THE MYSTERY DEEPENS
When Alex and Case awoke next morning it was to the savory odor of
browned pancakes, fried bacon, and steaming coffee. Clay was just
lifting the last pancake from the frying pan to the plate when the two
jumped out of their bunks.
"Gee, that breakfast smells good. I really believe I can eat a bit this
morning," Alex announced.
"I never saw the time that you couldn't," retorted Clay. "But hurry up
you fellows, if you don't want to eat a cold breakfast. It won't keep
warm forever."
This announcement brought great haste in the pulling on of clothes and
the washing of hands and faces. Breakfast was dispatched amid a chatter
of conversation concerning the purchases to be made.
"I have been thinking it over," said Clay, during one of the lulls in
the conversation, "and I do not believe we had ought to leave the
_Rambler_ with no one on board of her. It was all right to do so in the
winter, for then she was frozen up and no one could make away with her,
run her into some slip, paint her and with a few hours of alteration,
make her into a different looking boat. Those foot-steps last night
prove that the river thieves are beginning to gather around for their
summer trade. I think one of us had better be on the _Rambler_ all the
time."
His companions' faces became downcast. Each had made a list of the
things he was to buy and were eager to be off to their purchasing.
Neither wanted to stay idle on board and lose their share of the fun.
But Case spoke up manfully.
"I'll stay," he said, "my list is far the smallest and if neither of you
get back in time, I'll do my buying tomorrow."
"Thanks," said Clay, gratefully, "I would stay myself, but the new motor
will be the first thing needed and I want to see to that myself for I
have had some experience with them."
As soon as the two were gone, Case set about the unpleasant task of
washing the dishes and cleanup the cabin. This done, he strolled out on
the wharf and sitting down on a box in the warm sunshine chatted with
the aged dock tender who had been a sailor until age had compelled him
to quit the sea. He could tell many strange tales of queer places and
mysterious adventures and he was always willing to relate them to the
boys who often on cold, stinging days invited him down into the
_Rambler_'s cozy cabin to share their warm dinner or drink a cup of
scalding hot coffee.
"Yep," he answered, in reply to Case's questions, "I've been to the
Yukon once and once is enough for me. We were hunting seals and run into
the river to get out of a gale and afore it moderated enough for us to
get out we were froze in solid. Lord! what a winter we had. We had
plenty of salt stuff but our potatoes soon went and the scurvy broke out
and then came the long winter night, and all the time there was but
white all around us. Nothing but white and a great everlasting
silence--just like as though the whole world had gone dead never to come
to life again. The silence and the whiteness got on our nerves and we
got to quarreling with each other. There was a good many killed before
the ice broke up. We had left only about half enough able men to work
the ship. It wasn't long though before we sighted a steamer and hoisted
our distress signal and she stopped for us to board her. She was
overloaded with the first bunch of gold seekers. Her captain let us have
considerable potatoes, and, by slicing them up thin and chewing them up
raw good and fine, what was left of us were nearly well when we got to
San Francisco. My, but those raw potatoes tasted better than anything I
ever ate," and the old seaman smacked his lips over the recollection.
"I guess the winters up there are pretty rough?" Case assented, but we
intend to be on our way home long before the river freezes over."
"Sonny," said the old sailor, earnestly. "You can't calculate on the
Yukon. Old timers and the Indians call it 'The Never Know What' on
'count of its contrary ways. Let me give you some good advice if you are
bent on going. Take lots of tallow candles and potatoes with you. Course
you can take all the fancy stuff you want, but a good meal of tallow
keeps your human furnace running full blast and the taters keep off the
scurvy. Look there, sonny, you've got a visitor."
Case jumped up from his box just in time to see a man entering the
_Rambler_'s open cabin. He grinned, "Captain Joe will look out for him
all right, but I guess I had better go aboard and see what he wants." He
sauntered aboard leisurely and entered the cabin. The man was standing
close to the opening looking as though he wanted to run but was afraid
to turn around, for Captain Joe, with bared fangs and growling lowly,
was stealthily advancing from the further end of the cabin."
"Down, Captain Joe, down," Case cried, just as the dog crouched lower
for a spring. Captain Joe relaxed and retired sullenly to his corner.
The man whipped out a huge red handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat
from his brow. "Nice, pleasant little pet you've got there," he
remarked. "I reckon a biting dog is the only thing I'm afraid of."
"Who are you, and what do you want?" demanded Case, his clear gray eyes
on the other's face. The man was dressed roughly and there were rents in
his clothing, but his hands and face were clean and his face bore a good
humored if determined expression.
The man twirled his hat for a moment before replying. "I had it all
fixed in regular order what I wanted to say, but that dog has pretty
near scairt it all out of my head. Are you the boss of this outfit?"
"We have no bosses, or rather, we are all bosses?" Clay smiled.
"Well, I guess you will do as well to talk to as any of the rest. I
heard that you were going to the Yukon and I want to go along with
you--me and my partner."
"Where did you hear we were going to the Yukon?" demanded Case, sharply.
The man produced a soiled morning paper and laid a huge forefinger on an
article in one corner.
Clay read it in silence and some bewilderment.
"The _Rambler_ boys are soon to start off on another of their famous
cruises. This time they have chosen the far-away Yukon as their goal.
It's a bold attempt, but they are all Chicago boys and we believe they
will make it. At any rate, we wish them the best of good luck."
Case kept his eyes on the paper for a moment after he finished reading
the notice, pondering how it had appeared so soon. The paper had been
published long before he and his companions had got up. Charley thought
it had been inserted either by Ike or one of the mysterious
eavesdroppers of the night before. But for what reason had it been
inserted? He gave up the puzzle and looked up at the man who was
watching him eagerly.
"Take a seat," he said, pushing forward a stool and taking one himself.
"That notice is right," he remarked. I am sorry to say it, but I am sure
my companions will agree with me, we can not take you and your partner.
We will be four in number besides our pets and we are going to have a
very heavy cargo. We'll be overloaded as it is."
"But we can be of lots of help to you," urged the man, eagerly. We are
both Old Timers--Sour Dough men. We know the country like a book. You'll
need a pilot on the 'You Never Know What.' There's too many bars, hidden
rocks, and rapids for a green horn to tackle. Bill can cook for you, an'
Bill's a powerful good cook," he said with pride.
Clay shook his head decidedly, although he was sorry for the man. "Why
are you so anxious to get up there?" he asked.
"I'll tell you the truth," the man said desperately. "My partner and I
had a couple of claims way up the Yukon and last summer we struck it
rich. Not much free gold, you understand, such as you wash free with pan
and water, but quartz rich enough to make your eyes stand out. But that
kind of gold has to have mills, stamps, and all kind of machinery to set
it free. So Bill and I gathered all the dust we had and came outside to
find capital to develop our claims. We might as well have staid at home,
for we could not get any one to put up the money. They just thought we
was crazy when we told how rich our claims were. We have slept out in
the cold many and many a night, and picked up odd jobs like shoveling
snow to keep from starving. We are used to hardships up north but a man
is treated like a human up there. It goes against the grain for a
truthful, honest man to be hounded on by a policeman when he is only
trying to warm himself over a grating."
While the miner had been talking. Case had been looking him steadily in
the eyes. He noted the subtle change of the iris which always marks the
telling of a lie. He marked the man's allusion to his honesty and
thoughtfulness. He had often shrewdly observed in his life in the great
city, that it is not the honest man who brags about his truthfulness and
honesty. Clearly this fellow was lying in some part of his tale.
"It's no go," said Case, decisively. "We just simply can't take you. We
have barely enough money to take us there and bring us back."
The man's face became clouded with disappointment. "Tell you what I'll
do," he offered. "We'll give you a sixth interest in our claims. That
will pay a dozen times over for the trip."
"We have not the money to handle them even if they are as rich as you
claim. I'll tell you what I'll do though," Case said, pitying the man's
tragic face. "I'll talk it over with my chums tonight and see what they
have to say. If you and your partner want to take the trouble to come
down in the morning, I'll let you know what they decide. I am positive
though that they will agree with me."
The man rose and put on his hat. "We'll come down in the morning all
right. Sonny, you've treated me square and frank and I am much obliged
to you. So long, until tomorrow."
Case watched him out of sight and then began the preparations for dinner
to which he intended to invite the aged docktender, for he wanted to
learn all the old seaman knew about the country they were going to.
The two were just finishing their supper when a roaring sound steadily
growing in volume stole in through the little cabin windows. "I wonder
what that noise is," said Case. "Sounds mighty queer."
"Sounds just like waves dashing up on an iceberg," the old seaman
agreed. "Let's go up to the end of the dock and take a look."
When they reached the shore the boy and old man doubled up with
laughter. It looked as though half of Chicago was crowding the little
street, but steadily a wide path opened up and then closed again with
jamming people. Down the wide path walked Teddy Bear, paws raised in an
attitude of defense. Clay walked behind with a grin on his face.
"Teddy Bear is sure coming down in style," chuckled Case. "He's got a
whole procession with him."
The crowd followed the bear down to the boat and when he was led down
into the cabin they departed with cheers and laughter.