road. It was so
crowded that they had to take seats in a day coach. But this they did
not mind. They would have ridden on a freight train, could they have
gotten to Seattle faster thereby.

Hour after hour passed slowly. The boys could not settle down to read,
and they had little appetite for their meals. They caught a little
sleep in their seats, and were ready to leave the train the moment the
conductor called out that they were approaching Seattle.

"I see Jim Hendricks!" cried Sam, as he looked out of a window.

"Is Tom with him?" queried his brother.

"No, he is alone."

In a minute more they were out of the train, suitcases in hand, and
shaking hands with the cousin of Stanley and Larry. Jim Hendricks'
usually jolly face showed his deep concern.

"I've got bad news for you," he said. "That train Tom was on got here
before I did, and so I didn't have a chance to stop him. I've been
making some inquiries though, and I am pretty certain he reached this
place. One man who was on the train told me he had met a young fellow
who said he was bound for Alaska to find some nuggets of gold. He
wanted to know about the ships that sailed for Sitka and Juneau, and
the man told him what he knew. He said the young fellow went off in
the direction of the shipping offices."

"Oh, Dick! we must get after him at once!" cried Sam.

"That's it, Sam." Dick turned to Jim Hendricks. "Will you show us
where they are? We can go in a taxicab."

"I've got our auto outside--we can go in that, and you may as well
bring your baggage along," continued the Seattle young man. "If you
have to remain in town, I want you to stay at our house."

"Thanks, that's kind of you," answered Dick.

Jim led the way outside, to where stood a handsome six-cylinder touring
car. "I don't know when the steamers sail, but we can soon find out,"
he said, and directed the chauffeur where to go.

They were soon passing through the streets of Seattle, a well-built up
city where much business is done. As many of my young readers must
know, Seattle is located on Puget Sound, one of the great natural
gateways to the Pacific Ocean. Just south of it is Tacoma, also a city
of importance.

The ride to the first of the shipping offices did not take long, and
going inside Dick made some inquiries of the clerk at the desk.

"Don't remember any such man," said the clerk.

"When is your next sailing?"

"Day after to-morrow. Want to book for the