CHAPTER VII.
BUYING THE OUTFITS.
"You saw Tom Roland and Jasper Guardley?" burst from the lips of thePortney brothers simultaneously.
"Yes," replied Fred Dobson. "I couldn't believe my eyes at first, butwhen I felt sure I was right I ran up to speak to Roland."
"And what did he say?" queried Earl.
"He didn't give me a chance to speak to him. He and Guardley disappearedin the crowd like a flash. I rather think they saw me and avoided me."
Earl and Randy exchanged glances. Tom Roland and Jasper Guardley hadfollowed them to San Francisco. What could it mean?
"I shouldn't wonder if they are bound for Alaska, too!" burst out Randy."Oh, Earl, supposing they got that letter--"
"It's more than likely they did," said the elder youth, quickly. "I'llwager both of them are going to try their fortunes in the new goldfields. Well, they had a cheap trip West," he concluded bitterly.
"If we could prove they got the money, we could have them locked up."
"But we can't prove it, Randy; we haven't time, so we'll just have tolet matters stand where they are. For my part I never want to see eitherof them again," said Earl, decidedly.
Fred Dobson had listened to the latter part of the conversation withinterest, and now he wished to know what it all meant.
"They must be guilty," he said, after Randy had recited the facts."Guardley is a bad egg. You know he was up before my father severaltimes. But say, Randy," he went on, as Earl turned away with FosterPortney to secure extra accommodations at the hotel for the twofollowing nights, "can't you fix it up with your uncle so that I can goto Alaska with him? I'll work like a slave for the chance to go."
Randy had expected something of this sort and had talked the matter overwith Earl, and now he shook his head.
"I don't believe I can, Fred. My uncle is only taking us along becausewe are related and because he knows we are both strong and used to hardwork. I really don't believe you could stand it in the new gold fields.He has warned us that the exposure is something awful."
"Oh, I know, but I can stand more than you think," pleaded Fred.
"Besides that, it wouldn't be right," added Randy. "You ran away fromhome, and it's your duty to go back."
"Oh, don't preach. My father doesn't care where I am."
"Yes, he does, Fred; he cares a good deal. And then your mother must beworried, too."
At the mention of his mother, Fred Dobson's face changed color for amoment, and when next he spoke there seemed to be a suspicious lump inhis throat.
"I--I'm going to send mother a letter; I'll write it to-night."
"You should have written long ago, Fred."
"Oh, don't preach. Then you won't speak to your uncle?" And the squire'sson looked into Randy's face wistfully.
"Yes, I'll speak to him; but it won't do any good, Fred."
It was not long after this that Foster Portney and Earl came back,having hired an extra room for the time desired. The uncle had beenintroduced to Fred, and now he invited the runaway to take supper withthem.
It was not until the meal was nearly over that Fred urged Randy tobroach the subject next his heart. Foster Portney listened patiently toall Randy had to say and also gave ear to Fred's pleadings. But hisface did not brighten up into anything like an encouraging look.
"No, Dobson, I can't take you," was his reply. "In the first place, Earland Randy are all the companions I wish to take along, that is, and grubstake, as we term it in mining slang--pay their way, that means; and inthe second place, it wouldn't be right. You are a minor and have runaway from home, and, if anything, it is my duty to see that you go back.Besides this, you do not look strong, and, I believe, you have neverdone any real hard work, and that won't do for Alaska. Only those whoknow how to rough it stand any show whatever of getting along there. Myadvice to you is, to go back where you belong."
As may be surmised, this plain speech did not suit Fred Dobson at all,and he felt more than ill at ease for the remainder of the repast. Assoon as he could do so gracefully he arose to go.
"I don't suppose I'll see you again for a long while," he said, as heheld out his hand to Earl and to Randy. "Well, good luck to you,anyway."
Randy caught Earl by the arm and gave it a little pinch. "How are youoff for cash, Fred?" he asked, in a low tone.
"Oh, I've got a little money with me," answered Fred, quietly, but didnot add that the sum-total of his fortune amounted to exactly sixty-fivecents.
"Perhaps we can help you a little," put in Earl, who understood thepinch Randy had given him. "We haven't much, but if a few dollars willdo any good--"
"Will you let me have two dollars?" asked the squire's son, eagerly.
"Yes."
"And I'll let you have two more," added Randy, and the amounts werepassed over on the spot, and Fred thanked them very profusely. A fewminutes later he had thanked Foster Portney for the supper, bade allgood-by, and was gone.
"Not a half bad boy," was the comment of Mr. Portney. "His one fault is,I reckon, that he has been allowed to have his own way too long.Roughing it out here will most likely make a man of him, unless he getsinto bad company and goes to the dogs."
"I am going to write to his folks and let them know where he is," saidEarl; and the letter was penned and mailed before he went to bed.
The three were on their way early on the following morning to completethe purchase of their outfits, for all must be packed up and on thesteamboat deck by seven o'clock the next morning, to insure being storedon board of the _Golden Hope_.
The first purchases made were those of a good tent, bedding, woollenblankets, rubber sleeping-bags, a large piece of oiled canvas, andseveral lynx-skin robes.
"Now for our tools with which to cut down trees, build boats, and thelike," said Foster Portney. "Remember, we are almost like pioneers in anew land."
For boat-building purposes they purchased a good whip-saw, a cross-cutsaw, a jack plane, and a draw knife, a large and a small axe, a hammer,brace and bits, six pounds of assorted nails, several pounds of oakumfor calking, and some pitch. To this outfit was added fifty yards ofthree-quarter-inch rope.
"Don't we want some canvas for sail?" asked Randy, who was intenselyinterested, and who felt somewhat as if he was going out to play atRobinson Crusoe.
"No, the other bits of canvas will do for that," responded FosterPortney. "Now for the camping-out things," he went on, and had soonprocured a good-sized water kettle, a frying-pan, broiler, bean pot, tinmeasure, extra baking and cooking tins, three tin plates and cups, threesets of knives and forks, coffee pot and strainer, salt and peppershakers, and a strong paper-fibre water pail.
"That about ends that," he said, when each article bought had beencarefully scrutinized to see that it was perfect. "Now for food andmedicines, and then we'll be about done."
The food list made Randy smile grimly. "No luxuries there," he whisperedto Earl. "We are going to live as plain as we did up in Maine, orplainer."
The list consisted of the following: A hundred pounds of flour, withbaking-powder, twenty pounds of smoked ham and bacon, two dozen cans oftomatoes, a dozen cans of other vegetables, a small sack of potatoes, adozen cans of condensed milk, twenty pounds of sugar, ten pounds ofsalt, twenty pounds of coffee, a sack of beans, pepper and other spices,and mustard. To these were added a few cans of fruit by way ofdelicacies.
The food packed, they made their way to a drug store and procured asmall family chest of various medicines, and added to this severalbottles of liquor, which, however, were to be used only for medicinalpurposes, for none of the party were drinkers.
Foster Portney already had a serviceable pistol, and he now procured forthis weapon a sufficient supply of cartridges. He also bought a pistolfor Randy and a shot-gun for Earl. "The gun will be the most usefulweapon," he said, "for it will help put lots of game into oureating-pot, and that is what we shall want."
"Won't we want a fishing-line or two?" asked Earl. "I have one in mytrunk,
but it is not of much account."
"Yes, we'll buy several first-class ones, and a book of flies. Fish to ahungry man are as acceptable as any other game," answered his uncle, andthe articles mentioned were purchased without delay.
The list was now filled, yet Foster Portney spent nearly an hour more inpicking up such odds and ends as pins, needles, spools of thread, threegood pocket compasses, and burning-glasses, a pocket notebook for each,with pencils and some writing-paper and envelopes. Finally he took themto a little shop on a side street, where each procured a monstrousknapsack of oiled canvas, having straps to be placed over the shouldersand an extra strap to come up over the front part of the head.
"What an affair!" said Randy, with a laugh. "I never saw a knapsack witha head-piece before."
"You'll find it an easy thing to carry," said his uncle. "Try it," andRandy did so, and was astonished to learn how much the head-strapimproved the carrying powers.
The best part of the evening was spent in packing the things they hadpurchased, and it was not until after ten o'clock that the last of thebundles were ready and duly tagged.
"Now we have only a few more things to get," said Foster Portney, "themost important of the whole outfit;" and as Randy and Earl looked at himblankly, he smiled in an odd way. "What could three gold hunters dowithout picks, shovels, and pans?"
"To be sure!" shouted Randy, and Earl reddened over the idea that he hadnot thought of the things before.
"We'll get them in the morning, for they won't have to be packed," saidthe uncle. "We have done enough for to-day."
And Randy, who was tired out, agreed with him that it had been a busyday, indeed. He went to bed with his head in a whirl about Alaska andhow they were to get there, and of the wonderful finds of gold whichawaited all hands. He was full of the brightest of hopes, and thehardships so soon to be encountered did not bother him.
To Alaska for Gold; Or, The Fortune Hunters of the Yukon Page 10