by Roy J. Snell
CHAPTER XIX ORDERED BELOW
Back in the trapper's cabin Blackie was in a rage. He stormed at theOrientals, at MacGregor, then at himself. From time to time he rushed outon the small dock in a vain attempt to pierce the thick fog and to listenwith all his ears.
"The robbers have got them," he muttered. "I should have known. Thatshadow! It's done for them and for the _Stormy Petrel_."
As night came on he settled down to sober thinking. "There's a fishingskiff out there by the dock," he said to Lawrence. "We'll have to put itin the water and make a try for the mainland. This cabin is on an island.Mainland must be thirty miles away. We'll make it. We'll find some sortof power boat. And then, by thunder! Things will get to popping!"
Lawrence, too, was disturbed in his own quiet way. He knew a great dealabout Johnny. Many a time Johnny had been in a tight spot. Always,somehow, he had come out safely. MacGregor was old and wise. And, afterall, this was not a time of war. Why need one worry too much?
There were a number of tattered books on the shelf in the corner.Evidently this trapper was something of a naturalist, for five of thesewere about animals and birds. In browsing through these, the boy made areal find, a picture of a glacier bear, a brief description, and thehistory of the animal as far as known.
It was with the feelings of a real discoverer that he read those wordsover and over. When he had finished he said to himself, "If ever I seeone of those bears I'll know him."
But would he? At the present moment those bears seemed as far away as themoon. And yet, who could tell?
At dawn next morning the three of them, George, the cook, Blackie andLawrence, carried their few supplies down to the dock, tacked a note onthe door, climbed into the broad, clumsy skiff and rowed into the fog.
"We'll follow the shore as far as we can," said Blackie. "We'll have tocross a broad stretch of open water, but I think I can manage that withmy pocket compass."
When at last Lawrence saw even the small island disappear from sight, heregretted the circumstances that appeared to make it necessary to leavethat comfortable retreat.
When Johnny and his friends came on board that same morning, they foundthe fog still with them, but it was thinner. There was a suggestion of abreeze in the air.
"Going to clear," was MacGregor's prophecy. This, they were soon todiscover, did not concern them too much, at least not in the immediatefuture.
When they had eaten a strange mixture of rice and meat and had gulpeddown some very bitter coffee, a little man with neither gold nor braid onhis uniform came up to them, saluted in a careless manner and saidsimply, "Come."
They followed him from one deck to another until they found themselves ina vast place of steam and evil smells.
When their eyes had become accustomed to the light and steam, they sawlong rows of men toiling and sweating over apparently endless tables.Before the tables, on a conveyor, thousands of large salmon moved slowlyforward.
"No iron coolie here," Johnny chuckled. "Everything is done by hand.Heads off, tails, fins, all with big knives."
"Please," said the little man. He was holding out a long, thin, oilskincoat. Understanding his wish, Johnny put it on. Still wondering, hewatched MacGregor and the girl follow his example.
"Please," said the little man again. "A thousand apologies." He washolding out three long, sharp knives, at the same time pointing with hisother hand at a break in the solid line of salmon workers.
"Why, the dirty little shrimp!" Johnny exploded. "He wants us to go towork."
"Steady, son," MacGregor warned. "They understand English. I fancy thereare worse places than this on the ship. We have no choice but to obey."
Johnny muttered, but dropped into place to slash off a large salmon'shead.
He had worked in a rebellious humor for a quarter of an hour when, onlooking up, he discovered that Rusty was performing the most disagreeabletask in the salmon line. She was cleaning the fish. Shoving pastMacGregor, he turned her half about as he muttered low, "You take myplace."
To his great astonishment, he felt the girl whirl back to her place, givehim a hard push, then saw her resume her work.
For a space of seconds he stood there stunned. Then he laughed low. Thegirl was wise, much wiser than he had known. She was supposed to be aboy. Boys were not gallant to one another. She would play the part to thebitter end. Johnny returned to his task.
"Mac," he was able to whisper at last, "why would they do this to us?"
"You answer," was the old man's reply. "Sh-sh--" he warned. "Here comes abig shot, one of the monkeys with gold buttons."
As he passed the "big shot" smiled suavely at them, but said never aword.