Part 15 (2/2)
He turned to Foster Portney and introduced hi that he and his companion only wanted to join some party until Dawson City was reached Mr Portney listened quietly, and then turned to Captain Zoss, who stood near
”I don't believe ant any ot a-plenty,” was the captain's answer ”Still, if they are friends to the boys--”
”But they are not,” whispered Earl ”And what is more, we consider them doubtful characters”
”Then we don't want 'em, nohow”
”This camp is full,” ca his sore foot, which was neither better nor worse ”That boat we are building won't holdwith our outfits”
The faces of both Roland and Guardley grew dark ”All right; if you don't want us, we'll hook fast somewhere else,” muttered Roland, and turned on his heel
”Maybe you'll regret throwing us off some day,” came from Guardley, as he passed Earl; and then the twothe tents up the lake shore
”Oh, what cheek!” burst froone ”I wouldn't have Roland in the party for a far we had,” said Earl ”As if we didn't know his real character, and that he had been up before Judge Dobson lots of ti, especially that last cur--froot a bad eye, he has, eh?”
All hands slept soundly after their hard day's work in the ti in theon the boat, Dr Barwaithe took it upon himself to perform the ”household duties,” as he expressed it, and soon a well-cooked breakfast was arranged on a rude table Captain Zoss had stuck up The doctor was an excellent cook, and Foster Portney could not help but ask hie had been derived
”It's easily explained,” said the doctor ”I have an older sister as once the head of a cooking school in Montreal She insisted on it that every one should kno to cook, especially a bachelor like myself, and she used to deliver her lectures tothem at the school I believe I was an apt pupil, but I never dreae would becooes for to prove a feller can't know too much,” re off his big tin cup of coffee, and springing up ”That ere boat ain't going to build itself” And off he hurried for the woods, carrying all of the tools he could carry In a moment the boys and Foster Portney followed hih slabs of lu the the first with their axes and then with the drawing-knife and the plane It was no light labor, and night was again upon thee of the lake
After supper Foster Portney brought out a -rule and marked off the different parts of the boat, which was to be a flat-botto-pointed bow
Another day at Lake Linderether, false bottolad that they had enough oakuht The other parties in ca, and the scene in the clear and fairly eather was a busy one
Randy had cut down a sht tree for a uards running across frounwale to another The yard and the boom of this mast were primitive affairs, to be put up whenever desired
As soon as the pitch had hardened, preparations for leaving the caoods and tools were packed up into the smallest possible space, and stored on board of the _Wild Goose_, as Randy had christened the craft, the eatables, clothing, and blankets being placed on top, so as not to be injured by the water whichto be taken doas the tent, the fly of which was then adjusted for a sail
”All aboard!” cried Randy, as he leaped into the boith Earl behind him Captain Zoss followed them, to help keep a lookout ahead, while Mr Portney and Dr Barwaithe took places in the stern, one to e the rudder and the other with an oar ready for use, should they run upon a bar orin the midst of snow-clad h not quite so high At its lower end it connects with Lake Bennett by a short river where are situated the Hoerous encountered in sailing along the headwaters of the Yukon, and are feared more by some miners than are the fah later on To avoid the Hoht fro to build their boats
But it was all new territory to our party, for even Foster Portney, in his previous trip to Alaska, had not passed in this direction A stiff breeze sent them on their way down Lake Linderman, and all expressed the qualities of the _Wild Goose_
”We're co to the end of the lake,” observed Earl, when scarcely an hour had passed ”There is the river, over to the right”
In a few minutes more the sail was lowered, and they came to anchor at the h, but so whitecaps of the rapids leading to the lake below
[Illustration: ”THE WATER WAS BOILING ON EVERY SIDE”--_Page 125_]
”I reckon we'll have to take a line ashore and haul her through,”
observed Captain Zoss, after an examination of the situation ”We don't want to run no risk of bein' upsot so early in the game”