"But that was in your younger days," replied his friend; "you have had
nothing of the kind for a good while."

Jeff took his pipe from the network of beard that enclosed his lips,
and turned his bright, gray eyes upon the husband and wife who were
looking curiously at him. They knew by the movement of the beard at the
corners of the invisible mouth that he was smiling.

"There's the joke. It's come over me so strong inside the last week,
that I've made up my mind to start out on a hunt for gold. What do you
think of that, eh?"

And restoring his pipe to his lips, he leaned back and rocked his chair
with more vigor than before, while he looked fixedly into the faces of
his friends.

[Illustration: JEFF.]

"Jeff, you can't be in earnest; you are past threescore--"

"Sixty-four last month," he interrupted; "let's git it right."

"And you are in no need of money; besides it is a hard matter to find
any place in California where it is worth your while--"

"But it ain't Californy," he broke in again; "it's the Klondike
country. No use of talking," he added with warmth, "there's richer
deposits in Alaska and that part of the world than was ever found
hereabouts. I've got a friend, Tim McCabe, at Juneau; he's been through
the Klondike country, and writes me there's no mistake about it; he
wants me to join him. I'm going to do it, and your boy Roswell and his
cousin Frank are to go with me. Oh, it's all settled," said Jeff
airily; "the only question is how soon you can git him ready. A day
oughter be enough."

The husband and wife looked at each other in astonishment. They had not
dreamed of anything like this; but if the truth were told, Mr. Palmer
had been so wrought up by the wonderful stories that were continually
coming from Alaska and British Columbia, that he was seriously thinking
of joining the northward-bound procession.

Startling as was the announcement of Jeff Graham, a discussion of the
scheme brought out more than one fact to recommend it. The youths were
in perfect health, strong and athletic. Jeff volunteered to provide all
the funds needed, and his early experience in mining and his love for
the boys made him an invaluable guide and companion despite his years.
He had turned over in his mind every phase of the question, and met
each objection the affectionate mother brought forward, alarmed as she
was at the thought of having her boy go so many miles from under her
care.

"It will be necessary to