"I"ve dreamed about these things for four years," he declared, "and I can"t stand it any longer." He bit into one voraciously, and thereafter followed his companion about munching tomatoes at every step, refilling his pockets as his supply diminished. To show his willingness for any sacrifice, he volunteered to wear a dress suit if Emerson would buy it for him, and it required considerable argument to convince him that the garb was unnecessary.
"You better train me up before we get East," he warned, "or I"ll make your swell friends sore and spoil the deal. I could wear it on the cars and get easy in it."
"My dear fellow, it takes more than a week to "get easy" in a dress suit."
Boyd smiled, amused at his earnestness, for the big fellow was merely a boy out on a wonderful vacation.
"Well, if there is a Down-East manicure woman in Seattle, show her to me and I"ll practice on her," he insisted. "She can halter-break me, at least."
"Yes, it might not hurt to get that off your hands," Emerson acknowledged, at which the clothier"s clerk, who had noted the condition of the fisherman"s huge paws, snickered audibly.
It was a labor of several hours to fit Big George"s bulky frame, and when the two returned to the hotel Emerson found the representative of an afternoon newspaper anxiously awaiting him at the desk.
"We noticed your arrival from the North," began the reporter, "and Mr.
Athens sent me down to get a story."
"Athens! Billy Athens?"
"Yes! He is the editor. I believe you two were college mates. He wanted to know if you are the Boyd Emerson of the Michigan football team."
"Well, well!" Boyd mused. "Billy Athens was a good tackle."
"He thought you might have something interesting to tell about Alaska,"
the newspaper man went on. "However, I won"t need to take much of your time, for your partner has been telling me all about you and your trip and your great success."
"My partner?"
"Yes. Mr. Frobisher. He heard me inquire about you and volunteered to give me an interview in your name."
"Frobisher!" said Emerson, now thoroughly mystified.
"Sure, that"s him, over yonder." The reporter indicated "Fingerless"
Fraser, who, having watched the interview from a distance, now solemnly closed one eye and stuck his tongue into his cheek.
"Oh, yes, yes! _Frobisher!_" Boyd stammered. "Certainly!"
"He is a character, isn"t he? He told me how you rescued that girl when she broke through the ice at Kalvik."
"He did?"
"Quite a romance, wasn"t it? It is a good newspaper story and I"ll play it up. He is going to let me in on that hydraulic proposition of yours, too.
Of course I haven"t much money, but it sounds great, and--"
"How far along did you get with your negotiations about this hydraulic proposition?" Boyd asked, curiously.
"Just far enough so I"m all on edge for it. I"ll make up a little pool among the boys at the office and have the money down here before you leave to-night."
"I am sorry, but Mr. Frobisher and I will have to talk it over first,"
said Emerson, grimly. "I think we will keep that "hydraulic proposition"
in the family, so to speak."
"Then you won"t let me in?"
"Not just at present."
"I"m sorry! I should like to take a chance with somebody who is really successful at mining. When a fellow drones along on a salary month after month it makes him envious to see you Klondikers. .h.i.t town with satchels full of coin. Perhaps you will give me a chance later on?"
"Perhaps," acceded Boyd; but when the young man had gone he strode quickly over to Fraser, who was lolling back comfortably, smoking a ridiculously long cigar with an elaborate gold band.
"Look here, Mr. "Frobisher,"" he said, in a low tone, "what do you mean by mixing me up in your petty-larceny frauds?"
Fraser grinned. ""Frobisher" is hot monaker, ain"t it? It sounds like the money. I believe I"ll stick to "Frobisher.""
"I spiked your miserable little scheme, and if you try anything more like that, I"ll have to cut you out altogether."
"Pshaw!" said the adventurer, mildly. "Did you say that hydraulic mine was no good? Too bad! That reporter agreed to take some stock right away, and promised to get his editor in on it, too."
"His editor!" Emerson cried, aghast. "Why, his editor happens to be a friend of mine, whose a.s.sistance I may need very badly when I get back from Chicago."
"Oh, well! That"s different, of course."
"Now see here, Fraser, I want you to leave me out of your machinations, absolutely. You"ve been very decent to me in many ways, but if I hear of anything more like this I shall hand you over to the police."
"Don"t be a sucker all your life," admonished the rogue. "You stick to me, and I"ll make you a lot of money. I like you--"
Emerson, now seriously angry, wheeled and left him, realizing that the fellow was morally atrophied. He could not forget, however, that except for this impossible creature he himself would be lying at Petellin"s store at Katmai with no faintest hope of completing his mission, wherefore he did his best to swallow his indignation.
"Hey! What time do we leave?" Fraser called after him, but the young man would not answer, proceeding instead to his room, there to renew his touch with the world through strange clean garments, the feel of which awakened memories and spurred him on to feverish haste. When he had dressed he hurried to a telegraph office and dispatched two messages to Chicago, one addressed to his own tailor, the other to a number on Lake Sh.o.r.e Drive.
Over the latter he pondered long, tearing up several drafts which did not suit him, finally giving one to the operator with an odd mingling of timidity and defiance. This done, he hastened to one of the leading banks, and two hours later returned to the hotel, jubilant.
He found Big George in the lobby staring with fascinated eyes at his finger-nails, which were strangely purified and glossy.
"Look at "em!" the fisherman broke out, admiringly. "They"re as clean as a hound"s tooth. They shine so I da.s.sent take hold of anything."
"I have made my deal with the bank," Boyd exulted. "All I need to raise now is one hundred thousand dollars. The bank will advance the rest."
"That"s great," said Balt, without interrupting the contemplation of his digits. "That"s certainly immense. Say! Don"t they glisten?"
"They look very nice--"
"Stylish! I think."
"That one hundred thousand dollars makes all the difference in the world.
The task is easy, now. We will make it go, sure. These bankers know what that salmon business is. Why, I had no trouble at all. They say we can"t lose if we have a good site on the Kalvik River."
"They"re wise, all right. I guess that girl took me for a Klondiker,"
George observed. "She charged me double. But she was a nice girl, though.
I was kind of rattled when I walked in and sat down, and I couldn"t think of nothing to talk about. I never opened my head all the time, but she didn"t notice it. When I left she asked me to come back again and have another nice long visit. She"s an _awful_ fine girl."