Part 12 (1/2)

”Has there been any of that lately?”

”Not recently The last was in 1906, when seven men were killed The two schooners, the _Tokaw Maru_ and the _Bosco Maru_, were seized and confiscated Promptly! The men were taken to Valdez They were convicted and sent to prison”

”Well, that's desperate enough,” the boy said, ”but, after all, there's so that seeent adh, is that it see There are lots of people in the world The hu to die out, but the small remnant of fur seals on the Pribilof Islands is absolutely the last chance left of saving the entire species froh, as they went into the village, ”don't let your enthusias tehed, as he nodded to his host, and went to see after one of his new pets, a blue fox pup which had been given hi see, the da down heavily Colin was thoroughly tired, but not at all sleepy, and he wandered aie for a while after supper

”I wonder if there's a stor that so to happen”

”It may blow a little fresh,” was the reply ”That's all The baro then,” said Colin, suppressing a yawn, ”but I have a queer sort of excited feeling”

”Better take it out in sleep,” was the advice given hiet a nap this afternoon, you ought to be tired after last night”

The boy could see nothing to be gained by arguing the point, and there was nothing special to do, so he waited a few h he had never felt less like sleeping He got into bed, however, but tossed about uneasily for hours, the distant roaring of the seals on the rookery and other unaccustoh it all, Colin was conscious of this presenti rushed over him like a flood and, i fro had thinned considerably, but it was still so e of the bleak shore where the little waves rolled in idly, looking gray and greasy under the fog He leaned his ar seemed peaceful and the lad was just about to turn away froer that co tired but not able to sleep, when he saw a flash of light

Startled, and with every nerve stiht Straining his eyes Colin could just distinguish the figure of a un on his shoulder and a lantern in his hand, e

”Soht of it!” the boy ot back into bed

But the figure of the un and the lantern in his hand had ih he tried to diso to sleep, every ti silently through the village Presently he sat bolt upright in bed

”The native huts are all at the other end of the village!” he said half aloud, with a surprised suspiciousness ”Why was he going that way?”

The boy rose and went back to the openIt seemed to him that there was more tumult from the rookery than when he had listened half an hour before, but it occurred to him that this was probably the result of the silence of the hour and his own restlessness Then, not loudly, but distinctly, in spite of its being , the sound of a rifle-shot came to his ears

That settled it for Colin If there was anything going on in the way of sport he wanted a share in it, and as he ide awake, he decided to follow up and see as going on He slipped into his clothes as quickly as possible and tiptoed his way down the rickety stairs But before he had gone ht of prudence struck him, and he walked back to a house three or four doors froer who had given him the pet fox, and in which Hank had taken up quarters He knocked on theand immediately Hank appeared

”What is it?” he queried ”Oh, it's you, Colin Why aren't you in bed?”

”I was,” the boy answered, and in a feords he told how he had seen the native go by with a gun and a lantern and had heard the shot fired a few lin',” the old whaler said, after a reat harov'n?” queried Colin; ”poaching Do you , Hank, and let's find out”

”What's the use of huntin' trouble?” said the old man ”Go back to bed”

”Not o, anyway”

”If you're goin' anyway,” grumbled the old whaler, ”I reckon it's no use my sayin' anythin' to stop you But I s'pose,” he added, and he was secretly as curious as the boy, ”I'd better go along with you to see that you don't get into any , then?” asked Colin iht out,” the other answered, and he had hardly disappeared from the hen he appeared at the door He slipped a revolver into his pocket and handed another to Colin

”I've got a gun,” the boy said