him up tonight. I'll see ye up to yer stateroom and you can explain in the
morning. And you," he said, sharply, turning to Dublin and Monkey, "you be
on hand with your story. Meantime," to the watchman, "put on that hatch
cover and lock it."

As early the next morning as possible, Jack sought an interview with Col.
Snow and told him the whole story. The latter was greatly interested, but
said plainly that Jack should not have undertaken to handle the matter by
himself.

The Captain was not so easily pacified. He heard both stories and grinned
quietly as both Rae and Dublin tried to make a hero out of Monkey.

"I've told you fellows you're too much in evidence on this boat and I
don't want to hear anything more from you until we get to Skagway." Col.
Snow's intercession arranged matters for Jack but he did not get off any
too easily.

"I haven't any doubt but that your story has a good foundation, but it
would hardly go as evidence in a court of law, and even if the Colonel
here thought it worth while, I don't suppose he cares to be bothered with
a prosecution in courts that are three years behind with their cases. I
shall take occasion to draw the attention of the authorities to this
crowd, when we reach Skagway, however.

"I should like to say, however, that in a case like this, your first duty
was to have informed me, and let me police my own boat. I am the superior
officer here, as you know. I understand you belong to that excellent
organization, the Boy Scouts, and if I am not mistaken, there is one
little line in the ritual devoted to discipline. Good morning." And
despite the rebuke which brought the flush to Jack's face, the captain
smiled, and shook hands pleasantly.

The story could not be kept from the chums, who were rather inclined to
resent Jack's failure to let them take a hand in the capture of Monkey
Rae. They rallied Jack not a little on his grand effort at heroism and
Rand even dug up an old schoolbook quotation about an engineer who had
been hoist with his own petard. The boys took their disappointment out in
various good natured gibes, and mock congratulations to "the Sherlock
Holmes of the good steamer Queen" were a daily occurrence until the
arrival at Ketchikan and new scenes drove the incident from the boys'
memories. It was to be recalled in much more serious form a little later.

CHAPTER IV.

ON ALASKAN SOIL.

The acquaintance between the Boy Scouts and Swiftwater Jim, which h