CHAPTER VI.
PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE.
"Randy Portney!" came from the lips of the boy addressed, as he turnedto stare at the person who had called out his name. "And Earl, too!Where--where did you come from?"
"From Basco, of course," returned Randy. "How did you get away outhere?"
"I--I came out on a train from Chicago," stammered Fred Dobson, but hedid not add that the train had been a freight, and that the stolen ridehad been both uncomfortable and full of peril.
"We met your father in Boston," put in Earl. "He said if we should everrun across you to tell you to come home."
"I'm not going back," was the reply of the squire's son. "I came outhere to make my fortune."
"I'm afraid you'll find it rather hard work," ventured Randy, and heglanced at Fred's shabby suit. Around Basco the youth had dressed betterthan any one else.
"I've been playing in hard luck lately," was the slangy reply. "Butsay, what are you two fellows doing out here?"
"We came on to join our uncle," said Randy. "He is going to take us toAlaska with him."
"Alaska! To those new gold fields a fellow reads about in the dailypapers?"
"Yes."
"I'd like to go there myself," said the runaway, readily.
"It costs a good deal of money to go, Fred," remarked Earl. He ratherliked the squire's son, in spite of his wild ways. "A fellow must takealong a year's provisions."
"So I've heard. I wonder if I couldn't work my way up on one of theboats."
"I wouldn't advise you to go," said Randy. "Why, you are not used tohard work, and they say work up there is of the hardest kind."
"Oh, I can work if I have to. Where is your uncle?"
"He's stopping at this hotel." Randy turned to Earl. "Let us see ifUncle Foster is in, and we can talk to Fred some time later."
This was decided upon, and the squire's son walked off, promising to beback in a few hours.
"He puts on a pretty good face, but I fancy he is homesick,nevertheless," remarked Earl, as he and Randy made their way to thehotel office. They were just about to ask for their uncle when a handwas laid on Earl's shoulder.
"Earl! Randy! How are you, my boys! Just as fresh and hearty as when Isaw you last. And how both of you are growing! Why, Earl, you are almosta man! I'm glad to see you, yes, I am!" And Foster Portney beamed atboth from a pair of brown eyes set in a round, ruddy face, which washalf covered with a long beard. He was a large and rugged man, and hisopen manner had made him many friends.
"What a beard you've got, Uncle Foster!" were Randy's first words, as hewinced at the close grip Foster Portney gave his hand. "You look likeall the rest of the Westerners around here!"
"I'm glad we had no trouble in finding you," put in Earl, whose handalso tingled from the grip given it. He remembered now that his unclehad always been considered an unusually strong man. "I know he'll standthe Alaskan climate well enough, even if we don't," he thought.
"Didn't have any trouble getting here, did you?" questioned FosterPortney. "Your message came on time?"
"We had a little set-back in Boston," answered Earl, and told of thetrouble about the money. His uncle listened with a sober look on hisbroad face.
"That was too bad, truly, lads. But it's the loss of that firm ofbankers and brokers. They ought to have been sure of the identification.And you think the thieves were two men named Roland and Guardley? Theymust be thorough rascals."
"We are not sure," broke in Randy, hastily. "It only looks that way."
"I see." Foster Portney mused for a moment. "Well, we can't lose time intrying to investigate. I was hoping you two boys would turn up to-day orto-morrow. Day after to-morrow a boat sails for Juneau, and if I rustlearound I think I can secure passage for ourselves and our traps. If wedon't catch this boat, we'll have to wait two weeks, or else take atrain for Portland and wait ten days."
"But we haven't a thing, Uncle Foster," cried Randy. "That is, outsideof our clothing, which is in our trunks, on check at the railroadstation."
"And that clothing, for the most part, will have to be left behind,Randy. For a country like Alaska one must be differently dressed thanhere. Each of you will have to have a suit of furs and plenty offlannels and all that sort of thing."
"And where shall we get them?"
"There is a regular outfitting store not far from here. But the firstthing to be done, now you have turned up, is to secure those passagetickets to Juneau. The Alaskan fever is setting in strong here, andwe'll not be alone on our trip over Chilkoot Pass and along theheadwaters of the Yukon."
"I'm in the dark about this trip, I must confess," said Earl. "Where isthis pass you mention, and where is the Klondike Creek, or River?"
"I'll show you the route to-night, boys, on a map just issued by ourgovernment, the best map out so far. But come along to that steamboatoffice, or we'll get left."
Five minutes later saw the boys and their uncle on a street car whichran close to the dock at which the steamboat lay, taking in her cargo,which consisted mainly of the outfits of miners and prospectors. Theboat, which was named the _Golden Hope_, had been chartered especiallyfor this trip, and a temporary shipping office had been establishedclose at hand. Around this office was congregated a motley collection ofmen, all eager to obtain passage to Juneau as cheaply as it could behad.
Through this crowd Foster Portney shoved his way, with Randy and Earlclose behind him. It was some minutes before they could get to theticket office.
"I want three tickets," said Mr. Portney. "How much freight will youcarry on them?"
"Six hundred pounds, and not a pound more for anybody," was the quickreply.
"And when do you sail?"
"Wednesday, at twelve o'clock sharp. What are the names? We don't wantany mix-up in this rush."
The names were put down, and the money for the passage paid over, andwith their tickets in their pockets the three struggled to get out ofthe crowd, which was growing more dense every minute. Close at hand wasa big bill-board on which was posted a large circular headed in bigblack letters:--
THE GOLD FIELDS OF ALASKA!
_Direct Route via Juneau and Over Chilkoot Pass! Now is the Time to Go and Stake Your Claim!_
"That circular is enough to set almost any one crazy," said Earl, as heread it over. "Well, I hope we strike a bonanza."
"The reports are very encouraging," replied Foster Portney, who, inspite of his usual cool headedness had the gold fever nearly as badly asany one in San Francisco. "You see," he went on, "the sooner we getthere the better: for we won't have much time left after arriving beforethe long and terribly cold winter sets in."
Earl had imagined that the six hundred pounds of freight must be dividedbetween the three, but soon learned that six hundred pounds was thelimit for each person.
"We'll never carry that much, will we?" he queried. "Why, how are wegoing to get all that stuff over the pass you mentioned?"
"We'll get Indians to pack it over. They'll charge twenty or thirtycents a pound, but it's the best that can be done. Some hire pack mulesand dog teams, but my experience has been that Indians are the mostreliable."
Dinner was now had, and then the three proceeded to the outfitting storeFoster Portney had previously mentioned. On the way their uncle askedthe boys what they had in their trunks, that nothing not needed might bepurchased.
Two hours were spent in buying clothing, and both Earl and Randy thoughttheir uncle would never get done adding to the pile. First came a dozensuits of flannel underwear, and with them a dozen pairs of heavy socksand half a dozen of light ones. Then came two suits of woollen clothing,strongly made and with large pockets, two pairs of strong shoes and apair of arctics, and two pairs of walrus-hide boots--heavy, it is true,but strong as iron. Finally came a suit of furs and two caps, each witha guard which could be pulled down to the neck, leaving only two holesfor the eyes.
"I reckon you've got handkerchiefs and such extras," said Mr. Portney."So now all you wan
t, so far as wearing is concerned, is a few pairs ofsmoked glasses, to prevent snow-blindness."
The general outfitter was also able to supply these, and he suggestedthey take along about ten yards of mosquito netting.
"Mosquito netting!" cried Randy. "What for?"
"During the short summer mosquitoes are exceedingly thick in Alaska,"said his uncle; and made the purchase suggested.
It was now getting late, and Foster Portney said they had best waituntil the following morning before buying the camping-out things,bedding, and other necessities. "I'll make a careful list to-night," headded.
They returned to the Palace Hotel, where Randy and Earl found FredDobson awaiting them.
"Say!" was the greeting of the squire's son. "Is half of Basco movingout to San Francisco?"
"What do you mean?" questioned Earl, with a puzzled look.
"Why, I was down at the railroad station about an hour ago, and I saw atrain come in from Chicago with Tom Roland and Jasper Guardley onboard."