ptain Huxley, sternly. "You know I'm boss here,
so long as you're afloat, and anything of this kind demands investigation.
Besides, I don't propose to have a traveling feud on my manifest, all the
way to Skagway. Out with it."

"Wa'al, Captain," said Swiftwater, "when I come aboard last night I found
among the ruck in the steerage that gambler, Dublin, and a limpy pal of
his. We got to playing poker, and the two of them cleaned me out, and
because I found them using marked cards they came after me with them
spikes. A young feller that was with them jumped on my back, and I went
overboard. I'll tend to 'em."

"No, you won't, Jim," remarked Captain Huxley. "From this to Skagway
you'll bunk on my deck and keep away from here."

Turning to a couple of the crew, the commander of the "Queen" said: "Bring
that Dublin crowd here." The men hurried away, and in a few minutes
presented to the astonished eyes of the Scouts their old acquaintances and
quasi-enemies, Dublin, Limpy Rae, and Monkey Rae. The latter favored the
boys with a look of hatred and a muttered imprecation.

"We ain't done nothin'"--began Dublin.

"That'll do, Dublin," replied Captain Huxley. "You know me of old, and I
want to say I should have refused you passage if I had known you were
going back to the Klondike. If you start another card game on this boat or
get into any other trouble, I'll put you in irons, and hand you over to
the authorities when we reach port. I'm not sure that there are not
several United States marshals in Alaska, yearning for a sight of you,
now."

Dublin turned white, attempted to speak, and then with his companions
slunk back into the steerage.

"Why, we saw Monkey Rae trip up this man," said Jack pointing to
Swiftwater, "but we didn't know it was Monkey then. It was a cowardly
attack."

"Well," said Captain Huxley, "we'll let the matter drop now, unless
Swiftwater complains."

"Not me," said the miner, turning away. "I'll see to this myself, later."

"Not here, though," said Captain Huxley, sternly.

"You can trust me, Captain," replied Swiftwater, as he waved his hand to
the boys and Colonel Snow, and walked away.

"And now," said the Captain of the "Queen," "I'm afraid we've missed the
first bugle blast for breakfast, but I should be glad to have you, Colonel
Snow and your young men join my table at meals for the voyage."

This signal honor was highly appreciated by the boys, for at meals they
were introduced to sev