Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-12-24

him aboard after a hard tussle. We
us, ard he never got over il. We buried
him out to sea and he drawed up
writing to make me his heir. He give
me letter he'd got from this Taylor.
telling how TO get to gold mine he'd
been working.
HE told me TO take what money was
In his belt and / did. He said he'd no
family. The letter said for him TO bring
tome one with him if he needed any
help. and as 1 di1c't know nothing
about horses and shore rigging, i
brought Bowers here along with me.
That's the whole yarn as well as a
! rough sailor man can spin it."
Bowers face showed his approval Of
The mates efforts and Tarbox was ap-
parrntly convinced, for be shook hands
| warmly with the speaker and ex-
slaimed:
IT'S a lucky thing I met you. Dick
told me he had written to both the
Averys. They were old friends of his.
tie told me to look out for them in
Dyea. Have you got the papers with
your"
That's what have. Here they are,
all shipshape and above board" replied
Rider as he proceeded to extract them
from his belt.
That's Dick Tsylor's fist the world
over" assented Tarbox as he examined
the letter. CT remember the day he
wrote that in our tent. We had just
found the first big mug"
He coughed to lSde his confusion and
then added:
ITS all right, of course, but a man
has to be careful. Once let the mob
know where we are and what we've
found and we'd be overrun in no time"
AS luck would have it Hank Bowers
chose this instant, when Tarbox was
| examining the papers, to throw look
| of ferocious triumph on the mate. AL
| though neither of them noticed the fact,
Joe Tarbox raised his eyes just then,
and to a man of his training nothing
| more was needed to put him on his
! guard.
He cast a keen look at Bowers and as
| If his scrutiny had been satisfactory, he
dropped his eyes again, but there was a
little hardening of the muscles about
| his jaw, and with careless twist of his
body he brought his weapon nearer his
| hand.
He was too old a hand, however, to
make any outward sign of alarm, and
said, coolly:
| Its pity you didn't pick up the 9th
er Avery at Dyea. He ought to be there
by this time
| And how can we find your pardner?''
| asked Bowers.
| DO just as the letter says" replied
| Tarbox. Build fire and he'll see the
smoke and come. The route is too
crooked to describe"
| How long afore you'll be back with
the grubP We've got good lot here,
| but you can't hev too much"
| It'll take me three days to get in
and two or three more to get what j
want. If / can't find horses I shall
have to go to Skaguay. / shan't be
back under fortnight or three weeks
at the best"
After finishing hispipe, Tarbox plead
ed fatigue, and rolled himself up in his
| blanket. But there was no sleep for
| him that night. The sinister look on
boWers lace had given him the clew he
wanted, and as he waited patiently for
daylight he muttered to himself:
That was close shavei There is
| something wrong about that sailor, if
his company is anything to go by. If
this Bowers isn't the man i saw driven
| out of Joe Ladue's station for stealing.
then I'm mistaken. Dick will be all
| right. They may make all the fires
| they want to. and that's all the good
it'll do them. I'll just bring back two
| or three men of the right sort with me-
There's no other way"
At the first sign of daylight he was
astir. y hasty meal was soon eaten,
| and, shaking hands cordially with both
| men, he said:
Tell Dick III be back as soon as
| can. You can't miss the trail"
Then he struck out maufully on the
back track to Dyea. leaving the plotters
standing in front of their tent, exult-
ing.
(TO BIZ CONTINUEDl