Part 6 (2/2)

”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 if Uncle Foster is in, and we can talk to Fred some time later”

This was decided upon, and the squire's son walked off, proood face, but I fancy he is homesick, nevertheless,” remarked Earl, as he and Randy made their way to the hotel office They were just about to ask for their uncle when a hand was laid on Earl's shoulder

”Earl! Randy! How are you, my boys! Just as fresh and hearty as when I saw you last And how both of you are growing! Why, Earl, you are allad to see you, yes, I am!” And Foster Portney beamed at both from a pair of brown eyes set in a round, ruddy face, which was half covered with a long beard He was a large and rugged man, and his open ot, Uncle Foster!” were Randy's first words, as he winced at the close grip Foster Portney gave his hand ”You look like all the rest of the Westerners around here!”

”I' you,” put in Earl, whose hand also tingled froiven it He remembered now that his uncle had always been considered an unusually strong h, even if we don't,” he thought

”Didn't have any trouble getting here, did you?” questioned Foster Portney ”Your e came on time?”

”We had a little set-back in Boston,” answered Earl, and told of the trouble about the money His uncle listened with a sober look on his broad face

”That was too bad, truly, lads But it's the loss of that firht to have been sure of the identification

And you think the thieves were two h rascals”

”We are not sure,” broke in Randy, hastily ”It only looks that way”

”I see” Foster Portneyto investigate I was hoping you two boys would turn up to-day or to-morrow Day after to-morrow a boat sails for Juneau, and if I rustle around I think I can secure passage for ourselves and our traps If we don't catch this boat, we'll have to wait teeks, or else take a train for Portland and wait ten days”

”But we haven't a thing, Uncle Foster,” cried Randy ”That is, outside of our clothing, which is in our trunks, on check at the railroad station”

”And that clothing, for the most part, will have to be left behind, Randy For a country like Alaska one must be differently dressed than here Each of you will have to have a suit of furs and plenty of flannels and all that sort of thing”

”And where shall we get the store not far fro to be done, now you have turned up, is to secure those passage tickets to Juneau The Alaskan fever is setting in strong here, and we'll not be alone on our trip over Chilkoot Pass and along the headwaters of the Yukon”

”I'm in the dark about this trip, I must confess,” said Earl ”Where is this pass you mention, and where is the Klondike Creek, or River?”

”I'll show you the route to-night, boys, on a overn to that steaet left”

Five minutes later saw the boys and their uncle on a street car which ran close to the dock at which the steao, which consisted mainly of the outfits of miners and prospectors The boat, which was named the _Golden Hope_, had been chartered especially for this trip, and a te office had been established close at hand Around this office was congregated a e to Juneau as cheaply as it could be had

Through this crowd Foster Portney shoved his ith Randy and Earl close behind hiet to the ticket office

”I want three tickets,” said Mr Portney ”How ht will you carry on them?”

”Six hundred pounds, and not a pound more for anybody,” was the quick reply

”And when do you sail?”