"The hell I ain't!" exploded the other. "Why not?"
"There won't be room. You understand—it's hard travelling with three."
"Oh, see here, now, pal! You promised to take me to the States," the adventurer demurred. "You wouldn't slough me at this gravel-pit, after you promised?" He was visibly alarmed.
"Very well," said Emerson, resignedly, "If you feel that way about it, come along; but I won't take you east of Seattle."
"Seattle ain't so bad," Fraser replied. "I guess I can pick up a pinch of change there, all right. But Kalvik—Wow!"
"Why do you have to go so soon?" Cherry asked Emerson, when the two others had left them.
"Because every day counts."
"But why the Katmai route? It's the stormy season, and you may have to wait two weeks for the mail-boat after you reach the coast."
"Yes; but, on the other hand, if we should miss it by one day, it would mean a month's delay. She ought to be due in about ten days, so we can't take any chances."
"I shall be dreadfully worried until I know you are safely over," said the girl, a new note of wistful tenderness in her voice.