l Mr.
Darwood? Would it be right to carry tales, even in a case like this?"

"Not knowing what the case is I can't very well advise you," answered
Ned Rector.

"What did they say?"

"I'd rather not say a word about that until I have decided what to do."

"You're a queer chap, Tad. You arouse my curiosity; then you won't
satisfy it."

"You shall know all about it in good time. Hark! Was that you who kicked
the collar of the stack?"

"No. I didn't hear anything. Who was the other man?"

"His name is Ainsworth. He is a prospector, too. They are together, he
and the man Sandy. There are some others in the plot, as I learned from
the conversation, but I hardly think they are on board. I take it that
the others are to meet this party at Skagway, which proves to me that
the plans of our friends, the four Gold Diggers, were learned by the
plotters some time before the former set sail for the north country. Oh,
it is a fine game of grab they are planning! But I believe that, if Mr.
Darwood be warned in time, he will be perfectly able to take care of
himself. I am quite sure I shouldn't care to be the other fellow."

"I don't know why we should get so excited over it," grumbled Ned.
"Darwood and his companions are no friends of ours. I should say that
quite the opposite is the case."

"But they are real men, just the same," objected Tad. "I don't care
whether they are friendly to us or not. Come on; let's get down."

Grasping awning spars the two lads swung down to the promenade of the
upper deck. After they had cleared the deck-house a man dropped to the
deck from the deck-house, on the opposite side.

After a few moments' stroll, during which the boys continued their
conversation, they went below. On reaching his cabin, Butler discovered
that he had lost his pocket knife. Thinking that it had slipped from his
pocket while the two were lounging on the deck-house, Tad went back to
look for it. He was the only person in sight on deck. That part of the
deck was unlighted, save as a faint glow shone up through the engine
room grating. The freckle-faced boy looked carefully about on top of the
deck-house for several minutes, in search of his lost knife, lighting
match after match to aid him in his quest. He failed to find it. With a
grunt of disappointment he again swung himself to the deck.

The instant his feet touched the deck, Tad Butler met with a violent
surprise. He was suddenly grabbed from behind. A powerful ar