AT JUNEAU AND SKAGWAY
Jack Wumble was an old miner and prospector, a man the boys had met
years before in Colorado, when they went to that section of our country
to locate a mine belonging to their father. As related in detail in
"The Rover Boys Out West," Wumble had been of great assistance to them
and he knew them all well. He had, after numerous stirring adventures,
located a claim for himself, which, at the time, paid very well.
Lately, however, the Rovers had not heard from him, and they had often
wondered what had become of the man.
"You're a sight fer sore eyes, so ye are!" cried Jack Wumble, slapping
each on the shoulder. "I never dreamed o' seein' ye in this out o' the
way corner o' the country."
"We didn't expect to come here either, up to a few days ago," answered
Sam.
"Maybe ye better tell me the story," suggested the old miner. "If I
kin help ye I will."
"Come on to the cabin," suggested Dick, and led the way. They sat down
on a corner seat, and there the Rovers told their story, withholding
nothing, for they knew they could trust Jack Wumble in every particular.
"Gosh all hemlock! Sounds like one of them theatre plays I see in
'Frisco," was the old miner's comment. "To think Tom would wander away
in thet fashion! 'Tain't no wonder ye are scart to deth! I'd be scart
myself, thinkin' he might jump overboard, or sumthin' like thet. He
ought to be put in an asylum."
After that Jack Wumble told his own story. He said his claim in
Colorado had gradually petered out, and then he had tried his fortunes
in various other places, gradually winding up in the Klondyke. There
he had struck what he hoped would prove a bonanza.
"I've been down to the States buying some machinery an' some supplies,"
he added. "They are coming up on a freight boat next week. I find I
can do better to go to the States fer things than to buy in Alaska."
"Have you taken any gold out of your claim yet?" questioned Sam, with
interest.
Jack Wumble looked around, to make certain that nobody was listening
but the Rovers.
"Don't ye tell nobody," he whispered. "I took out about two thousand
dollars, in nuggets an' dust, in less'n ten days!"
"Fine!" returned Dick, and Sam nodded. "I hope you keep it up."
"It's the machinery is goin' to tell the tale," returned Jack Wumble.
"I can't do much more by hand."
"Are you working the mine alone?" asked Sam.
"Fer the present. When I came away I left the claim in charge o' a
miner named Allison--Tim Allison. But I told him not to do any
diggin'--just keep his eyes on things. When there is any diggin' to be
done I want to be on hand."
Wumble was bound for Skagway, where he said his machinery and supplies
would be sent. He knew that section of Alaska thoroughly, and said he
would show the lads where to go and what to do.
"Things is changin' mightily up there every day," he remarked. "They
are dredgin' channels an' buildin' railroads, and making all kinds o'
roads. Go there one year an' the next ye won't 'most know the place,
it will look so different."
"Well, they are developing all parts of the country," answered Dick.
"Maybe; but nuthin' to wot they're doin' in Alaska," answered the old
miner.
The three sat up for half an hour longer, talking matters over. Of
course Jack Wumble wanted to know about Mr. Rover, and was sorry to
learn that the boys' father was not well. He could hardly believe that
Dick was married.
"Why, it don't seem like no time since you an' your brothers came out
to Colorady to locate thet mine," he remarked.
There was a little wind, but otherwise the night was calm. Now that
they could do no more for the present, the Rovers realized how tired
they were, and once in their berths both went sound asleep. Nor did
they rouse up until well into the morning. The sleep did them a world
of good, and when they dressed and went to breakfast they felt quite
like themselves once more.
"If we didn't have to worry about Tom, I could enjoy this trip
immensely," remarked Sam.
Jack Wumble had already satisfied his hunger, for he was an early
riser. After breakfast all sat on the deck, and the old miner related
some of his experiences while prospecting in various localities, and
the boys told how they had finished up at Putnam Hall and gone to Brill.
"I can't hardly believe thet Dan Baxter has reformed," said Wumble,
shaking his head slowly. "I allers put him an' his father down fer bad
eggs."
"Well, they were pretty bad at one time," answered Dick. "But Dan
found out that it didn't pay to be bad. And his father is old and, I
guess, well satisfied to behave himself and take it easy."
"Mr. Baxter might have been a wealthy man if he had done things on the
level," returned the old miner.
The journey up the coast of Canada to the lower point of Alaska was
full of interest to the boys. In due course of time, the bow of the
steamer was turned into Chatham Strait, and soon they were running past
Admiralty Island.
Both Sam and Dick had expected to see quite a city at Juneau, and they
were disappointed when they beheld only a scattered town, lying on a
strip of land, bound on one side by what is called the Lynn Canal and
on the other by the mouth of the Taku River. In the distance were some
high mountains, which the boys looked at with interest.
Fortunately the steamer was to remain at Juneau for two hours, and in
that time the Rovers hoped to make certain whether or not Tom had
landed there. They lost no time in getting ashore, and Jack Wumble
went with them.
At first there was so much confusion at the dock that the youths could
learn little or nothing. But as the crowd cleared away they were
enabled to make some inquiries of officials and others. But nobody had
seen Tom, or knew anything about him.
"I think he must have remained on the steamer," said Sam. "If he was
after those nuggets he'd want to get right up into the land of gold."
"Thet's the way I reason it out," put in Jack Wumble. "Better stick to
the trip, lads. I think ye'll be able to learn somethin' in Skagway."
So when the steamer left the dock they were on board.
The trip to Skagway was a decidedly interesting one, and the youths
listened closely to all the old miner had to tell them about the
country and its inhabitants.
"It's changin' amazingly fast," said Jack Wumble. "They are clearin'
out ship channels an' buildin' railroads, and towns spring up like
magic. Now whar I'm located--a place called Black Run--thar wasn't a
house thar three years ago. Now we got a store an' a dozen shacks, an'
more buildin' every day! I tell you, I think Alaska is one o' the
greatest countries in the world!"
There was a greater bustle and confusion than ever when the steamer
tied up at Skagway. Here a connection can be made with the White Pass
and Yukon route, and other routes. About ten miles away, up the Lynn
Canal, was Dyea, also a town of importance.
The boys followed Jack Wumble ashore and waited until some of the
bustle and confusion was over, and then commenced a systematic hunt for
Tom.
The hunt lasted until nearly midnight, and then, utterly worn out, the
Rovers and the old miner had to give it up. They had met just one man
who remembered having seen a person who looked like Tom on the steamer,
and who said the fellow had landed at Skagway. But where the unknown
had gone the man could not say.
"Yes, that's the fellow," said the man, when shown Tom's photograph.
"But he didn't look quite as nice as that. He looked--well, wild like."
"He is wild," answered Dick. "That is why we want to find him."
Jack Wumble knew of a fairly good hotel, and the three put up there for
the night. The boys were so tired they slept "like logs," as Dick said
afterwards. But they were up bright and early, along with the old
miner, and directly after breakfast set out on another search for Tom.
"I hate to waste your time, Jack," said Dick to Wumble. "So if you
want to go ahead----"
"Stop right thar, Dick!" cried the old miner. "I ain't in sech an
all-fired hurry I can't try to do ye a good turn. I like Tom, an' I'm
going to stay with ye fer a few days an' see if we can't locate him."
And thus the matter was settled.
Two days were spent in Skagway and Dyea hunting for the missing one.
Late in the afternoon of the second day the boys and the old miner
separated, to make inquiries in different places.
Sam and Dick came back to the hotel at supper time much discouraged,
having heard nothing to their advantage. Half an hour later Jack
Wumble came in, his face showing his excitement.
"I've got on the trail!" he cried. "Come on, we're goin' to git after
Tom right away!"