Frank Gee Patchin

“ The anchor was up, but Captain Petersen had not yet signaled for slow speed ahead. He ordered a boat lowered and Tad was hauled aboard in a semi-dazed condition. Relieved of its burden, the pony rose and swam for shore. Tad was confined to his cabin, worn out by the hard ride and the icy swim. But he learned that Ketcham was on board, and Ketcham, of course, knew of Tad’s presence.
The morning of their arrival at Skagway was gray and windy. The sea was rolling into the harbor in heavy, boisterous swells. ”

“ A hard, grilling day had been spent on the trail, with little relief from their labors, which were divided between hauling the ponies up dangerous slopes, down almost sheer walls, across glacial streams cold as ice, and last but not least the fighting of giant mosquitoes and black gnats.
“There is only one thing lacking to make this country the limit,” declared Stacy after they had made camp and settled down to warm themselves while the guide was getting supper. ”

“ Ketcham half rose, then settled back again, as if fearing to trust himself.
“You may be thankful that you didn’t do it. My companions would have taken care of you, had anything happened to me,” Tad went on composedly. “I want to say, now, that it would be good judgment on your part not to try any more strong-arm tactics on me or on my companions. If you do, you will instantly find yourself in more kinds of trouble than you have ever before experienced. Now that we know you, we shall be able to take care of you as you deserve. I reckon you know what that means, Red Whiskers.” ”

“ You’ll tote yourself if you want a feed,” growled Stacy, taking hold of the lead rope and slouching off to the right. The bushes where they had placed the ponies were about ten rods to the northward of the point at which the party had landed. Stacy was apparently trying to see how near he could walk to the edge without himself or the mule slipping down that glassy side of granite-like rocks.
“Come along, you lazy cayuse,” he yelled, giving the lead line a series of tugs. It was like pulling on a dead weight, the pack mule being too weary to hasten its lagging footsteps. ”

“ The boys climbed the paddock fence and looked over the lot.
“Me for that black one over yonder,” cried Chunky.
“Why the black one?” asked Ned. “I thought you liked the lighter colors, the delicate tints?”
“I do when some other fellow has to groom the animals. For a labor-saving color give me black every time. With a black horse I can sleep half an hour longer than any fellow who has a white one and yet be ready for breakfast as soon as he is.”
50“You’re too lazy to change your mind,” growled Ned Rector.
“You want the black one, you say?” questioned Tad. ”

“ Do you hear? You let us alone! If you are looking for trouble you may have all you want and then some more besides. We are peaceable travelers, but we know from long experience how to take care of ourselves. Have you anything more to say to me?” demanded the Professor.
“I reckon not. I’ve said my say.”
“Then get out before I forget myself and hit you on the nose!” roared Professor Zepplin. “Don’t you dare come fooling around our camp again, and thank your lucky stars that Master Tad didn’t make a mistake and shoot lower. ”

“ The miner let one hand fall to his holster.
“Up in this country they don’t call men liars,” answered Darwood, looking Butler coldly in the eyes.
“Then men shouldn’t place themselves in a position to be called liars,” retorted Tad boldly. “You had better take your hand from your revolver. If you will take the time to glance at the rock to your right you may possibly see something to interest you.” ”

“ He had not spoken up to this point.
“Keep still!” commanded Darwood. “Put down those guns.”
“Don’t be in a hurry,” advised Tad. “Before you do anything that you’ll regret, let me say that every man of you is covered. The slightest hostile motion on your part is your death warrant.”
“The Indian’s got away!” cried Dawson.
Darwood for the first time realized that all the Pony Rider outfit was not in sight.
“Either your friends will put down their guns and come out or we’ll shoot,” snarled Darwood, fixing his gaze on Tad Butler.
“Are you so anxious to die, Curtis Darwood?” asked the lad calmly. ”

“ Tad waited expectantly until the skipper came to the point of the story he was telling.
“They are the Gold Diggers of Taku Pass, lad.”
“The Gold Diggers of Taku Pass?” repeated Tad Butler. “I don’t think I ever heard that name before. Where is this pass, sir?”
The skipper shook his head.
“No one knows,” he said.
“That is strange,” wondered Butler. “Does no one know where they dig for gold?”
“No. They don’t even know themselves,” was the puzzling reply. ”

“ Darwood has gone,” warned Tad. “The Professor is all stirred up.”
The Professor was. Darwood turned and strode from the camp without trusting himself to utter another word. Professor Zepplin strode back and forth with clenched fists, muttering to himself for five minutes after the departure of their guest.
“He called us thieves!” he exclaimed, halting and glaring angrily at Stacy.
“Well, don’t blame me for it,” answered the fat boy.
“Professor, calm yourself,” begged Tad. “Those men have met with a lot of crookedness. You can’t blame them. ”

“ They were real men, even if they were surly and reticent.
“Tad, how would you like to belong to that party of prospectors?” asked Ned, nodding toward the four.
“I can’t imagine anything more exciting. I wish we might. I wonder if they are going our way?”
“Why don’t you ask them?”
“I intend to,” answered Tad, rousing himself and starting towards the prospectors who were lounging apart from the other passengers on the deck of the steamer.
“Watch him get turned down,” grinned Stacy. “I shall have to break the ice for him. He never will be able to do it for himself.” ”

“ But you get into the far interior–there is a great deal of Alaska that the white man knows very little about yet–and you will find them savage enough, provided they think they have you in a pocket, and especially so if you interfere with any of their religious customs or beliefs. In these respects they are simply human.”
“I should call them inhuman,” observed the fat boy.
“I don’t blame them,” nodded Tad.
“Now, that is the story of the Gold Diggers, so far as I know it,” continued the Captain. “As I have already said, not many persons up here do know it. ”

“ Tad fixed the weather-beaten face of the skipper with a questioning gaze.
“I don’t think I understand, sir.”
“I’ll tell you what I know about it some other time, lad. I haven’t the time to spin the yarn now. It’s a long one. I’ve been sailing up and down these waters, fair weather and foul, for a good many years, and I’ve seen a fair cargo of strange things in my time, but this Digger outfit is the most peculiar one I ever came across. They are a living example of what the lure of gold means when it gets into a man’s system. Gold is all right. ”

“ One end of the tent was suddenly raised.
“Do you want another ducking?” demanded the angry voice of Ned Rector.
“If you’re man enough to give it to me,” returned the fat boy.
Ned came tumbling out, but by the time he had straightened up, Stacy was nowhere in sight. The fat boy had stolen in among the trees whence he watched the progress of events. Ned returned to his tent in disgust. No further objection was heard from the Professor as to Chunky’s vocal exercises.
“There’s no use trying to sleep with that boy bawling away out there. What does he think he is, a bird?” demanded Tad. ”

“ Tad uttered a loud sneeze. Two men suddenly appeared in the haze of smoke, and the boy heard the sound of hands slapping pistol holsters. He was able to make the men out faintly, but not with sufficient clearness to see who or what they were.
177“Hold on, boys–don’t shoot!” warned Butler, as he stepped around the smudge to enable him to get a better view of the men whom he had come upon so unexpectedly, to them.
Before him stood Curtis Darwood and Dill Bruce, the latter known among his companions as the Pickle. Each man held his revolver ready for quick action. ”

“ TAD DISCOVERS SOMETHING
“I don’t see our friends,” said Ned, an hour later.
“They’re not in their camp,” answered Tad. “We passed that an hour ago. They have no horses, so they’re packing their outfits on their backs.”
“Huh! That’s one part of the gold-madness that I don’t want,” said Chunky. “Do all gold diggers have to pack their outfits?”
“I guess few of them can afford to buy ponies,” answered Butler. “Then, too, the places they go to are usually beyond the reach of anything except a wild animal. We are fortunate if we get through with our stock. ”

“ Everyone was eager to get started, anxious to find out what would be the outcome of the dispute with the gold diggers.
“We don’t know in what direction they’re going to move, while they do know our route,” said Tad. “So it will be an easy matter for Darwood to watch us as long as he wants to keep us in sight.”
At seven o’clock that morning Professor Zepplin gave the word to “mush.” This morning the Professor was extremely silent, but there was a grim look to the corners of his mouth.
Exciting experiences lay before them all. The boys felt it in the very air about them. ”

“ He has a trick of peering up from under his eyelids when he looks at you.”
“Oh! I know the one you mean, and I don’t like his looks. How did you know?”
“Since the Captain made that remark about ‘Red Whiskers’ I have been taking an interest in every man on the boat who wore red whiskers,” said Tad. “I tried to decide, in my own mind, which of them was the right one.”
“So did I,” admitted Ned. “But I got all mixed up. If you succeeded in picking out the right one you are mighty sharp. I wish I were as keen as you.” ”

“ Ned hurriedly fetched the glasses. He took the first look, but saw no smoke. Tad reached for them. By this time another ring was rising. It, like the first one he had seen, was followed by two others.
“It’s a signal!” announced Butler quietly. “Now what can it mean?”
“It means trouble for us,” spoke up Stacy. “I can feel it in my bones.”
“Who would desire to make trouble for us here?” demanded the Professor.
“I don’t know,” replied Tad. “I don’t believe that smoke has anything to do with us. It must be an Indian signal.”
“No Indian,” grunted Anvik. “Him white man smoke.” ”

“ Here they were not exposed to the heavy swell from the Pacific, being sheltered by islands on the southern side.
An Indian wrapped in a gaudy blanket went striding stolidly past the Pony Rider party.
“Will you tell us where the town is?” called Tad.
Without looking at the questioner, the Indian pointed up the hill to the right.
“He means on top of the mountain,” interpreted Stacy.
“No. There is a trail leading up through the trees,” answered Tad. “But it can’t be much of a settlement.” ”

“ First see if you can’t give me a little slack.”
“Can’t do it,” called Walter.
“Yes you can. Try again. That’s the idea. A little more. You’re doing finely. You would make good sailors. Whoa! Make fast.”
Grunting and perspiring, and with aching backs, the boys made fast the advantage they had gained. The weight of the dead mule was now resting on the new rope which Butler had fastened about its neck. Some time was occupied in getting his lasso loose, which had drawn very tight under the weight of the mule.
“That’s what comes from having a good rope,” said Tad. ”

“ What is more, they must think they are on the right track or they wouldn’t fly off the handle as Darwood has done to-day. What will you do?” asked Tad.
“Do? Do? What do you think I am going to do?”
“Knowing you as I do, I should say you would go on as we have planned,” answered Butler laughingly.
“Exactly! If that man thinks he can frighten us out of our course he will find that he has made a grave mistake.”
“Why didn’t you punch him when you had the chance?” demanded Chunky. “You could have hit him an awful wallop when his chin was in the air that time.”
“Stacy! You are a savage!” ”