to sea.

"There's a ship out there," he said.

Colin did his utmost to pierce the gloom, but the fog had settled down
again, the night was dark, and the boy could scarcely see the waves
breaking on the shore not twenty feet away.

"I can't see anything," he said. "Whereabouts?"

"I don't know just where," the old sailor replied, "but I know she's
there. I feel it."

"Let's hurry!" said the boy.

"Better go slower," warned Hank, pulling him back gently; "we're not far
from the rookery."

"I don't see why we should be so careful, and I don't see why we should
whisper," Colin objected, whispering nevertheless; "the seals are making
noise enough to drown a brass band."

"Listen!" said Hank.

The boy put his hand to his ear, trying to distinguish sounds in the
continuous roar.

"Voices?" he queried with a puzzled look.

"I thought so," the whaler nodded. There was a pause, while both
listened, then the gunner said:

"It isn't English and it doesn't sound like Aleut or Russian."

"Japanese?" queried the boy at a guess.

The man grasped the boy's shoulder with a grip that nearly dislocated
it.

"Japanese raiders!" he said. "Can you run?"

"You bet," said Colin, growing excited; "I'm a crack runner."

"Get back to the agent's house as fast as you know how an' wake him up.
He'll know what to do."

"What are you after, Hank?" asked the boy, tightening his belt.

"Whatever comes along," was the terse reply.

Colin pitched off his heavy coat and started. It was over a half-mile
run, but the boy was in good condition and the path was smooth, so that
two minutes saw him at the agent's bedroom door.

"Eh? What's that? Japanese raiders! You've been dreaming, boy. Go back
to bed."

"Do I look as if I'd been dreaming?" Colin said indignantly. "How do you
suppose I could run myself out of breath in a dream? Hank was with me.
He heard them, too, and sent me back to tell you."

But the agent was already up and busy.

"Wake the village!" he said shortly.

Without waiting to find out how this should be done, Colin started off
at a run, and picking up a killing club that lay handy, he sped down the
village street, hitting a resounding 'whack' on every door as he passed.
As he came back, up the other side of the street, the natives were
streaming out of their houses and Colin told them all to go to the
agent, whereupon those who understood English started immediately, the
rest following. The agent was ready an