Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-12
CHAPTER III.-Continued.

CdAfxGh xxx.@OOUCluuCU.
Planck thought he meant to do it, but,
with the fatalism that marks the men OF
his profession he stood fast and eyed his
big opponent.
You're strong enough to-" he said.
And I'll do it If I want to. you know
that" Roscoe supplemented.
Yes. I know that The big man
nodded CURLY.
We'll, I'm not going to now. because I
choose not to. Listen. II you had the
chance could you navigate that solid ma
hogany, hand-painted ship down there"
Planck cleared his throat as If some
thing were sitting him. With a crew,
yes" he answered.
Gould Schwartz run those nickel
plated engines he'd find in her, do you
think?''
Yes"
well. within two days I'll give you
chance to make good. Now. I'm going
to tell you my plan, not because you
asked, but because / want you to know.
I'd run the whole thing alone il l could,
but want you with me. We're going
to take that yacht and we're going off
alone in her-we of the whaler alone. Do
you understand that?''
They're better armed than we.' said
everything. And man for man. bar you.
they're just as good. and they're three
to one of US. 1t will want some pretty
good planning
You needn't worry about that an
swered Roscoe. Il didn't expect you to
make the plans: I knew you couldn't.
I've made them myself: they're working
right now. Can you keep your tongue in
your head and listen?
Planck nodded.
oroht In L.
to- the yacht last night. They're all
camped together-about twenty Of them
down In Little Bear valley. There aren't
above half a dozen firearms in the
bunch; none of the sailors from the yacht
nave any and they've got about two days
rations. They're all there together, ex-
cept the one man We accounted for yes
terday.''
Il see,' said Planck. land you think
we can capture the yacht now while
Don't try to think. tell YOU" Roscoe
growled. I'm doing the thinking. There
are probably ten able-bodied men left on
the yacht. That's not good enough odds,
considering the way they're armed. But
about an hour ago l sent Miguel down to
the shore party to be their guide. He
isn't going to say anything much to
them. but what he says will be enough.
l reckon. He's to pretend he's dotty and
can't understand what they say to him. -
a
did not ask his next question very stead
lily. Where Is he going to take them?''
Cant you guess that? He's going to
lead them into Fog lake. of course
The thought OF it made Plancks teeth
chatter. Fog lake was, perhaps. the most
curious natural phenomenon upon that
strange arctic 1and-a little cup-shaped
valley, from which the fog never lifted
had never lifted once In all the four years
they had lived there. On days when the
rest of the land WAS clear the fog hung
there, half way up the side of the hills.
SO that from the ridges surrounding 1t 1t
really looked like a strange vapory sea.
They had explored the edges Of It. fear
trated far enough to learn the secret of
its mystery. II it had one.
You say Miguel is going to guide them
in there?" Planck asked. "How's he go
ing to get out himself?'
Roscoe laughed shortly: ''Oh. he's
likely to get out. But he's the cheapest
man we've got. and that's why I sent
him. He's half silly now, and he's likely
to go ice-crazy most any time. I've seen
it coming on him. Oh. he'll get them in
or not doesn't matter
And then?' Planck asked.
why, they'll send out a relief party
from the yacht. of course. The yachts
party took with them, and when they
don't come back In two days they'll prob
ably set out from the yacht. with every
able-bodied man on board. and try to
find the first party and bring 1t in. AS
soon as they are well out Of hearing We
take the yacht. We may not find a liv-
ing soul aboard her, and we certainly
can't leave one there. But We'll steam
up and take our gold aboard-all our
gold. And then, well-there's where
you'll come in
But what then. man? My God. what
then? Do you suppose we can go steam
Ing into San Francisco. or any other port
in the world, with all that gold in our
hull. and another captains log and pa
pers? We might just as well hang our
selves from our own crowjack yard"
Il hope your wits will improve when
you get a deck under your feet" Roscoe
growled. ION land here you're about as
much good as a pelican In a foot race.
Francisco. nor any other port that has
such thing as a revenue officer about.
But you ought to know the north coast
line over there as far east as Mckenzie
bay. You must know some harbor there
where we can lie up for the winter and
not be bothered"
Yes" said Planck. Il could take the
yacht to such place as that. There's
a very good harbor in behind Hirshel
Island. But what will we do when we
get there?"
after that it's my affair" said Roscoe.
We'll winter on the yacht. Then when
the weather begins to loosen up bit.
but before the spring thaws. Wen land
our gold and our stores; cache all the
gold, except what we can carry over the
trail. say. about five hundred pounds OF
1t, and We'll leave the yachts seacocks
open, SO that when the Ice goes out she'll
scuttle herself. We shall probably find
sledges. and. perhaps pony or two on
the yacht. II we do 1t will be easy. It's
only short hike to. one of the tributaries
Of the Porcupine river. Once we reach
the Porcupine it will be easy, for 1t flows
into the Yukon. and that's as good as
railway line. Wen make raft and float
all the way down to Saint Michaels with
no trouble at ALL The gold We have with
US will be enough to take US down to
Vancouver, and there we can charter q
ship. You take command Of her. and we
go north through the straits again that
very summer-next summer that Will be.
of course. We go back to the harbor
out the rest for yourself. l guess.
Yes said Planck. Its all very well
only. won't there be a good many to
trust that sort of secret to-"
Roscoe looked at him with savage
sort of grin. Come. you're improving.
But that hike across the mountains to
the upper tributaries Of the Porcupine
is hard trail. There aren't likely to be
many Of us left by the time we get
started floating down open water. Wnen
we get to the Yukon 1t won't be surprfs-
ing IL there isn't anybody left at all. but
you and me-
Planck caught his meaning quickly
enough, indeed, a duller man could have
read 1t in Roscoe's savage ight-blue
eyes; and the thought made his teeth
chatter. He would have felt deadiier