confidently.

"Please don't permit yourself to be overcome," warned Rector. "Remember
your most excellent opinion of yourself has been the cause of some
mighty falls already."

"Well, I fell in soft spots anyhow," retorted Stacy.

"Ordinarily on your head, I believe," answered Ned quickly.

Again thanking the Captain for his kindness, the lads returned to the
deck. Tad leaned against the rail thinking over the story related by the
skipper. The romance of the quest of the Diggers appealed to Butler's
adventure-loving nature. He declared to himself that he would draw them
into conversation and satisfy his further curiosity. Looking them over
in the light of what he had heard, Tad saw that the four were
determined-looking men, were men who would do and dare, no matter how
great the obstacles or the perils. He could not but feel a keen
admiration for them. They were real men, even if they were surly and
reticent.

"Tad, how would you like to belong to that party of prospectors?" asked
Ned, nodding toward the four.

"I can't imagine anything more exciting. I wish we might. I wonder if
they are going our way?"

"Why don't you ask them?"

"I intend to," answered Tad, rousing himself and starting towards the
prospectors who were lounging apart from the other passengers on the
deck of the steamer.

"Watch him get turned down," grinned Stacy. "I shall have to break the
ice for him. He never will be able to do it for himself."

"Better wait until you are asked," advised Ned Rector.

As Stacy had said, Tad did not succeed in getting into conversation with
the Diggers that day. Early on the following morning the boys were on
deck, being unwilling to miss a single moment of the scenery.

The "Corsair" was swinging majestically into Queen Charlotte Sound, a
splendid sweep of purple water, where great waves from the Pacific
rolled in, sending the steamer plunging desperately. There was a scurry
on the part of many of the early risers to get below decks, for the
change from the quiet waters through which the boat had been sailing to
this tumultuous sea was more than most of them were able to stand. Stacy
Brown was already on his back in the shadow of a life boat, groaning
miserably. Walter Perkins' face was pale, but he held himself together
by a strong effort of will, but Tad Butler and Ned Rector appeared not
in the least affected by the roll of the steamer. Both were lost in
admiration of the scene that was unfolding b