Boy Scouts on the Yukon Read online

  CHAPTER II.

  "SWIFTWATER JIM."

  The Scouts had joined in the cry which notified the pilot house that a manhad gone overboard, but before the "Queen" lost headway and began to backthe man in the water had slipped some distance astern. Life preservers andlife rings were quickly thrown after him, but no sooner had the derelictcome to the surface than it was seen that he was dazed and almost helplessfrom the effects, probably, of some injury he had sustained as he wentthrough the gangway. Luckily, the gangway gate, which he had pushed outhad floated alongside of him on the tideway, and he had retainedconsciousness 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 attheir head had rushed along the upper rail, where Rand began at once tostrip off his coat and the soft canoe shoes he was wearing on shipboard,while Gerald followed suit. All the boys, as became trained Scouts, weregood swimmers, but Rand pushed Gerald back, impetuously, saying:

  "I'm the heavier, Gerald, let me go on this. It may be a fight," and atthe same time mounted the rail. As he did so, Colonel Snow seized a longthin 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 itoff, and take to the gangplank."

  Rand leaped from the rail, with his utmost strength, striving to escapethe suction of the now backward-revolving screw, and struck out toward theman whose head was sinking under the surface, although his hands stillgrasped the gangplank with a feeble hold. With a dozen stalwart strokes,Rand reached the almost unconscious man, threw the loop from his ownshoulder over his head and drew it under his arms and placed both hishands 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 andstalwart hands dragged them toward the steamer.

  RAND LEAPED FROM THE RAIL.]

  Already, a lifeboat had been dropped into the water and into this thehalf-drowned man was lifted, while Rand, himself already numbed by the icywater had to be assisted aboard. He was lifted to the deck amid the cheersof 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 quickertime. Those are fine boys of yours, Colonel Snow."

  "That's part of their training as Scouts," replied the Colonel, "and it'smeant to be practical. That's why I did not interfere with Peyton'sattempt at a rescue. But what started this?"

  "That's what I'm going to find out, good and quick," replied CaptainHuxley. "As usual at this time of year, I've got a tough crowd in thesteerage, and I imagine the whole thing started in a poker game that hasbeen running on the engine room deck ever since we left Seattle. Will yougo 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 Huxleystrode down to the engine room, where first aid had been administered tothe half-drowned man, who had come to his senses.

  "Well, well; if it isn't 'Swiftwater Jim,'" exclaimed the Captain. "Didn'tknow we had you aboard."

  "Wa'al, ye come mighty near losin' me," the patient answered, and thencontinued. "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 popularelement with you in the past; eh, Jim," said the Captain with a grin."Colonel Snow, let me introduce Swiftwater Jim, an ancient Alaskan that Ibelieve we took over with the territory under the Seward treaty withRussia in 1867, and the oldest 'Sourdough' in any one of the sixdistricts. He's made at least a dozen trips with me. He usually owns theboat 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 theAlaskan country. Let me introduce some young fellows who are making theirfirst trip."

  The miner, whose drying garb was made up of a mixture of the costume ofthe frontier pioneer and garments of the latest cut, shook hands with theboys as he said:

  "I'll pay ye captain, for puttin' me back in the mammoth class, but whatI'm lookin' for is the feller that went into the dew after me. Thatcertainly was a few damp moments. I was rattled, but I knew somebodygrabbed me just before the light went out."

  "Here's the chap," said Captain Huxley, as he shoved the reluctant Rand tothe front.

  The miner grasped Rand's hand and gazed into his face with a solemnstare.

  "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 lasttrip out to the States. Wa'al, Mr. Peyton, I ain't a goin' to make nofervent speech of gratitood, for ye know how I feel, and I ain't trimmedup 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 owntroubles," 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 theway to Skagway. Out with it."

  "Wa'al, Captain," said Swiftwater, "when I come aboard last night I foundamong the ruck in the steerage that gambler, Dublin, and a limpy pal ofhis. We got to playing poker, and the two of them cleaned me out, andbecause I found them using marked cards they came after me with themspikes. A young feller that was with them jumped on my back, and I wentoverboard. I'll tend to 'em."

  "No, you won't, Jim," remarked Captain Huxley. "From this to Skagwayyou'll bunk on my deck and keep away from here."

  Turning to a couple of the crew, the commander of the "Queen" said: "Bringthat Dublin crowd here." The men hurried away, and in a few minutespresented to the astonished eyes of the Scouts their old acquaintances andquasi-enemies, Dublin, Limpy Rae, and Monkey Rae. The latter favored theboys 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 Iwant to say I should have refused you passage if I had known you weregoing back to the Klondike. If you start another card game on this boat orget into any other trouble, I'll put you in irons, and hand you over tothe authorities when we reach port. I'm not sure that there are notseveral United States marshals in Alaska, yearning for a sight of you,now."

  Dublin turned white, attempted to speak, and then with his companionsslunk back into the steerage.

  "Why, we saw Monkey Rae trip up this man," said Jack pointing toSwiftwater, "but we didn't know it was Monkey then. It was a cowardlyattack."

  "Well," said Captain Huxley, "we'll let the matter drop now, unlessSwiftwater 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 tothe boys and Colonel Snow, and walked away.

  "And now," said the Captain of the "Queen," "I'm afraid we've missed thefirst bugle blast for breakfast, but I should be glad to have you, ColonelSnow and your young men join my table at meals for the voyage."

  This signal honor was highly appreciated by the boys, for at meals theywere introduced to several territorial officials, capitalists and armyofficers, who, with the women of their families, were going in with theadvent of Spring in Alaska. The tale of Rand's feat had preceded them, andthe poor fellow spent a rather uncomfortable and embarrassing half hour ofcompliments and congratulations from men whose experience had taught themto appreciate a gallant deed.


  Colonel Snow finally came to Rand's rescue by turning the talk to therescued man.

  "A great character, Swiftwater Jim, Captain Huxley?"

  "Yes," replied the commander of the "Queen," "and Alaska history is fullof his vagaries. He's probably the best equipped prospector and all-roundminer in the territory, but it does him no good. He has owned twentymines, and has made a dozen fortunes and spent them all. Every time hemakes a 'stake' as he calls it, he indulges in extravagances that make onedoubt his sanity. He went out last fall with fifty thousand dollars indust, 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 sensationeven there while his money held out. His diversions are innocent, turninglargely to investments in food and drink, a tendency born, I suppose, oflong privations in the Arctic. His most humorous exploit on this trip wasentering the most fashionable restaurant in the metropolis, and orderingfifty dollars worth of ham and eggs, after vainly attempting to make outthe 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 itright and left. Of course, a good deal of it goes to the leeches whocluster around such characters in the cities. Still, although he has theaverage pioneer's contempt for Indians and Eskimos he has given liberallyto 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 withinterest.

  "Well, I hardly think so," smiled the Captain. "I doubt if the order wasreally served. Head waiters of these big restaurants have very diplomaticways."

  "Captain Huxley, what is a 'Sourdough'? I heard you apply the word toSwiftwater Jim," said Jack, on the alert for information.

  "The aristocracy of the Alaskan mining camp," replied the officer. "Theman who has been at least a year in the territory, and is 'wise' as youboys say, to its methods and manners, and inured to its hardships and itsclimate. 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 diningsaloon seemed to rise on a long and gentle undulation, and as gently tosink to an appreciable depth. The motion continued regularly for a fewminutes, 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 ofthose at breakfast. Suddenly, Dick exclaimed:

  "We're losing a good deal of this scenery," and passed out on the deck, tobe followed almost immediately by Pepper and Don. The Boy Scouts had metwith a new sensation.