"SWIFTWATER JIM."
The Scouts had joined in the cry which notified the pilot house that a man
had gone overboard, but before the "Queen" lost headway and began to back
the man in the water had slipped some distance astern. Life preservers and
life rings were quickly thrown after him, but no sooner had the derelict
come to the surface than it was seen that he was dazed and almost helpless
from the effects, probably, of some injury he had sustained as he went
through the gangway. Luckily, the gangway gate, which he had pushed out
had floated alongside of him on the tideway, and he had retained
consciousness enough to grasp one side of it with a drowning man's grip,
but was in danger of momentarily losing it. The boys with Colonel Snow at
their head had rushed along the upper rail, where Rand began at once to
strip off his coat and the soft canoe shoes he was wearing on shipboard,
while Gerald followed suit. All the boys, as became trained Scouts, were
good swimmers, but Rand pushed Gerald back, impetuously, saying:
"I'm the heavier, Gerald, let me go on this. It may be a fight," and at
the same time mounted the rail. As he did so, Colonel Snow seized a long
thin line that hung for just such emergencies, on a spike at the rail,
threw the knotted loop over Rand's arm and shoulder, saying:
"These are cold waters, and you may need this. If it hampers you, cast it
off, and take to the gangplank."
Rand leaped from the rail, with his utmost strength, striving to escape
the suction of the now backward-revolving screw, and struck out toward the
man whose head was sinking under the surface, although his hands still
grasped the gangplank with a feeble hold. With a dozen stalwart strokes,
Rand reached the almost unconscious man, threw the loop from his own
shoulder over his head and drew it under his arms and placed both his
hands firmly upon the plank. Then grasping the bolt staple of the timber,
himself, he yelled:
"Pull in; don't back any further," and in a few minutes willing and
stalwart hands dragged them toward the steamer.
[Illustration: RAND LEAPED FROM THE RAIL.]
Already, a lifeboat had been dropped into the water and into this the
half-drowned man was lifted, while Rand, himself already numbed by the icy
water had to be assisted aboard. He was lifted to the deck amid the cheers
of his chums, who rushed him to his stateroom for dry clothing.
"That was a great piece of work," said Captain Huxley, commander of the
"Queen." "No professional life saver could have got on the job in quicker
time. Those are fine boys of yours, Colonel Snow."
"That's part of their training as Scouts," replied the Colonel, "and it's
meant to be practical. That's why I did not interfere with Peyton's
attempt at a rescue. But what started this?"
"That's what I'm going to find out, good and quick," replied Captain
Huxley. "As usual at this time of year, I've got a tough crowd in the
steerage, and I imagine the whole thing started in a poker game that has
been running on the engine room deck ever since we left Seattle. Will you
go along?"
Accompanied by Colonel Snow and the boys who joined them at that moment,
Rand none the worse for his first dip in Pacific waters, Captain Huxley
strode down to the engine room, where first aid had been administered to
the half-drowned man, who had come to his senses.
"Well, well; if it isn't 'Swiftwater Jim,'" exclaimed the Captain. "Didn't
know we had you aboard."
"Wa'al, ye come mighty near losin' me," the patient answered, and then
continued. "I come on board just as ye were castin' off last night."
"How d'ye come to get into the water? That hasn't been a very popular
element with you in the past; eh, Jim," said the Captain with a grin.
"Colonel Snow, let me introduce Swiftwater Jim, an ancient Alaskan that I
believe we took over with the territory under the Seward treaty with
Russia in 1867, and the oldest 'Sourdough' in any one of the six
districts. He's made at least a dozen trips with me. He usually owns the
boat going 'out,' but is satisfied with the steerage going 'in'."
Colonel Snow grasped the miner's hand, saying:
"Swiftwater Jim is no stranger to anyone who knows the history of the
Alaskan country. Let me introduce some young fellows who are making their
first trip."
The miner, whose drying garb was made up of a mixture of the costume of
the frontier pioneer and garments of the latest cut, shook hands with the
boys as he said:
"I'll pay ye captain, for puttin' me back in the mammoth class, but what
I'm lookin' for is the feller that went into the dew after me. That
certainly was a few damp moments. I was rattled, but I knew somebody
grabbed me just before the light went out."
"Here's the chap," said Captain Huxley, as he shoved the reluctant Rand to
the front.
The miner grasped Rand's hand and gazed into his face with a solemn
stare.
"Wa'al, wa'al, such a young feller, too. How'd ye do it?" he inquired.
"It's part of our training as Scouts," replied Rand, modestly.
"Scouts, eh?" he cried. "Embreeo soldiers, eh? I heard of them this last
trip out to the States. Wa'al, Mr. Peyton, I ain't a goin' to make no
fervent speech of gratitood, for ye know how I feel, and I ain't trimmed
up to make a more substantial showin' just now, but if you boys is a goin'
'in' as we say, ye'll hear from Swiftwater Jim before ye come out."
"Tell us how it happened, Jim," said Captain Huxley.
"Now, now, Captain, ye know me and ye know I can take care of me own
troubles," replied Jim.
"Look here, Jim," said Captain Huxley, sternly. "You know I'm boss here,
so long as you're afloat, and anything of this kind demands investigation.
Besides, I don't propose to have a traveling feud on my manifest, all the
way to Skagway. Out with it."
"Wa'al, Captain," said Swiftwater, "when I come aboard last night I found
among the ruck in the steerage that gambler, Dublin, and a limpy pal of
his. We got to playing poker, and the two of them cleaned me out, and
because I found them using marked cards they came after me with them
spikes. A young feller that was with them jumped on my back, and I went
overboard. I'll tend to 'em."
"No, you won't, Jim," remarked Captain Huxley. "From this to Skagway
you'll bunk on my deck and keep away from here."
Turning to a couple of the crew, the commander of the "Queen" said: "Bring
that Dublin crowd here." The men hurried away, and in a few minutes
presented to the astonished eyes of the Scouts their old acquaintances and
quasi-enemies, Dublin, Limpy Rae, and Monkey Rae. The latter favored the
boys with a look of hatred and a muttered imprecation.
"We ain't done nothin'"--began Dublin.
"That'll do, Dublin," replied Captain Huxley. "You know me of old, and I
want to say I should have refused you passage if I had known you were
going back to the Klondike. If you start another card game on this boat or
get into any other trouble, I'll put you in irons, and hand you over to
the authorities when we reach port. I'm not sure that there are not
several United States marshals in Alaska, yearning for a sight of you,
now."
Dublin turned white, attempted to speak, and then with his companions
slunk back into the steerage.
"Why, we saw Monkey Rae trip up this man," said Jack pointing to
Swiftwater, "but we didn't know it was Monkey then. It was a cowardly
attack."
"Well," said Captain Huxley, "we'll let the matter drop now, unless
Swiftwater complains."
"Not me," said the miner, turning away. "I'll see to this myself, later."
"Not here, though," said Captain Huxley, sternly.
"You can trust me, Captain," replied Swiftwater, as he waved his hand to
the boys and Colonel Snow, and walked away.
"And now," said the Captain of the "Queen," "I'm afraid we've missed the
first bugle blast for breakfast, but I should be glad to have you, Colonel
Snow and your young men join my table at meals for the voyage."
This signal honor was highly appreciated by the boys, for at meals they
were introduced to several territorial officials, capitalists and army
officers, who, with the women of their families, were going in with the
advent of Spring in Alaska. The tale of Rand's feat had preceded them, and
the poor fellow spent a rather uncomfortable and embarrassing half hour of
compliments and congratulations from men whose experience had taught them
to appreciate a gallant deed.
Colonel Snow finally came to Rand's rescue by turning the talk to the
rescued man.
"A great character, Swiftwater Jim, Captain Huxley?"
"Yes," replied the commander of the "Queen," "and Alaska history is full
of his vagaries. He's probably the best equipped prospector and all-round
miner in the territory, but it does him no good. He has owned twenty
mines, and has made a dozen fortunes and spent them all. Every time he
makes a 'stake' as he calls it, he indulges in extravagances that make one
doubt his sanity. He went out last fall with fifty thousand dollars in
dust, and I dare say will be working for day wages when he gets back in.
"He visited New York on this trip, and caused something of a sensation
even there while his money held out. His diversions are innocent, turning
largely to investments in food and drink, a tendency born, I suppose, of
long privations in the Arctic. His most humorous exploit on this trip was
entering the most fashionable restaurant in the metropolis, and ordering
fifty dollars worth of ham and eggs, after vainly attempting to make out
the French of the bill of fare."
Colonel Snow and the boys laughed, and the former said:
"I presume little of his money is really spent on himself."
"No," said the Captain. "He is the soul of generosity and scatters it
right and left. Of course, a good deal of it goes to the leeches who
cluster around such characters in the cities. Still, although he has the
average pioneer's contempt for Indians and Eskimos he has given liberally
to the missions which are civilizing them. He may make another fortune,
but I believe he will die poor."
"D-d-did he eat all that order of ham and eggs?" asked Pepper with
interest.
"Well, I hardly think so," smiled the Captain. "I doubt if the order was
really served. Head waiters of these big restaurants have very diplomatic
ways."
"Captain Huxley, what is a 'Sourdough'? I heard you apply the word to
Swiftwater Jim," said Jack, on the alert for information.
"The aristocracy of the Alaskan mining camp," replied the officer. "The
man who has been at least a year in the territory, and is 'wise' as you
boys say, to its methods and manners, and inured to its hardships and its
climate. For a time you'll belong to the 'Chee-chak-O' class."
"What is that?" asked Rand.
"The Indian name for what the men on the Canadian ranches called
'tenderfeet,'" replied Colonel Snow.
At this moment the vessel experienced a slight shock, and the dining
saloon seemed to rise on a long and gentle undulation, and as gently to
sink to an appreciable depth. The motion continued regularly for a few
minutes, and Captain Huxley glanced keenly at the guests at his table,
with a barely perceptible smile on his face.
A puzzled and rather serious expression came over the faces of several of
those at breakfast. Suddenly, Dick exclaimed:
"We're losing a good deal of this scenery," and passed out on the deck, to
be followed almost immediately by Pepper and Don. The Boy Scouts had met
with a new sensation.