by Colonel Snow and the boys who joined them at that moment,
Rand none the worse for his first dip in Pacific waters, Captain Huxley
strode down to the engine room, where first aid had been administered to
the half-drowned man, who had come to his senses.

"Well, well; if it isn't 'Swiftwater Jim,'" exclaimed the Captain. "Didn't
know we had you aboard."

"Wa'al, ye come mighty near losin' me," the patient answered, and then
continued. "I come on board just as ye were castin' off last night."

"How d'ye come to get into the water? That hasn't been a very popular
element with you in the past; eh, Jim," said the Captain with a grin.
"Colonel Snow, let me introduce Swiftwater Jim, an ancient Alaskan that I
believe we took over with the territory under the Seward treaty with
Russia in 1867, and the oldest 'Sourdough' in any one of the six
districts. He's made at least a dozen trips with me. He usually owns the
boat going 'out,' but is satisfied with the steerage going 'in'."

Colonel Snow grasped the miner's hand, saying:

"Swiftwater Jim is no stranger to anyone who knows the history of the
Alaskan country. Let me introduce some young fellows who are making their
first trip."

The miner, whose drying garb was made up of a mixture of the costume of
the frontier pioneer and garments of the latest cut, shook hands with the
boys as he said:

"I'll pay ye captain, for puttin' me back in the mammoth class, but what
I'm lookin' for is the feller that went into the dew after me. That
certainly was a few damp moments. I was rattled, but I knew somebody
grabbed me just before the light went out."

"Here's the chap," said Captain Huxley, as he shoved the reluctant Rand to
the front.

The miner grasped Rand's hand and gazed into his face with a solemn
stare.

"Wa'al, wa'al, such a young feller, too. How'd ye do it?" he inquired.

"It's part of our training as Scouts," replied Rand, modestly.

"Scouts, eh?" he cried. "Embreeo soldiers, eh? I heard of them this last
trip out to the States. Wa'al, Mr. Peyton, I ain't a goin' to make no
fervent speech of gratitood, for ye know how I feel, and I ain't trimmed
up to make a more substantial showin' just now, but if you boys is a goin'
'in' as we say, ye'll hear from Swiftwater Jim before ye come out."

"Tell us how it happened, Jim," said Captain Huxley.

"Now, now, Captain, ye know me and ye know I can take care of me own
troubles," replied Jim.

"Look here, Jim," said Ca