second miniM-. ^ Say, do ye calkerlate 
 to git anything outer thet split?" lie went on, with a 
 look of disdain on his face. 
 
 *'l thought T would see what was in it," said Earl. 
 •'If a fellow don't try, he'll never find anything." 
 
 "Ye won't git nutliin' out o' thar; the split don't 
 lay right. Better go up to the top end o' your claim ; 
 ye'll stand more chance thar." And after a few words 
 more the two miners moved off, and the boys breathed 
 easier. 
 
 "That shows what he knows about it," said Earl, 
 when he dared to broach the subject. " Wouldn't lie 
 open his eyes if he knew the truth ? " 
 
 " And wouldn't he be in for squeezing a claim right 
 on top of us? " added Randy. " No ; we had best keep 
 this find to ourselves, at least until we've found just 
 what is in the split and how far a^\ ay from the gulch 
 it runs." 
 
 " Throw all the nuggets into the hole over yonder," 
 said Earl, "and cover them up. We'll take them to the 
 
I II 
 
 I'KEI'AIIATIONS KOll WINTKU. 
 
 20/5 
 
 Earl, 
 I't lie 
 
 right 
 
 keep 
 
 II just 
 
 I gulch 
 
 ider," 
 
 to the 
 
 tent to-iiiglil, iiiid hiiry Ukmii in some s;if(! plju'O. T'lii 
 going iilicii<l." Ami Ik; hcgini lo pick away as tlioiigli 
 liis lilc (IfptMidc'd upon it, wiiili! Uaiidy and Vh'a[ w^cuit 
 over IJK! sand, gravul, and dirt witli their hIiovoIs and 
 hands, to picdv out sonu; small nnggiits, which tliey 
 found to tho nundjci' of iorty-thrct!, sonic not larger 
 than a grain of rice, and others the size of coff(!e hcans. 
 
 "Here is another lnin[)," said Karl, presently, and 
 brought out a thin sheet of gold, mixed with stone. 
 *•• I shouldn't wonder if there is a layer of quartz rock 
 somewhere along here, although 1 don't see anything of 
 it yet. I guess this lum|) will [)r()duce thirty or forty 
 dollars*' worth of gold nu)re. l^retty good for five min- 
 utes' work." And he went at it agaiu with renewed 
 vigor, scattering the sand and gravel behind him, like 
 u mother hen looking for worms. 
 
 An hour later the split was cleaned out so far as it 
 could ])e accomplished with the tools at hand. There 
 remained a small crack still, running downward three 
 feet, as Earl ascertained by testing it with a l)erry-bush 
 switch. What there might be at tlie bottom of the 
 crack there was no telling, although it nuist contain 
 some gold, if only in dust. Three additional nuggets 
 had been unearthed, one as large as a pint measure and 
 finer in appearance than any of the rest. Making sure 
 they were not observed, the lirst nuggets were again 
 brought forth, and each took a i)ortion of them to carry 
 home. The largest was tied up in Earl's coat, which 
 
 i! i 
 
 
 » 
 
■' 
 
 20G 
 
 TO AliASKA KOIl (SOU). 
 
 i! 
 
 I- |:i 
 
 !"T . 
 
 
 
 'I 
 
 \ui slung ciut'lt'ssly over his shoulder us lie trudged 
 aloii<j^. 
 
 " Worth live to six thousand dollars if they are 
 worth a cent," said Earl, as he surveyed the lot in the 
 privacy of their tent. " And we haven't begun to wash 
 up yet nor tested that little crack. This is the best 
 luck yet." 
 
 Some of iheir findings had already been put down in 
 a hole under the bedding in the tent. The hole was 
 now opened and the new findings added, Earl first 
 making a list of the nuggets, to give to his uncle. 
 The ground was pounded down hard after this, so 
 that if anybody wanted to dig the treasure up, he 
 would find it a day's labor. Nearly all the miners 
 buried their large finds, it being the only protection 
 to be had. 
 
 On Saturday Mr. Portney came back, bringing with 
 him three Indians loaded down with huuber and hard- 
 ware. He was much surprised to see Fred, and was 
 on the point of giving the lad a good talking to when 
 liandy called him aside and explained the situation. 
 Earl, also, i)ut in a good word for Fred ; and then, 
 when the Indians were paM jff and discharged, the 
 subject was dropped, by both boys telling of the won- 
 derful find which had been made. Of course Foster 
 Portney was greatly interested, and he smiled when 
 Jlandy particularly mentioned how Fred had brought 
 out the first nugget and caused Earl to investigate 
 further, 
 
PUKPAUAIMONS VitM WINTKIt. 
 
 207 
 
 are 
 
 '' You (jurtjiiiily dcscivc^ (ucdil lor llijit, Dohson," 
 Ik; .said. " Vmi sliail liiivt; your full share of what- 
 ever 'he luiL^^iil proves to ])e worth. As for that 
 little split, the ouly thiu^- we can (h> is to bh)W it 
 oi)eu with dyuaujite, and, luckily, I hrouj^ht a can of 
 
 the stutl' fi 
 
 Di 
 
 awson lor just sucn an emergency. 
 
 Foster Portney had heard about (luardley, and had 
 also heard that some C'anadian mounted police, who 
 had arrived at Dawson City, were on Tom Roland's 
 trail, (iuardley had turned up at Forty Mile Post 
 whipped half to death, and it was doubtful whether 
 he would get over his punishment. 
 
 On Sunday the question of whether Fred Dobson 
 should remain as one of the party or not was fully 
 discussed. The lad oll'ered to work for nothing if 
 oidy given his board and such clothing as he needed, 
 and Randy and Karl said Fred could certainly cook as 
 well as any of them and was getting more used to using 
 a pick and a shovel every day. Seeing that his 
 nephews wanted the runaway to be taken in, Mr. Port- 
 ney at last said he would " let it go at that." 
 
 "I'll feed you and clotlie you," he added, "and if 
 we come out all right next spring Fll pay your passage 
 baclj: to Basco and give you a little extra in the bar- 
 gain. But you've got to hustle the same as the rest of 
 us ; that is, as far as your strength and health will 
 permit." And Fred said he understood and was 
 thankful for the chance, and would do his level beijt. 
 
 I 
 
 III 
 
$ 
 
 208 
 
 TO ALASKA I'OIJ (iOMK 
 
 And ho (lid do Ids l(»V(d lu'st IVoin (liat. Ikmit fordi. II is 
 
 
 0XHIMM01U'(> 
 
 liiul Ih>imi a hilliT o]n\ hul at (Ik^ saiini liiiui 
 
 it had luv'u llu^ hosl, in (ho world 'l\)i' him, — tixac-My 
 
 w 
 
 hat I 
 
 w n(H>t 
 
 hMl. 
 
 Tho days which followod woro hnsy onos. With the 
 lunduM- hrouLi^ht in, Foster i*orlnev iind the hoys i;on- 
 strneted thret>. shiit'(» boxes, wlueh, alter eoniphUion, 
 were set up at eonvenient points in the jj^nleh, wheni 
 the water niii;ht easily ho turned on and oil" in tiiein. 
 Each hox was tifleen IV'et. lonuf and a. loot scpiare, open 
 iit eaeh end and at the toj), the latter havin«^ a tew 
 braces across to keej) the sides stitT. At tho bottom 
 of the hox suKi'd cleats about an inch hiij^h were i)lacc(l 
 at intervals of tifteen inches apart, (he last cleat, at tho 
 lower end of the box, beini^ a trille higher than tho rest. 
 
 A sluice box done, it w^as carried to the s[)ot selootod 
 for it and planted tirmly, with its lower end in tho 
 stream and its upper end elevated from one to two 
 feet. Then the up})er end of the stream was run into 
 it hv means of a water trouiifh. The box was now 
 ready for use. By shovoUiui'' <lirt in at the upper end 
 and allowing the water to run through, tho dirt was 
 gradually washed down and out at the lower end, 
 leaviuiT the heavy cfold io settle to tho bottom and 
 pile up along the upper sides of the cleats previously 
 mentioned. At night the water was turned aside and 
 the day's accumulation of gold was scraped away from 
 the eleat*^. 
 
 1 1' 
 
IMMCPAltAiroNS KOIt WINTKIf, 
 
 liO!) 
 
 "Wo (!;ui <l() ;i 'hmmI dcul moic wili/ llic Koxcs tliun 
 
 w« c.iin \vi 
 
 ill ti 
 
 M! 
 
 tuns. 
 
 SUKi 
 
 I' 
 
 ostrr 
 
 I'orl 
 
 iicy 
 
 And 
 
 wluil 
 
 WHS 
 
 liinir \V(5 Wiinl l*» do ninsl Im; doni; liclorc, rold 
 
 woailior Slits in and Ilic n'lilcli fnu'/ds up." 
 
 It must not \n'. sii|»|M)S(mI tliat tl:'; slit in fix; rocks 
 had hocii i'oi'<:jott(;n. To tli(! (tontniry, all iiands iiad 
 ol"t()n H[)ol\(;ii of it, and as soon as I Ik; sluice boxes were 
 finisliud every one in tlic chiitn turned to IIk* |)i;icc. 
 Tvv(; .sticks of dyh.uiiit(! were piiiccd in t he slit and set 
 ofT, and tim ro(dc hlown into a tiiousand I'laL^nieids. 
 
 TIm! I)last reveahul an ofn'iiinLC henealh the slit- which 
 was a yard wi(h) and twic" as de(!|). I'his oj»enin^ was 
 lilled with loose sand and «liit, and at the hottoni of all 
 was a tliiek Liyer of <^old dnst, sli<^litly inix<;d with 
 silver. 'I'lit\y serai)ed the dnst \i[> wit h <(r(!at care, and 
 found that it would v(!ry nearly (ill a ([iiart nieasnn;. 
 They hunted (ia,!^erly foi iiu<^i^(!ts, hut no more could 
 be found, and the quartz roek Karl had iioped for failed 
 to appear. 
 
 "Never mhid; we can't expect too much luck," said 
 Mr. Portney- "A. heap of dust like this is find (^nou^di 
 for one day. L(}t us scra[K; the; hoh; thoroui^hly and 
 cart the dirt (hjwii to tlie nearest sluice; hox.' This 
 was done and they examiu(;d the vicinity carefullv for 
 another slit, hut none 
 
 appe 
 
 V 
 
 on Prosper Gulcli, was now exhausted, and with a si^-h 
 Randy and Earl turnci away to the re^ndar work of 
 washing for dust. Each had one of the boxes allotted 
 
 l^^ 
 
.. J i 
 
 / 
 
 JIO 
 
 TO ALASIvA V()\l ^ULD. 
 
 to him, while Foster Portney took the third. Fred 
 i/ocupied his time between the three iiiid in eooking the 
 meals ; and thus the balance of the sunnner slipped by 
 until the day came when Mr. Portney announced that 
 they must begin building a cabin and prepare for the 
 long Alaskan winter which would speedily close in 
 around them. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 THE END UF THE SUMMEIl SEASON. 
 
 
 Mr. PoiiTNEV iii^'-l the boys had long since decided 
 where the cabin shouhl be built, up against the side of a 
 cliff, ten feet in height, which overlooked the head of the 
 gulch. All the miners in the locality had agreed that 
 this would be the best spot, and six cabins were to be 
 placed there, for hospitality's sake if for no other reason. 
 Mr. Portney had already ordered the dressed lumber 
 needed from the saw-mill; but as this was costly stuff, 
 and expensive to transport, Karl and Randy had de- 
 clared their intenti(m to go into tiie timl)er back of the 
 cliff and get ou*, whatever of rough wood could be made 
 to do. 
 
 " We're not going in for style," declared Earl. " You 
 cjin get tlie window frames and glass, and the door and 
 the tinishing boards, and we'll get out the rest, won't we, 
 Randy ? '' And his brother agreed with him. 
 
 A week later found the party building in earnest. 
 Over a hundred dollars' wortli of huuber liad been pur- 
 chased, and it had cost as much again to bring it over. 
 Tn the meantime Earl and Randy, aided by Fred, liad 
 brought out from the woods four sticks of timljer for 
 
 211 
 
 H 
 
 T 
 
if! 
 
 212 
 
 TO ALiASKA FOIl GOLD. 
 
 the corner posts of tlie cabin and had whip-sawed tAVO- 
 score of rougli hoards. With tliis material they went to 
 work, and fonr pairs of willing liands soon caused the 
 building to take definite shape. Seeing them at work, 
 the other miners also got at it, and soon there was saw- 
 ing and hammering all day long beneath the cliff. 
 
 Of necessity the cabin was a simple affair. It was 
 set partly i tJ)e Hat rock and partly on the hard 
 ground, and . twenty feet wide by twelve feet 
 deep, the back resting almost against the cliff. In 
 the front was a door and a window, and tliere was an- 
 other window at the end nearest to the door. Inside, a 
 spare bhmket divided the space into two compartments, 
 the first, the one having the door, being the general 
 living-room, and the second being the sleeping-room. 
 In the living-room was placed a cooking-stove, a rude 
 table, and four home-made chairs, while the sleeping- 
 room was provided with four bunks, ranged along the 
 rear and end walls. Later on a closet was built for 
 the cooking-utensils, but for the present these were 
 piled up in a corner. 
 
 Foster Portney was very particular that all the 
 cracks in the side walls of the cabin should be filled 
 in with mud, and the top, which was nearly on a 
 level with the cliff, was also made Avater and wind 
 tight, excepting where a circular hole was left for 
 the upper section of a stovepipe. 
 
 As soon as the cabin was in habitable shape, an 
 
ed two- 
 went to 
 sed tlie 
 t work, 
 as sjiw- 
 [f. 
 
 It was 
 
 le hard 
 
 v8 feet 
 
 iff- In 
 
 was an- 
 
 nside, a 
 
 tineiits, 
 
 general 
 
 ^-room. 
 
 a rude 
 
 eeping- 
 
 ug the 
 
 lilt for 
 
 b were 
 
 11 the 
 filled 
 on a 
 wind 
 
 ft for 
 
 )e, an 
 
 THE END OF THE SUMMER SEASON. 
 
 21^ 
 
 account (jf all the provisions on hand was taken. It 
 was found that the canned vegetables had run low 
 and that they also needed more flour. A list of 
 necessities was made out, and Earl and his uncle 
 started away to Dawson City to purchase them, know- 
 ing that prices were advancing every day and that 
 the goods on hand at the stin-e were liable to give out 
 long before the demand for tliem should cease. 
 
 Fred had asked to go out into the woods to see what 
 he could shoot, he being a fairly good shot and thor- 
 oughly familiar with the use of a gun. It was thought 
 best not to let him go alone, and he and Kandy went 
 together, leaving the cabin in care of the miners who 
 were building close at hand. 
 
 The hunt in the woods was hardly a success. After 
 tramping around for two hours they brought down 
 several birds of a species unknown to them and one 
 small deer, smaller than any Randy liad ever seen in 
 Maine. Otherwise the woods were bare of game, and 
 by the middle of the afternoon they gave it up. 
 
 "When Earl comes back I'll ask my uncle to let the 
 three of us go over to tlie river," said Randy. "I've 
 heard there are good chances there for wild goose, 
 snipe, and plover." 
 
 " Yes, and we might put in a day fishing. Even salt 
 and smoked fish wouldn't go bad during the winter," 
 added Fred. He was growing hardy and strong and 
 took a deep interest in all that was going on. 
 
 I 
 
 t 
 
 I! ' 
 
 taJAa!^ 
 
214 
 
 TO ALASKA FOIl (J OLD. 
 
 It was two flays before Mr. Portney and Earl re- 
 turned, bringing with them all they and two Indians 
 could carry. The provisions included an extra hundred 
 pounds of flour, for which they had paid fifty dollars, 
 some canned peas and tomatoes, fifteen pounds of dried 
 apples and California apricots, and some coffee, sugar, 
 salt, and smoked bacon. In an extra package Earl also 
 carried a beefsteak weighing two pounds and for which 
 he had paid five dollars. 
 
 " It's Randy's birthday to-morrow," he said, " and 
 we're going to celebrate in a style I know you'll all 
 admire." And every one laughed and agreed with him, 
 for they had not had any fresh beef smce leaving the 
 steamboat at Dyea. 
 
 Foster Portney was quite willing that the three boys 
 should take a trip over to the Yu^on to see what could 
 be found in the way of fish and game, and it was 
 arranged that they should be gone three days. The 
 start was made on Monday morning. 
 
 They travelled altogether by compass through the 
 woods, managing on the way to knock over enough 
 birds to serve them for their meals. On the morning 
 of the second day they struck the Yukon about midway 
 between Dawson City and Ogilvie. As they came in 
 sight of the broad stream Earl halted the crowd and 
 pointed straight ahead. 
 
 " Look at the snipe ! " he said. "Now is our chance. 
 Let us all fire together I " 
 
arl re- 
 ndians 
 Lindred 
 iollars, 
 E dried 
 sugar, 
 irl also 
 ' which 
 
 , "and 
 u'll all 
 :h him, 
 ng the 
 
 se boys 
 could 
 it was 
 The 
 
 rh the 
 |nough 
 ►rning 
 lidway 
 Ime in 
 and 
 
 lance. 
 
 
 THE KND OF TUK SlTMMKl^ SEASON. 
 
 215 
 
 Randy and Fred had borrowed shot-guns from their 
 neighbors, and at the signal three reports rang out, and 
 eight of the birds came down. A second shot from 
 Randy, whose gun had a double barrel, brought down 
 three more ; and from that hour on the sport began, 
 lasting until well into the evening, when they had 
 twenty snipe, six plover, and eight wild geese to their 
 credit. 
 
 As late as it was. Earl determined to try his hand at 
 fishing, and soon had his line out. There were a few 
 minutes of waiting, then the bait was taken like a flash, 
 and there followed a lively struggle between the youth 
 and a salmon which weighed over fifteen pounds. Sev- 
 eral times Earl thought he had lost his catch, but each 
 time he recovered, and finally the salmon came in close 
 enough to be swung on shore. Even then he flopped 
 around so lively that Fred had to quiet him by a blow 
 from the stock of his gun. 
 
 Earl's success had fired the others, and soon they 
 were fishing in the pale-blue twilight of the night. 
 They kept it up until after twelve o'clock, when they 
 turned in with a catch of three salmon, several white- 
 fish, and a burbot, which Randy at first took for a codfish. 
 They slept soundly, and early in the morning tried the 
 sport again, starting for home at about noon, and 
 arriving there with their burdens some time after mid- 
 night, worn out but happy. 
 
 It was found that Foster Portney had not been idle 
 
210 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 during tlieir Jibsence. From time to time, as the 
 canned eatables were disposed of, they had saved the 
 tins, and now he had cleaned them out and filled some 
 with such berries as still remained on the bushes about 
 the gulch. To seal the cans up he had brought from 
 Dawson City a stick of lead, and for an iron had used 
 the end of a broken pick. 
 
 " That will give us some fresh berries," he said. 
 " And along with canned salmon, and salted and 
 smoked whitefish, burbot, and wild goose, I reckon 
 we'll get along fairly well, unless the winter proves 
 an extra long one." 
 
 As much as they felt the necessity of preparing for 
 winter, Randy and Earl hated to lose the time when 
 there was the chance to make so much money at the 
 sluice boxes. So as soon as they were able, they got 
 down to the gulch again, and never did two lads work 
 harder. They were accompanied by Fred, and a day 
 later their uncle also joined them. 
 
 The dirt from the pocket had been cleaned up, and it 
 had yielded over twenty ounces of gold. They were 
 now working on the regular sand and gravel scraped 
 from the bedrock of the gulch, and though this did not 
 pay so well, yet it brought in enough to make them all 
 satisfied. There was a good deal of excitement, too, 
 when it came to cleaning out the sluice boxes, for 
 almost every day one or another found a nugget, some- 
 times small, iuid then again as large as a walnut. 
 
THE END OP THE SUMMER SEASON. 
 
 217 
 
 " llow much do you think we are averaging? " asked 
 Handy, one day, and his uncle replied that he could not 
 figure very closely, but he would put it down as over 
 a hundred dollars per day. This meant twenty-five 
 dollars a day as the boy's share, and he felt more con- 
 tent than ever to slave along in the gulch. 
 
 For it was slaving along, this constantly picking and 
 digging and carting the dirt, sand, and gravel to the 
 sluice boxes and throwing it in. Every night Randy's 
 back ached, and sometimes he would come in with feet 
 that were sopping wet, and covered up to his waist 
 with mud and muck. And then he took a touch of the 
 chills and fever, and was down on his back for a week 
 with only Fred to wait on him. The chills and fever 
 went the rounds, and Foster Portney and Earl were 
 stricken at the same time. Fred was the last to catch 
 it ; and by the time he had recovered, winter was at 
 hand. 
 
 The first indication was a rawness in the air, which 
 made them shiver when they turned out in the morn- 
 ing. Then the bushes and the trees quickly lost their 
 leaves, and three days later ice formed in the marshes 
 back of the gulch. The sun came up as usual, but it 
 seemed to have lost its warmth, and all were glad 
 enough to keep on their coats even when working. 
 
 "Two more weeks will fetch it," observed Foster 
 Portney. " We had better wash out as much dirt as 
 possible before the water stops running." 
 
!' 
 
 II 
 
 I! 
 
 -1 I 
 
 1^ 
 
 218 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 Ten days later the thermometer went down with a 
 rush, dropping from lifty-six to but twenty above 
 zero. Going down to the gulch, they found the stream 
 covered with ice, which was half an inch thick. By the 
 next day there was no water to be found, only ice, and 
 even the piles of sand, gravel, and dirt were frozen 
 stiff. A heavy dulness, which oppressed them greatly, 
 hung in the air. Winter luid come, and gold washing 
 for that season was a thing of the past. 
 
 mw 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 SNOWED IN. 
 
 ? 
 
 Although everything in the gulch was frozen up, 
 it must not be supposed that mining there came to an 
 end. While it was true no more washing could be 
 done that season, there was dirt, gravel, and sand to 
 be heaped in convenient spots, ready for the first run 
 of waier in the spring. 
 
 At one end of the claims there was a bank which 
 had been examined by Foster Portney and found to 
 contain very rich pay dirt, and this bank was now at- 
 tacked by all hands and the dirt brought out to the 
 nearest sluice box. To thaw the ground a fire was 
 built up against the bank every night and allowed to 
 burn until morning. Even in extremely cold weather 
 this thawed the bank to a depth of several feet, and 
 when they had scooped out a hole which resembled a 
 baker's oven the thawing-out process was^ it ill more 
 effectual. 
 
 But it was hard and bitter work at the best, and as 
 the cold increased, Fred found he could not stand it, 
 and had to remain in the cabin the greater part of the 
 time, coming out only during the middle of the day. 
 
 219 
 
 Sf 
 
220 
 
 TO ALASKA FOK GOLD. 
 
 Mi*'! 
 
 " This cold g;(iiH into tlio n arrow of a fellow's bones," 
 he said to llandy. " I don't see how you can put up 
 with it." 
 
 " Earl and I were used to pretty tough weather up 
 in the Maine woods, as you know," rej)lie(l Kandy. 
 " I guess an out-and-out city chap would freeze stiff 
 before he had been here a week. The thermometer 
 was down to six below zero this morning." 
 
 The cold had cut off their water supply, and every 
 drop for drinking or cooking had to be obtained by 
 melting ice on the stove. To keep them in fuel, all 
 hands spent four days up in the woods cutting timber, 
 which was allowed to dry out for two weeks, and was 
 then hauled over to the ed(^e of the cliff and tumbled 
 down to a spot between their cabin and that of their 
 nearest neighbor, two hundred feet away. 
 
 By Foster Portney's advice another trip was made 
 by him and Earl to the Yukon River in search of fish 
 for winter use, for fish could now be kept by simply 
 being frozen in a chunk of ice and laid away. The 
 two found the ice on the Yukon over two feet thick, and 
 had to cut fishing-holes with an axe they had brought 
 along for that purpose. They spent a day on the river, 
 fishing and spearing, and were rewarded with a catch 
 of over fifty pounds. Earl had brought the shot-gun, 
 and to the fish were added a dozen small sea-fowl, 
 which were caught on the wing while flying southward. 
 
 " We had better be getting back," observed Foster 
 
 ln'i 
 
SNOWED IN. 
 
 221 
 
 »> 
 
 tones, 
 3ut up 
 
 her np 
 (andy. 
 se stiff 
 ometer 
 
 [ every 
 led l)y 
 Liel, all 
 timber, 
 nd was 
 imbled 
 f their 
 
 5 made 
 of fish 
 simply 
 The 
 i, and 
 ought 
 river, 
 catch 
 t-gun, 
 fowl, 
 iward. 
 Foster 
 
 Portney, early on the following morning. " Unless T 
 am greatly mistaken we shall have a lieavy fall of snow 
 by to-night." 
 
 As they did not wish to bo caught in a storm, they 
 started on the return to the gulch as rapidly as their 
 loads would permit. They were still in the woods 
 when the first flakes began to fall. With the com- 
 ing of the snow the wind began to rise, shaking the 
 bare limbs above them savagely and causing a lively 
 tumble of dead branches on every side. Not to become 
 storm-bound, they increased theii- pace, reaching the 
 lower end of the gulch by six o'clock in the evening. 
 They could hardly see before them, so thickly did tlie 
 flakes come down, and both considered tliemselves for- 
 tunate in having struck familiar ground. Hy the time 
 the cabin was reached the snow was six inches deep. 
 
 " We thought you'd be snowed under I " cried 
 Randy, as he opened the door to let them in. He had 
 been watching anxiously since the snow began to fall. 
 "It's going to be an awful night." 
 
 He was right ; it was an awful night — more so than 
 any of them had anticipated. After a hot supper they 
 retired to their bunks to sleep, only to be aroused about 
 midnight by the roar of the wind as it tore through the 
 woods and along the gulch with the force of a hurri- 
 cane. The snow was coming down "in chunks," as 
 Randy put it, and mingled with it were tree branches, 
 small brush, and dried tundra. In one corner of the 
 
E \H 
 
 222 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 ll 
 
 
 J 
 
 
 5; 
 
 i 
 
 ili' 
 
 I!'' 
 
 WF:\ 
 
 mX\ 
 
 '■«t 
 
 cabip the wind had found a crack about six inches 
 long and less than a sixteenth of an nich wide, and 
 througli tl "s crack tlie snow had sifted over the entire 
 floor. 
 
 " Jerusalem ! the roof is coming down ! " cried Earl, 
 when they had been up a few minutes, and while his 
 uncle was stuffing a piece of cloth in the crack men- 
 tioned. There was a great noise overhead as the 
 hurricane tore away the top joint of the stovepipe. 
 Through the opening poured a lot of snow, which, 
 falling on the hot stove, sent up a cloud of steam. To 
 stop the snow from coming in, Foster Portney climbed 
 up on the top of the table and nailed a bit of a board 
 over the hole. 
 
 " We can't have tliat stovepipe up there, that's cer- 
 tain," he said. " We'll have to stick it out of the side 
 w'ndow. It won't look very elegant, but I reckon 
 we're not keeping house on looks up here." And by 
 their united efforts the sto\e was swung around in 
 front of the little window, and the upper end of v.'^hat 
 was left of the pipe was twisted around and pointed 
 outside, after one of the small window panes had been 
 taken out. Around the pipe Mr. Portney fitted, a 
 square sheet of tin, obtained from an empty tomato 
 can. Then the floor was cleared of snow and the fire 
 started up afresh. 
 
 The hurricane, or blizzard, lasted until six o'clock in 
 the morning, and during that time nobody thought of 
 
SNOWED IN. 
 
 223 
 
 go'ng to sleep again. The cabin shook and rocked, and 
 had it not been for the shelter of the cliff would have 
 gone to pieces. The snow kept jnling higher and 
 higher until it threatened to cut off the smokepipe 
 
 again. 
 
 "Perhaps we'll have to swing tiie stove around to 
 the front," said Foster Portney. " We can let the 
 pipe out near the roof, and build a little hood over it, 
 so that the snow from the cliff can blow right over 
 into the gulch." And later on this was done. 
 
 "This will stop work in the gulch," said Randy. 
 " it's too bad ! What on earth are we going to do 
 with ourselves from now until next spring?" 
 
 " We'll try to keep alive and well. Randy," returned 
 Mr. Portney, seriously. " Remember, from now on 
 comes the tug-of-war, as the old saying goes." 
 
 But work was not over, as Randy had surmised. 
 To be sure, when the storm ceased at noon it was 
 found the snow was nearly three feet deep on the level. 
 But a day's labor sufficed to beat down a path to the 
 bank in the pulch, and once again the fires were started 
 and the work of getting the dirt to the sluice boxes re- 
 sumed. The clearing of the storta had left it stinging 
 cold, and all were glad enough lo hustle lively in order 
 to keep warm. They worked with their overcoats on 
 and with their feet encased in several pairs of woollen 
 socks, and even then spent much time around the fire, 
 " thawing out," to use Randy's words. 
 
224 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 1>hU.\ 
 
 ni 
 
 The work in the bank, however, paid them well. 
 Four days aftei tlie fall of snow, Foster Portney 
 struck several rocks to one side of the rise and 
 located another pocket of nuggets. They were all 
 small fellows, the largest about the size of a hickory 
 nut, but the nuggets numbered nearly half a hundred 
 and caused a good deal of excitement. 
 
 "It's another fifteen hundred or two thousand dol- 
 lars to our credit," said Mr. Portney. " And not only 
 that, but this dirt is as rich as that taken from the 
 pocket over yonder. We haven't struck a million, but 
 we are doing remarkably well." 
 
 " I w onder how Captain Zoss and Dr. Barwaithe 
 are making out," said Earl. They had not heard 
 from their former partners for nearly a month, when 
 a miner had brought word to the effect that they had 
 just located a claim on a gulch heading into Hunker 
 Creek, the third strike since leaving Mosquito Hollow. 
 
 " I imagine they are not doing any better than we 
 are," replied his uncle. " If they were, we should have 
 heard of it. It may pay to strike aroand, more or less, 
 but I believe in giving a claim a fair trial before aban- 
 doning it." 
 
 Less than a week later it began to snow again. 
 The sky was heavy, and even at midday it did not 
 brighten up. They had gone down to the gulch 
 directly after breakfast, but now returned to the cabin, 
 to fix up tlie stovepipe as previously mentioned, and 
 
SNOWED IN. 
 
 90 n 
 
 to cut enouirh small v/ood to last for several weeks, 
 ivli were hard at work when tliey saw two wliite men 
 and two Indians approaching, tlie latter driving hefore 
 them two dog teams attached to a pair of Alaskan 
 sledges, piled high with miners' ontfits. The two 
 men were Dr. Barwaithe and Captain Zoss. 
 
 " It's a sight good fer sore eyes to see ye ag'in ! " 
 exclaimed the captain, as he shook hands with Mr. 
 Portney and the boys. "I couldn't keep away no 
 longer. How are ye all?" 
 
 *'• We are very well," said Foster Portney. " How 
 have you been doing?" 
 
 " Only fairly well," answered the doctor. " To tell 
 the truth, I don't think it paid to strike out. We have 
 a little dust, but no more, I imagine, tlian we should 
 have had had we remained with you." 
 
 The pair had come over to ■ " if they could not 
 arrange to remain at the cabin throuq-!i the winter, 
 fearing that they would find it very lones( me if tlicy 
 went off by themselves. They had brought along all 
 their things, including a stock of provisions, an<l were 
 willing to pay whatever was fair in addition. As 
 their company would no doubt prove very acceptable 
 during the long, cheerless days to come, they .e 
 taken in without question. 
 
 " We can put up two more bunks somewhere," said 
 Foster Portney. " And though we may be rather 
 crowded, I reckon we'll manage it." He had taken a 
 
mmf 
 
 Wu ''''' 
 
 i - 
 
 \ 1 I' 
 
 : I ■'■ 
 
 1 
 
 1 ii; 
 
 226 
 
 TO ALASKA FOK GOLD. 
 
 great fancy to the doctor, and was pleased to think he 
 would not have to depend altogether on the boys for 
 companionship. As for the boys, Randy declared that 
 the presence of the jovial captain would make every 
 day seem several hours shorter. Fred, whose story 
 had been told in secret, also took to the newcomers, 
 and all together they formed a happy family. 
 
 But the height of the winter was now on them, and it 
 was destined to keep its grip for many long weeks and 
 months to come. The storm that had started on the 
 day the doctor and the captain arrived kept up with 
 more or less vigor for a week, and by that time they 
 found themselves snowed in completely. The ther- 
 mometer kept going down steadily, registering as low 
 as fifteen degrees below zero, and on more than one 
 occasion the pail of wattr standing up against the side 
 of the stove was frozen solid. To keep thoroughly 
 warm was impossible, even though they wrapped 
 themselves in all the clothing and blankets their out- 
 fits afforded. 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 # 
 
link he 
 'oys for 
 ed that 
 ! every 
 J story 
 jomers, 
 
 , and it 
 ks and 
 on the 
 p with 
 e they 
 ) ther- 
 as low 
 m one 
 le side 
 )ughly 
 •apped 
 r out- 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 WAITING AND WATCHING FOR SPRING. 
 
 « Perhaps it isn't cold ! I never felt so frozen up 
 in my life ! " 
 
 It was Randy who uttered the words, as he danced 
 around the floor of the living-room, almost on top of 
 the stove. The fire had burned low during the night, 
 and he had just shoved in some fresh wood and opened 
 the draughts. Going to the little window of the sleep- 
 ing-apartment, he looked through the single pane of 
 glass at the thermometer, which hung on the casement 
 outside. The mercury registered twenty-two degrees 
 below zero. 
 
 " Twenty-two degrees below, and this is Christmas 
 morning ! " he went on, with another shiver. " The 
 best thing Santa Claus can bring us is warmer 
 weather." 
 
 " Merry Christmas ! " cried Fred, tumbling out of 
 his bunk, and his cry awoke the others, and the greet- 
 ing went the whole round. The fire was now blazing 
 with a vigor which threatened to crack the stove, yet as 
 they talked they could see each other's breath. Every 
 one was stamping around to get his blood in circulation. 
 
 227 
 
 $ 
 
228 
 
 TO ALASKA FOU (JOLD. 
 
 "I'll giv(3 ye some hot coffee and Christmiis flap- 
 jacks ! " said tlie cai)taiii ; and soon a smell wliicli was 
 most appetizing was floating through the air, and they 
 sat down at the table, which had been placed as close 
 to the fire as possible. Indeed, "hugging the stove" 
 was a common trick all day long, and Fred often 
 grumbled because he could not take the stove to bed 
 with him. The boys were waking up to the fact that 
 an Alaskan winter was "• two winters in one," as Earl 
 said, when compared with those experienced at home. 
 
 It had been snowing again ; indeed, it snowed about 
 half the time now, and even in the middle of the day 
 it was so dark they could scarcely see, excepting right 
 in front of the windows. Some time previous several 
 Indians had appeared with fish oil and some dried fat 
 fish to sell, and they had purchased a quantity of both 
 for lighting purposes. The oil was used in a lamp 
 made of a round tin having a home-made wick hang- 
 ing over the side. The fat fish, dried very hard, were 
 slit in strips and set up, to be lighted and burnt as tal- 
 low candles. ]\Iany of the Indians and th( Esquimaux 
 have no lights but these dried-fish candles. The smell 
 from them is far from pleasant, but they are certainly 
 better than nothing. 
 
 As it was a holiday, the boys felt they must do some- 
 thing. But what to do was the question, until Fred 
 suggested they try their hand at making some candy. 
 They were allowed just a pound of sugar by the men, 
 
 I 
 
WAITING AND WATCHING FOR SIMIING. 
 
 :220 
 
 Earl 
 
 I some- 
 Fred 
 
 |andy. 
 men, 
 
 and worked themselves half sick over the wood nre 
 until noon, when the candy was declared done. It 
 was a sort of tJiffy; and although it would not have 
 added to the reputation of a skilled confectioner, all 
 hands partook of their sliare of it, and declared it 
 excellent. 
 
 Just before being snowed in Mr. Portney had be- 
 come the possessor of two newspapers and a magazine, 
 and much of the time was spent by one or another 
 over these. The magazine was rather a heavy one, yet 
 the boys read it through from cover to cover, includ- 
 ing all the advertisements. It contained among other 
 stories one which was continued, and to pass away 
 the time they tried to invent a conclusion. This self- 
 imposed task amused the doctor also, and he took a 
 hand and finished the tale in a manner which took 
 three evenings to tell. 
 
 And so New Year's Day came and went, and still 
 they found themselves housed up with the thermome- 
 ter continually at fifteen to twenty degrees below. 
 Once it went down to twenty-six below, and every- 
 thing fairly cracked with the cold. To keep from 
 being frozen, one and another stood guard during the 
 night, that the fire might not go down. During that 
 time they received but scant news from their neighbors, 
 although the cabins along the under side of the cliii' 
 were less than seventy yards apart. Nobody cared to 
 venture out, and even opening the door was something 
 
 J 
 
230 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 
 m 
 
 i 'A ■ 
 lit' 
 
 mi 
 
 U' 
 
 to l)e considered, although the doctor insisted on having 
 a little fresh air. 
 
 " Providence help the poor chaps who are not well 
 provided for this winter," said Mr. Portney, one day. 
 " I shouldn't wonder if some of them are found dead in 
 the spring." 
 
 " To be sure," answered the captain. " I looked ter 
 somethin' putty bad myself, but I didn't expect nuthin' 
 like this. Why, we might jest as well be a-sittin' on 
 the top o' the North Pole. Hain't been a blessed 
 streak o' sunshine fer eight days, an' every time it 
 snows the stuff piles up a foot or so more I It must 
 be nigh on to thirty feet deep in yonder gulch." 
 
 " We'll have to economize with our store before 
 long," put in the doctor. " Flour is running pretty 
 low. Captain, you'll have to give us less flap-jacks — 
 they're too toothsome." 
 
 " Yes, we'll have to come down to plain bread," said 
 Foster Portney. "And maybe eat it stale too," he 
 added. 
 
 Economizing began that day, after Mr. Portney had 
 taken an account of the provisions still left to them. 
 Whatever they had must be made to do for three 
 months yet, and three months meant ninety days, a 
 goodly number for which to provide. 
 
 Slowly the days wore on, every one so much like the 
 others that it seemed impossible to tell them apart. Sun- 
 day was the one day they observed through it all. On 
 
 I 
 
WAITING AND WATCIIINCJ FOR SPUING. 
 
 231 
 
 having 
 
 ot well 
 le day. 
 lead in 
 
 ked ter 
 nuthin' 
 ttin' on 
 blessed 
 ;ime it 
 [t must 
 
 before 
 
 pretty 
 
 acks — 
 
 [," said 
 •0," he 
 
 jy had 
 them, 
 three 
 |ays, a 
 
 :e the 
 Sun- 
 On 
 
 the morning of that the doctor invariably read a cliapter 
 out of the liible he carried, and one or another of the 
 rest offered prayer. " It's right an' proper," said the 
 captain, speaking of this. " We don't want ter live 
 like no heathens, even if we are cast away in an ocean 
 o' snow ! " 
 
 February proved the worst month of all. It snowed 
 nearly the whole time, and it was so dark that they 
 kept the lights lit as long as they dared to consume the 
 fish oil and the dried fish. During that time they saw 
 or heard nothing of their neighbors, who might have 
 died of starvation without their being any the wiser. 
 The snow against the door was five feet high and 
 water was obtained by shovelling this into the pot 
 instead of ice and melting it. 
 
 " Well, it's a dog's life and that's the truth," said 
 Earl one day, in the middle of March. " It's worth all 
 the gold we've found — that's my opinion." It was the 
 first time Earl had grumbled since winter set in, 
 but as he had not had what he called a square meal 
 for a month he can well be pardoned for the speech. 
 
 "If I thought I could get there and back, I would 
 try for some extra provisions from Dawson," said Foster 
 Portney ; but none of the others would hear of his 
 attempting such a trip, feeling certain he would lose 
 his way and perish. 
 
 "We'll make out with what we have," said the 
 doctor. " Divide the rations so they'll hold out until 
 
232 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR OOLD. 
 
 the middle of April. I fancy by that time this winter 
 siege will about end." His advice '»vas followed out, 
 and they waited with all the patience possible for the 
 coming of sjjring. 
 
 The fish and g ime had long since come to an end, 
 and they were now living on plain bread, beans, and 
 bacon or pork, and half a can of fresh vegetables per 
 day, with an occasional taste of stewed dried apples or 
 apricots as a side dish. They were all tired of the 
 beans, especially Fred and the doctor, who had been 
 used to good living all their lives. 
 
 " Tliey're too much for me," said Fred, one day, as 
 he pushed his small plateful back. "I'd rather eat a 
 crust of bread and drink snow water." And the beans 
 remained untouched for two days, when he was forced, 
 out of sheer hunger, to go at them again. 
 
 They had also reached the last half pound of coffee, 
 and by a general vote this was reserved for dinner 
 each Sunday. As the amount on hand decreased they 
 made the beverage weaker and weaker, until the doctor 
 laughingly declared that the snow flavored the water 
 more than the coffee did. The lack of coffee hit 
 the captain more than the others, for he loved his cup- 
 ful, strong, black, and without sugar. 
 
 It was on the last day of March that they heard a 
 noise outside and then came a faint hammering on their 
 door. All leaped up and ran to open the barrier. 
 When it had been forced back a distance of a foot. 
 
 ,..^^. 
 
WAITING AND WATCirTNG FOR SPUING. 
 
 233 
 
 1 winter 
 ed out, 
 for the 
 
 an end, 
 ns, and 
 jles per 
 pples or 
 of the 
 id been 
 
 day, as 
 er eat a 
 le beans 
 
 forced, 
 
 • coffee, 
 dinner 
 ed they 
 doctor 
 water 
 ffee hit 
 lis cup- 
 heard a 
 3n their 
 carrier, 
 a foot. 
 
 they behold two miners there, so weak they could 
 scarcely stand, much less speak. *' Sumthin' to eat ! " 
 whispered one of them hoarsely, and the other echoed 
 the word '^ Eat I " as being all he could say. 
 
 The two were taken into the cabin and warmed up, 
 while Earl prepared a thin vegetaljle soup for them, 
 that being best for their stomachs, according to the 
 doctor. They could hardly swallow at first, and it was 
 not until the following morning that they were strong 
 enough to sit up and tell their stories. They had 
 been wintering back of the woods, but starvation had 
 driven them forth in an attempt tor reach Dawson City 
 for supplies. Their strength had failed them, they had 
 lost their way, and here tliey were. 
 
 " Take care of us, and we'll pay you well," said one 
 of the miners. " We've got over a thousand dollars in 
 gold dust with us and ten thousand in dust and nug- 
 gets hidden up at the camp." 
 
 " I'm afraid your money won't count up here," 
 replied Poster Portney, sadly. " We're almost as badly 
 off ourselves. Yet I am willing to share what I 
 have." A vote was taken, and the miners remained ; 
 and that made two more mouths to feed out of their 
 scanty store. 
 
 The first week in April saw them reduced to next to 
 nothing. The flour was gone, so was the bacon and 
 the canned goods, and it was pork and beans and 
 stewed dried apples twice a day and nothing more. 
 
' 
 
 II 
 f 
 
 i, 
 
 
 li;iv 
 
 i 
 
 234 
 
 To ALASKA KOK i\i)lA). 
 
 Every one looked liiigj,'iir<l, and all felt that something 
 must happen soon. Would spring ever come ? 
 
 "Pork and beans enough to last about three days 
 yet," said Foster Portney, as he surveyed the scanty 
 store, with the others standing around. '' Three days, 
 and after tliat — " He did not linish, and a silence fell 
 on the crowd. Were they to suffer the pangs of actual 
 starvation, after all ? 
 
 
 \n 
 
 ii 
 
CIIAPTKR XXX. 
 
 LAST WASHINGS FOll GOLD. 
 
 Just one clay before their provisions gave out the 
 skies briglitenetl as if by magic and the sun came out 
 warmly. They could scarcely believe their eyes, so 
 sudden was the change. The snow was cleared away 
 from the door, and every one lost no time in rushing out 
 into the fresh air. 
 
 " This is living again ! " cried Earl. And then he 
 added : " Let us beat down a path to Wompole's cottage 
 and see how he is faring." 
 
 The others agreed, and soon they had a trail to the 
 next cabin, where an old Alaskan gold hunter had gone 
 into quarters all by himself. Wompole was also out, 
 and they shook hands. When questioned he said he 
 had run out of everything but beans, dried peas, and 
 some smoked salmon, and he agreed to let them have 
 enough of his stores to last them three days longer. 
 
 "Winter is broke up now," he remarked. "An' I 
 reckon thar ain't no doubt but wot ye kin git ter Daw- 
 son an' back, if ye try." 
 
 " And I shall try," said Foster Portney ; and an hour 
 later he and Captain Zoss started off on snowshoes which 
 
 235 
 
■m 
 
 236 
 
 TO ALxiSKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 it ' 
 
 ■'■5 h 
 
 they had made during their many idle hours. Randy 
 and Earl saw their uncle depart with mach anxiety, but 
 did nothing to detain him, for food they m ist have, and 
 tliat appeai'ed the only manner in which to obtain it. 
 
 " If we (iould only bring down a bird or something 
 with the gun," said Earl, some time later, and then he 
 climbed the cliff and beat a path to the first belt of 
 tin ber. But though he thrashed around three hourb; 
 not a sign of game was to be discovered anywhere. 
 
 The night was cold, but not nearly as much so iS 
 other nights had been, and on the following day the 
 mercury when held in the svin actually crawled up to 
 ten degrees above zero. And so it kept gradually be- 
 coming warmer, until the snow started to melt and they 
 knew for a certainty that the long and tedious winter 
 was a thing of the past. 
 
 It took Foster Portney and Captain Zoss five full 
 days to find their way to Dawson City and back again. 
 The return for the larger portion of the way was made 
 on dog sledges driven by Indians. They had found 
 provisions very scarce and high in price in Dawson 
 City, but had brought back enougli to last m. month. 
 One of the Indians had also brought provisions for the 
 two minerS: this commission ha ing been executed 
 throLigh Mr. Portney, and the next day the miners set 
 off for their own cabin with many sincere thanks for 
 the assistance which had l)een rendered them. 
 
 On the day the provisions came in, they celebrated by 
 
LAST WASHINGS FOR COLD. 
 
 237 
 
 having what Dr. Barvvaithe called "a round, square 
 meal." To be sure there was nothing but the plainest 
 kind of food, but there was enough, and that was of 
 prime importance. 
 
 After this they watched eagerly for the day to come 
 when they might get to work again. A bargain had 
 been struck all around, wliereby the doctor and the cap- 
 tain were to work the single sluice box on the upper 
 claim and have four-fifths of the findings, the other 
 fifth going to Foster Portney for keeping them — the 
 contract to hold good so long as the pair were content 
 to remain in the present camp. 
 
 " The water is running in the gulch ! " was the wel- 
 come announcement made by Earl one day, and all 
 went down to see the thin stream, which soon became 
 stronger. The snow w^as almost gone \ow, and the 
 sand, gravel, and dirt which was exposed to the sun 
 was quite free from frost. The picks, shovels, and 
 other tools were brought out and cleaned up, and two 
 days later found them at work as during the previous 
 summer. It was marvellous how the seasons changed 
 when once there was a start. 
 
 Before the end of the month Mr. Portney made an- 
 other trip to Dawson Cit}', and this time he took with 
 him both Randy and Earl. They had settled that they 
 should remain in the gulch until the first of August, 
 and now they took back, by Indian carriers, enough 
 provisions to last the camp until that time. 
 
^ 
 
 238 
 
 TO ALA-^lvA FOR COLD. 
 
 
 14 
 
 The stop ill Dawson IusUmI two djiya, and the boys 
 luid a eliance to walk about the town and see how it 
 had improved. There were now at least twoscore of 
 buildings, and several of them were quite pretentious. 
 At the dock were two steamboats, both nearly free of 
 the ice whicli had held them fast all winter. 
 
 In the town there \vas much news to be heard of the 
 many wonderful strikes which had been made. Several 
 had taken out over a hundred thousand dollars in dust 
 and nuggets, and were waiting for navigation to open 
 on the Yukon, that they might sail for home with their 
 riches. No one who had accumulated a pile cared to 
 remain in that forsaken country. 
 
 Just before they were to start for the gulch, IVIr. 
 Portney brought news of Tom Roland. The man had 
 been captured nt C'x'cle City two months before, and 
 the gold stolen i^'o a Cozzins taken from him. He had 
 escaped from his temporary jail and fled to the moun- 
 tains, and now his dead body had been found at the 
 foot of a lofty canon, down which he had most likely 
 tumbled during the snowstorm which was then raging. 
 It was a sad ending to a misspent life, and the boys 
 could not help but shudder as they heard the story. 
 They wondered what had become of Jasper Guardley, 
 but nothing further was ever heard of that cowardly 
 rascal. 
 
 By the first of June the gulch was as active as it had 
 ever been during the previous summer, and the mosqui- 
 
LAST WASniNCiS FCMt (JOLD. 
 
 239 
 
 had 
 
 squi- 
 
 
 toes and flios wore just as numerous and troublesome. 
 No more iinds of nuggets of large size were made, but the 
 sluice boxes yielded heavy returns of dust, and all were 
 very well content, and Dr. Barwaithe and Captain 
 Zoss gave up all thoughts of leaving. 
 
 " We know what we have here," said the doctor, 
 "and 1 am convinced that too much prospecting does 
 not pay." 
 
 " An' besides, it's something ter be in company 
 which is congenial," added the captain. " Over to the 
 other claim it was nuthin' but fight the whole day long 
 with yer neighbors about stake lines." 
 
 By the end of July the sand and gravel taken from 
 the bedrock of Mosquito Hollow gulch had been dis- 
 posed of, and now a month was given to a general 
 clearing up of the dirt taken from half a dozen little 
 hollows which lay on either side. It was terribly hot 
 again, but the workers took their time over what they 
 did, and often rested during the middle of the day. 
 Three days before the first of September they were done. 
 
 " There, that settles it I " cried Foster Portney, as he 
 jBiung down his shovel. " No more work for me until I 
 have paid a visit to the States." 
 
 " Hurrah ! " shouted Randy, and he gave his pick a 
 whirl which sent it thirty feet off. " I'm just aching 
 for a sight of civilization." 
 
 " And for an old-fashioned meal," added Earl. 
 
 Fred's eyes glistened, but he said nothing. He was 
 
240 
 
 TO ALASKA FOIl GOLD. 
 
 I*' 
 
 ■ i-^ 
 
 wondering what sort of a reception lie would receive 
 when he got home. He had sent on two letters from 
 the gulch, but no answer had come back and there was 
 no telling if the communications had reached their des- 
 tination. 
 
 The next day was spent in the delightful task of 
 counting up the proceeds of their venture. Of course 
 it was impossible to calculate closely, yet they were 
 conservative in their estimates, and in the end, when 
 their nuggets and dust were turned over to the United 
 States mint in San Francisco, they were not disappointed 
 as to the check received in return. 
 
 The upper claim during the time it was worked by 
 Dr. Barwaithe and Captain Zoss in the spring had 
 yielded five thousand dollars. Of this, as per agree- 
 ment, two thousand dollars went to the doctor, a like 
 sum to the captain, and one thousand dollars to Foster 
 Portney. Added to wliat they had made previously, 
 the doctor and the captain now held a matter of nine 
 thousand dollars' worth of gold between them. Not a 
 fortune, but still a tidy sum, all things considered. 
 
 The Portneys, of course, had fared much better. The 
 total yield of gold to them from start to finish footed 
 up to fifty-two thousand dollars. Of this amount, as 
 we know, one-half went to Earl and Randy, which 
 gave the lads exactly thirteen thousand dollars apiece. 
 Twenty-six thousand dollars was Foster Portney's 
 share, but out of this he had been compelled to spend 
 
b 
 
 V 
 
 LAST WASHINGS FOll GOLD. 
 
 241 
 
 three thousand dollars in bringing the party up and 
 keeping them, and he would have to spend nearly 
 another thousand in getting them home. 
 
 During the early summer of the present year, Earl, 
 Randy, and Foster Portney had held a private talk con- 
 cerning the amount to be granted to Fred, and it had 
 been decided that he should have an even thousand 
 dollars, one half to come from the two boys' share and 
 the other from their uncle. Fred's fare was also to be 
 paid clear through to Basco. The lad, when told of 
 this decision, said he was more than satisfied, as the 
 amount of work he had been able to do had really 
 been very small on account of frequent attacks of 
 sickness. 
 
 " I can't stand the climate," he said. " And I shan't 
 attempt to come up here again. If father will let me, 
 I'll go to college and become a lawyer." 
 
 The doctor was going on to Dawson City to give up 
 mining and establish himself in his profession, having 
 become satisfied that he could do better at this than 
 he could in working a claim. But the captain decided 
 to remain where he was. 
 
 "I'm bound ter strike it rich some day," he said. 
 "An' I'm goin' ter rustle till I do." 
 
 " I certainly hope you strike it rich," said Randy ; 
 for the pair were now greater friends than ever. 
 
 It was a warm, clear day when the party of five left 
 the gulch, with their faces set toward Dawson City. 
 
 K 
 
242 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR fJOLD. 
 
 The Portneys had decided to return to the States by 
 tlie way of the Yukon and the Pacific (^cean, and a 
 voyage of five tliousand miles still lay before them. 
 They carried all their findings with them, and now 
 the question arose, — having found so much gold, 
 would they be able to get it out of this wild country 
 in safety? 
 
-tes by 
 and a 
 
 them, 
 i now 
 
 gold, 
 )untry 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 DOWN THE YUKON AND HOME. 
 
 Foster Pohtney knew that the regular terminus 
 of travel on the Yukon steamboats was Fort Cudahy, 
 which was situated forty-eight miles below Dawson 
 City. But owing to the rush to the new gold fields, 
 which was now stronger than ever, two small boats 
 were making regular trips between these two points. 
 
 When the party reached Dawson City, now the scene 
 of great activity, it was found they would have to 
 wait a week before they could secure passage to Fort 
 Cudahy, as the tickets for the two following trips 
 were all sold. This wait, when they were impatient to 
 get home, was not an agreeable one, yet it gave them 
 a chance to look around the settlement and become 
 better acquainted with the various persons who were 
 there. 
 
 "Dawson is bound to grow," said the doctor, who 
 had hired a room at the so-called hotel and hung out 
 his sign on the day he arrived. "See, there are ac- 
 tually three streets already, two stores, three saloons, 
 a barber shop, and a reading and pool room; and I 
 
 243 
 
244 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 
 it 
 
 1^ ' 
 
 1H[ 
 
 I J'H 
 
 understand that a fellow has just arrived who is going 
 to open a clothing store, and another is on his way 
 with medicines for a drug store. We are bound to 
 boom ! " 
 
 " ' We ' is good ! " said Earl, with a laugh. " I guess 
 you had better strike up a partnership with that drug- 
 gist when he arrives." 
 
 " Not much. Earl ! Til put him in the way of get- 
 ting the gold fever, and when he is ready to strike out, 
 I'll buy his outfit and run the whole thing myself. 
 I'm bound to make money." And it looked as if the 
 doctor was right, for daring their stay in Dawson 
 City he had eleven calls for his services, for which 
 he charged the fee of five dollars per call, which was 
 moderate for that place. 
 
 At last came the day to part, and with a hearty 
 hand-shake from the doctor the Portneys and Fred 
 boarded the little side-wheeler Alice^ and the long 
 homeward trip was begun. The boat was crowded 
 with returning miners, and as nearly all of them had 
 struck gold, it was a happy cci gregation which spent 
 the time in eating, drinking, smoking, playing cards, 
 and "swapping yarns." "Swapping yarns" went on 
 continually, and many were the wonderful stories told 
 of great finds, perilous climbs, and escapes from starva- 
 tion during the awful winter. 
 
 "I've made seventy thousand dollars, boys," said 
 one elderly miner. " But I never did so much starv- 
 
DOWN THE YUKON AND HOME. 
 
 245 
 
 drug- 
 
 Fred 
 long 
 
 said 
 tarv- 
 
 ing in my life, an' ten bosses couldn't drag nie back to 
 put in anotber sucli winter — bear me ! " 
 
 " I'm witb ye," said anotber ; " leas'wise, I tbink I 
 am. But tbar's no tellin' wot I migbt do ef tbe gold 
 fever struck me ag'in," be added retlectively. 
 
 Fort Cudaby was a small settlement on the Yukon, 
 at tbe moutb of Clinton Creek. Just above tbe creek 
 was anotber settlement, called Forty Mile. Between 
 the stores in tbe two settlements there was a fierce 
 rivalry, and consequently prices here were more rea- 
 sonable than at Dawson City. 
 
 Tbe party was fortunate in obtaining immediate pas- 
 sage to Fort Get There, on St. Michael's Island, which 
 is situated sixty miles above the entrance to the Yukon. 
 An offer was also made by the agent of the transporta- 
 tion company to take charge of their gold from there 
 right on through to San Francisco, but as the commis- 
 sion for doing this would be fifteen per cent, this offer 
 was declined. 
 
 " I think we can get it through," said Foster Port- 
 ney. " At any rate, I am willing to risk it." And the 
 boys agreed with him. 
 
 The next stop of importance was Circle City, of 
 which the boys had heard through Mr. Portney. In 
 former days Circle City had been the banner mining 
 town on tbe upper Yukon, but now its glory was de- 
 parted, for over three-quarters of its inhabitants had 
 pulled up stakes and moved on to the Klondike district. 
 
246 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR (iOLD. 
 
 
 m 
 
 From Circle City tlie river, already broad, widened 
 out to such an extent that it looked more like a lake 
 than anything else. It was dotted with numerous 
 islands, and the pilot of the boat had his head full witli 
 keeping track of the i)roper channel to pursue. The 
 run was north to the ruins of Fort Yukon, the highest 
 point gained by the mighty river upon which they were 
 sailing. 
 
 From Fort Yukon the run was mostly to the south- 
 westward, past the settlements of Shaman's, We Are, 
 Nulato, and a dozen similar places, Indian villages, the 
 home of fur traders, missionaries, nnd of fishers. At 
 many of the places the main things to be seen were 
 the totem poles stuck up in front of the Indian huts — 
 poles of wood, curiously carved with hideous-looking 
 images and undecipherable hieroglyphics. 
 
 At last St. Michael's Island was gained, and here 
 they found themselves again in luck, for an ocean 
 steamer was in waiting to take the passengers from 
 the river boat. The transfer was made before night- 
 fall, and at dawn of the day following the steamer 
 started on her long voyage down Norton Sound, 
 Bering Sea, and the Pacific Ocean to Seattle. But one 
 stop was made, that at Dutch Harbor, on one of the 
 Aleutian Islands, and then one glorious afternoon early 
 in the fall they steamed through the Straits of San 
 Juan de Fuca and swept into the grand harbor at 
 Seattle. 
 
DOWN THE Vl'KON AND HOME. 
 
 247 
 
 early 
 San 
 or at 
 
 "The United States at last!" cried Kandy. "Oh 
 my, how good civilization does look I " 
 
 " We don't know what we have at home until we 
 miss it," said Fred, but in such a low tone that nobody 
 heard him. 
 
 They stopped in Seattle two days, and then took 
 steamer direct for San Francisco. The trip down the 
 coast was an uneventful one. They were impatient to 
 finish it, and a glad cry rang everywhere through the 
 vessel when land was sighted and they ran through the 
 Golden Gate. 
 
 A crowd was at the wharf to receive the latest 
 news from the gold fields. " How are the diggings 
 up there ? " " Is there any show for a fellow staking 
 a good claim?" "How much did you bring along?" 
 "Is it true about provisions being scarce?" These 
 and a hundred other questions went the rounds, as the 
 fortunate ones came ashore. Foster Portney managed 
 to keep the boys together and get them through the 
 jam, and quarter of an hour later found them on the 
 way to the mint with their precious burdens. Here 
 they were given receipts for their nuggets and dust, 
 and then they turned away with a big load lifted off 
 their minds, for they knew that their fortunes were 
 now safe. 
 
 And here properly ends the tale of the fortune 
 hunters of the Yukon. How F'red Dobson returned 
 homci a penitent runaway, and how he was readily for- 
 
248 
 
 TO ALASKA FOR GOLD. 
 
 i 
 
 m 
 
 given and later on allowed to study for college, I will 
 leave my readers to imagine. As for Earl and Randy, 
 there was nothing which called for their return to 
 Basco, and they remained with their uncle in San 
 Francisco until their gold was reduced to coin and 
 they received a check on the treasurer of the United 
 States for its value. Then they paid a visit to Col- 
 orado, remaining there until the following spring. 
 During the winter a company was organized to work 
 their claims by machinery, and early spring found them 
 again in the land of gold. And there we will leave 
 them, wishing them all the success that their pluck and 
 industry deserve. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 t 
 
 1