o get
into trouble with that gink. Anyway," he continued, "he's started in
right. He did well to get our guns before he started anything!"

"He didn't get my revolver," Sam said with a low chuckle. "It's a little
bit of a baby thing, but it's a great deal better than none!"

"It will shoot, won't it?" asked Tommy.

"It will shoot, all right, but it's only a twenty-two," replied the boy.
"I've been trying for the last two days to get a square meal on it, but
couldn't get even a ham sandwich. They don't look with favor on baby
guns up in Alaska. They want the real thing!"

"Well, keep your gun where you can reach it at any moment!" advised
Frank. "Even a twenty-two caliber may prove effective at short range."

"I presume," Sam went on, "that my coming on board in shabby clothes,
and as an object of charity, convinced Jamison that I wasn't worth
searching. I saw him looking me over, though!"

"Object of charity--not!" returned Frank. "We're mighty glad you're with
us right now! You say he's taking us to the Barren islands. Well, we
wouldn't know the Barren islands from any other place without you.
You've put us on our guard, at least, and that's worth more than the
price of the ticket! We're glad of your company, too!"

"Now, see here, boys," Tommy whispered, "we mustn't let this man Jamison
know that we have discovered that we have been robbed. The minute he
knows that we are suspicious of him, the matter will come to a focus
immediately. We've got to have time to think this matter over before
anything is done."

This plan of action was agreed to, and the boys sat for some minutes in
silence. After a time Jamison came to where they were seated, just at
the doorway of the trunk cabin, and began asking questions about the
need for a doctor. Tommy explained that a member of their party had been
injured by a fall, and that they were going to Cordova in quest of a
surgeon. He again asked Jamison to put on full speed.

"There's a man over here on the coast, this side of Katalla, who is said
to be a fine surgeon," Jamison explained, after Tommy had finished his
statement. "He's a sort of a recluse, people say, and lives alone in a
shabby hut, high up above the tide. You might stop and consult him. That
would be better, it seems to me, than going away up to Cordova. Still,"
he went on with a grim smile, "I've been paid to take you to Cordova and
back, and, if you insist, I mean to live up to my bargain!"

Sam gave Fran