THE RESCUE—CONCLUSION
For a moment Mr. Baxter did not know what to think. That he had been released was certain; but how? That the same agency was also at work for the boys was evident, for a moment later they, too, were able to get up on their knees. Their hands were free, but their feet were still tied. However, it was an easy matter to slash with knives which they all carried the thongs that were wound around their ankles.
"Who did it? Who aided us?" asked Fred.
"I don't know," replied Jerry.
"Quiet!" cautioned his father. "We have a chance to escape."
At that moment there was a movement in the snow at his feet, and a black, pointed muzzle was thrust up.
"The dogs!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter. "It was the dogs that gnawed through the bonds and released us. I see how it happened. The thongs were freshly cut from some hide, and the half-starved dogs smelled them. They burrowed under the snow until they could gnaw them, and thus they released us. I thought at first it was Holfax and his men."
"So did I," spoke Fred. "But what had we better do now?"
"We must first get something to eat," said Mr. Baxter. "Wait until our blood is in a little better circulation, and we will steal down to the camp and see if we can't get something without attracting attention."
By stamping around on the hummock and whipping their arms about them the prisoners succeeded in getting some warmth into their benumbed bodies. To their surprise the noise they made did not attract any notice from the Indians or Callack. As it happened, the Alaskans were all so wearied with their day's labor that they slept sounder than usual.
Cautiously the captives stole down from the hummock toward one of the tents near which their own sleds had been placed. They hoped to find some food, for they were nearly famished.
As they advanced they detected a movement among the dogs, only a few of which had burrowed under the snow to get at the fresh thongs, for an Alaskan dog will, in stress of hunger, devour its own harness.
Suddenly there was an uproar among the animals, they probably thinking the approach of the captives meant that food was going to be distributed. There were barks, snarls and yelps. Some of the half-savage beasts jumped up on Fred and Jerry, and the boys had to beat them off.
"They're as bad as wolves!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter.
Then from one of the tents appeared Callack. He had been aroused by the noise, and saw the prisoners free, rushing down on his camp.
"Here!" he cried. "What's up?"
With a bound Mr. Baxter sprang for the man. He had determined to overpower him if he could and get food. But in his weakened condition he was no match for his enemy. Callack dealt Mr. Baxter a blow that felled him. Then the leader of the Indians called for help to recapture the prisoners.
It looked as if they would again be taken back to the stakes and kept there until they died. A hopeless fear was in the hearts of the three. Johnson was still back on the hummock.
"Hold 'em!" cried Callack. "Shoot 'em if they resist!"
But none of the three was in a position to resist. Mr. Baxter was grasped by half a dozen hands, and several of the Indians surrounded Fred and Jerry. Mr. Baxter was willing to give up now. Fate was against them. He was about to call to Callack that he would tell where the gold was when a shot was heard at the edge of the camp.
It came so suddenly, and was so evidently fired by some one not connected with the thieving band, that it produced an instant cessation of activities.
Then a voice was heard calling.
"Where be Mr. Baxter? Where be? Where boys? Got plenty help now! Plenty much fight!"
Another shot was heard. Callack looked around wonderingly. Some of his Indians released their hold of the captives.
Just then there rushed into the center of the camp the figure of a man completely enveloped in furs. In his hand he held a rifle, and he rushed up to Callack and pointed the weapon in his face.
"Let Mr. Baxter go!" he shouted. "Me know you. You Callack. Zank tell me. I tie Zank up. He tell all. But he get away. Me see him here."
"Holfax! It's Holfax!" cried Fred in delight.
"Thank God for that!" murmured Mr. Baxter. "He came just in time!"
Following their brave leader came two score of friendly Indians, uttering shouts of defiance at the enemies of Holfax's friends.
Several shots were fired. The thieves, taken by surprise, were unable to make any defense. Several of them were hit by bullets and slightly injured.
With a cry of defeat they began to run away. Those having hold of the boys had left them, and Fred and Jerry were free. Callack suddenly drew a revolver from his pocket and aimed it at Mr. Baxter. But before he could pull the trigger Holfax, swinging his rifle as a club, knocked the rascal down.
"Don't kill him!" begged Mr. Baxter, merciful even to his enemy.
But Holfax had no chance. Callack scrambled to his feet and ran away. He must have been bewildered by the sudden rescue, for he ran straight toward a deep ravine near the camp, and before any one could call out to warn him he had fallen over the steep cliff. The bad man was seen no more.
By this time the friendly Indians were in possession of the camp. The wounded ones, including Zank, limped off, leaving all their possessions with the rescuers.
"How be?" asked Holfax of his friends, grinning in a friendly fashion.
"Almost starved," replied Mr. Baxter. "Boys, we must get some food at once and see to poor Johnson."
"Me do it," spoke Holfax, and he was as good as his word. Soon pots of hot tea were ready, and, with their own supplies to draw on, the half-starved and nearly frozen captives feasted to their hearts' content.
Then Holfax told his story. He had been longer in getting to the camp of the friendly Indians than he had thought he would be, and on the journey of rescue the storm had delayed him and his friends. They came on dog sleds, which had been left just outside of the camp. He had met Zank, who had tried to persuade some friendly Indians to attack the white adventurers, and had forced from the Alaskan scoundrel part of Callack's plan. Then Zank escaped and joined his evil master.
"Now we must dig up the gold, and hurry to the south. Callack may get together a larger band, and follow us," said Mr. Baxter, when explanations had been made.
But they need have had no further fear of Callack, for he was beyond the power of harming anyone. The gold was dug up, the dog teams were harnessed, and when the supplies had been packed on the sleds, all was in readiness for the start.
Mr. Baxter paid well the Indians whom Holfax had brought to the rescue, and, as a further reward, they were given the dog teams, tents and other things belonging to the thieving tribe. Thus they were abundantly satisfied.
Holfax and a few of the Indians agreed to accompany Mr. Baxter, the boys and Johnson to the nearest settlement. The colored man improved very much after a good breakfast, and, though he was not completely himself for a long time after the blow, he eventually got well.
"Homeward bound!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter, as, with Holfax and some of his acquaintances to drive the dog teams, they were carried on the well-filled sleds over the frozen snow.
"And with all the gold safe!" added Fred. "Now I can help my father and mother."
They made good time to the settlement on the Yukon River, whence they had made the start for the interior.
The adventurers were lucky in finding a ship about to sail for Seattle, whence they could take a train for San Francisco. Holfax was well rewarded for his part in the treasure search, and three months after he had left his home Fred Stanley, richer by fifteen thousand dollars (for that was his share after Mrs. Stults's half and the expenses had been taken out), started from the Piddock railroad station toward the little cottage which, at one time, he feared he would never see again.
But something about it seemed strange. The shutters were closed, and there did not appear to be any one in it. For a moment the boy felt a deadly fear clutching at his heart. Suppose his father and mother had died while he was away? He had heard nothing from them, and had merely sent them a telegram from Seattle, telling them of his safe arrival, but saying nothing of his success, for he wanted to surprise them.
As he started up the front walk he heard a noise. Around the corner of the house came his father, limping along with a crutch, while his mother was walking at his side. She was weeping.
"Mother! Father!" cried Fred. "What is it? What has happened?"
"I'll tell you what's happened!" exclaimed a gruff voice, and a roughly-dressed man appeared. "They ain't paid their rent for two months, and they're being dispossessed—put out—that's what it is."
"Mother, is this so?" asked Fred.
"Yes, dear. Your father lost his place as watchman, and our money gave out. But never mind. Now you are safe back I shan't worry. We can easily find another place. I can go back to sewing, and you will help us. Perhaps some of the neighbors will care for us until you can get work."
"You don't need work, mother!" cried Fred, throwing his arms about her neck. "We've got lots of money. The treasure hunt was a success! I've got fifteen thousand dollars in gold as my share!"
"Fifteen thousand dollars in gold!" repeated Mr. Stanley as if in a dream. "Then we needn't be dispossessed, mother."
"Oh, Fred! Fred!" cried Mrs. Stanley. "Can it be true? How did it come about? Did you really find the treasure? You're not sick, are you?"
"Sick? Why no, mother. What made you think that?"
"Because I can hardly believe what you say. I thought perhaps you might have been frozen, and been very ill and—and that it had turned your mind. I have read of persons in the far north going insane because of the dreadful whiteness and the cold."
"No, mother; I'm all right. It was terrible cold, and we had a hard time, with plenty of danger thrown in, but I'm all right, and I'm not out of my head. In fact my health is better than ever."
"And you really have all that gold?" repeated Fred's father again.
"Sure. Here are some samples," and Fred pulled out a few gold nuggets that he had taken from his share of the treasure, which had been left in a safe place while he came on ahead.
At the sight of the gold the eyes of the mean landlord sparkled. He looked greedily at the yellow particles.
"Yes, that's the genuine stuff," remarked Mr. Stanley. "Oh, Fred, my son, how glad I am that you succeeded, for I feared you would not!"
"Ahem! I—er—I guess you'd better go back into the house, Mr. Stanley," said the landlord, a sudden change coming into his manner. "I'll have your goods brought right back. I'll send in something for you to eat, too. You need nourishing food, that's what you need. I'll attend to it for you. And if your son wants to invest some of his money I will be glad to offer my advice. Come back into the house and we'll talk it over."
"Talk what over?" asked Fred sharply.
"Why—er—about investing your money. Of course you'll want to invest it."
"Probably," replied the young treasure hunter coolly, "but I think I know where to go for advice, too. I don't believe I'd trust any one who would act as you have done to my relatives when they were in temporary distress."
"Oh—er—I—I didn't mean anything by that," said the man, somewhat confused. "You see I have so much property, and my agents attend to it for me. One of them must have ordered Mr. Stanley dispossessed on his own responsibility. I did not understand the case. I am always disposed to be lenient to my tenants, especially——"
"Yes, especially when you discover they have money," finished Fred.
"You, personally, began this dispossess action," said Mr. Stanley. "It was not the work of one of your agents."
"Oh—er—well, perhaps I made a mistake," went on the man. "You may stay in this house as long as you like."
"No, but we'll not stay in this house," said Fred. "We will have a better one. Come, mother, we'll go to a hotel until we can find a place that suits us. And then father can go to a good hospital until he gets cured."
"I—er—I hope you won't take offense—I—er—I had to have my rent money—if you'd like it, I'll let you have this place a little cheaper," said the mean landlord.
"No, thank you," answered Fred decidedly. "We want a better place than this."
And some days later he bought a fine house for his parents with part of the proceeds of the buried gold. Mr. Stanley was sent to a hospital, where, with good care and nourishing food, he soon recovered the use of his leg, and was able to resume his work. As for Fred, he went back to school to complete his education, since the family was now beyond the fear of want. Part of the money his father insisted on investing for his son, and later some shares in a good mine were bought with it. If you were to visit Piddock to-day, you would find it a much larger city than when Fred left it to hunt for gold in far off Alaska, and if you were to ask who was the best known citizen there, you would be told he was Fred Stanley.
For Fred prospered very much after he started in the mining business for himself, and he showed the same determined characteristics that he exhibited when on that perilous trip.
Among his best friends he numbers Mr. Baxter and his son Jerry. As for Mrs. Stults, she never can say enough in praise of what Fred did for her, as her share of her husband's fortune was large enough to make her independent for life.
"Dot Stanley boy, he is der greatest boy vot effer vos," she used to say. "Dere vos a man Stanley vot discovered t'ings in der hot Africa, but Fred Stanley, he discovered gold in der cold country, und dot's better as neffer vos, eh?"
So now we will bid farewell to Fred, though, if you should ever meet him and ask him about his trip to Alaska, I have no doubt that he would be glad to tell you many details I have not had space to set down here.