MRS. STULTS CONSENTS
Fred's announcement took his parents completely by surprise. Mr. Stanley
extended his hand for the letter, and read it over slowly.
"That ought to get you a hearing, at any rate," he said at length. "I
understand that Old Bill Gardner is quite well acquainted with the widow
of the man who buried the fortune to save it from the Alaskan Indians.
But, Fred, don't build your hopes too high. I don't see how you are
going to get to Denville, and, even if Mrs. Stults should consent to
allow you to hunt for the treasure, how are you going to do it?"
"I thought I might get some of your friends interested, father, and we
could form an expedition to go to Alaska."
"But that will take considerable money."
"So it does to start a mine, and this is just as sure as a mine is."
"I admit that. But whom could you get?"
"I thought you might be able to propose some one. You see, father,
there is no use of me staying around here. There is no work to be had in
Piddock, and if I have to go off some distance to look for a job, I
might as well go a little farther, and hunt for the treasure."
"But Alaska is a good way off."
"Not so very far."
"You'd think so, if you had to walk," added his mother. "Besides, Fred,
I hate to think of you going off to that terrible place."
"But think of it, mother! I might come home with a fortune in gold! Then
you wouldn't have to work any more, and dad could have better treatment,
so he would get well."
Fred spoke earnestly, and there were tears in the eyes of his father and
mother at his words. He wanted so much to help them, yet he could do so
little.
"It might be done," said Mr. Stanley, musingly, after a pause. "I
suppose I could talk to some old miners I know, and get them interested.
They place a good deal of confidence in me, and they would believe
anything Old Bill Gardner said. But I don't see, at present, Fred, how
you are going to get to see Mrs. Stults. The railroad fare costs more
than we can afford."
"I can walk it, father."
"What? Walk twenty-five miles--yes, fifty, for it would mean that."
"Oh, I could do it. But I may be able to get some work, and earn my
car-fare."
"Well," said Mr. Stanley, after thinking it over, "the matter will have
to be discussed considerably more at length, before I can consent to let
you do anything."
"May I go see Mrs. Stults, dad?"
"Yes, if you can arrange it. I have been promised a little job as
watchman at the old Owl mine. There is a lawsuit over it, and the court
has ordered that it be guarded, pending a settlement. The wages are not
much, but it is about all I can do. The offer only came to me this
afternoon. With what I can earn there, and with what your mother takes
in, I think we can spare you for a few days, if you want to try and see
Mrs. Stults. But, if you walk, you must take at least two days at it. I
don't want you to get sick."
"I don't either, dad. I'll go slow, so I'll be in good shape to start
for Alaska with the expedition."
"I'm afraid it will be a good while before the expedition starts, my
son."
But Fred had no doubts to worry him. He felt confident that he would
succeed, and he did not consider the many obstacles in the way. He only
looked ahead, and saw himself, in fancy, bringing home a great treasure,
to delight his father and mother.
Fred mapped out a plan for himself. Now that his father had a little
work, the boy did not worry so much about matters at home. He decided he
would try, harder than ever, to get odd jobs to do, so that he might
earn money enough for his railroad fare to Denville. In this he was more
successful than he hoped. In about a week he had the necessary cash, and
then, on second thoughts, as there was no great hurry, he decided to
walk after all.
So, taking only part of the money he had earned, and giving the rest to
his mother, he set out, one fine morning, on his long walk.
He had cash enough to buy his meals, and he knew he could find sleeping
places in the mining camps, where he would have to pay nothing. In this
way, should his mission prove a failure, as far as the widow was
concerned, he would not be out much.
Fortunately for Fred the weather continued good, and, in less time than
he had calculated, he arrived at Denville. Everyone knew where Mrs. Max
Stults lived, and, after having had his breakfast, on the third day
after leaving home, Fred called at the house.
"Vell, vot it is?" asked Mrs. Stults, when he introduced himself.
"I have a letter of introduction from Mr. William Gardner," said Fred,
extending the missive.
"I don't knows such a man as dot."
"Don't know Mr. Gardner--Old Bill Gardner?" and Fred began to feel
disappointed, thinking he had made a mistake.
"Oh, so! You means dot Old Bill! Ach! Yah! I knows him vell. Vot you
say, he has wrotten me a letters?"
"It's about that Alaska treasure."
"Oh, dot treasure! I wish I never hear of him! He kill mine poor
husband, und he is more bodders to me as everyding; dot treasures! Vait;
I reads der letter."
Slowly adjusting a large pair of glasses, she carefully spelled out the
missive. Her face took on a more kindly look, and, when she had finished
it, she said:
"Vell, Fred, I do 'most anyding for you, after I read dot letter from
Old Bill. My husbands vos very fond of Bill. Vot it is you vants?"
"I would like to get a map of where the treasure is buried, and have you
tell me all you can about it."
"So? Vell, I don't know vere it is, only vot der map says. But listen,
how is a boy like you going to hunt for dot treasure? Maybe it don't be
dere no more. Maybe dose Indians vos took it. Ach! My poor husband! Dot
treasure vos der death of him, und I don't vant to see it kills any
more beples."
"Well, I shall have to take that chance, I suppose," said Fred. "But are
you willing I should hunt for it?"
"How can a boy like you vos, all alone, find somedings vot lots of mens
has failed to find?"
"I expect to have some men help me. My father is an old miner, and he
will advise me. Probably he would go, only he is lame."
"So? Dot's different alretty yet, if your fader vos a miner. Den you
knows somedings about der trouble. Und maybe you could get a party to
hunt it, only der last party vot vent for it vos frozen prutty bad, und
dey comes back midout der gold."
"Have you the map?" asked Fred, anxious to see the document.
"Yah, but if I consents to let you search, I vill only give you a copy.
If you don't come back, my map vould be lost. Maybe it vould be better
if it vos lost, den noboddies vould try for dot treasure, any more."
"If it's there it ought to be found, Mrs. Stults. The gold is no good
buried out of sight."
"Dot's so. Vell, maybe I gives you a copy of der map. I have to dink it
ofer. You comes back in an hour, und I lets you know."
Fred was anxious to know right away, but he could not very well urge
the widow to hasten her decision. So he went out and wandered about the
streets, occasionally looking at a clock in a jeweler's window, to see
if the hour was not up. He was back probably a minute or so ahead of the
time.
"Vell," said Mrs. Stults slowly, after she had admitted him, "I haf
considered it, und I am villing dot you should haf a try for der
treasure."
"And can I have a copy of the map?"
"Yah. Widout it you could do noddings. I vill haf my lawyers draw up a
copy for you, und you also has to sign a papers."
"What kind of a paper?"
"You must promise to bear all of der expenses of der expedition, you und
your friends, und I must have half der treasure, if you finds him. Vill
you do dot?"
"That I will, Mrs. Stults."
"Den come here dis afternoon, und I vill haf der map copy und der papers
ready for you. You vos a smart boy. Maybe you vos succeed vere der oders
fail. Anyhow I trust you, because of der letter from Old Bill. Now come
back dis afternoon. Good-by, Willy. Vos dot your name?"
"No, my name is Fred--Fred Stanley."
"Vell, Fred, den. Vos you any relations to dot man vot discovered many
t'ings in Africa?"
"You mean Henry M. Stanley?"
"Yah."
"No. I think not."
"Vell, anyhow, maybe you vos be as better a discoverer as him. Come dis
afternoon."