CHAPTER III

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.

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