“That same day we had the _Philomeel_ chartered for cash, with me in as cap’n, and was cracking sail on to her for this blessed island of Oonimak. We made port in fine style, with our flag a-flying, and would have fired off our kerosene stove, only we didn’t have any. But it warn’t no use. There wasn’t nary soul in sight, nor hasn’t been from that day to this. The seal-skins was gone, too, and it’s my opinion that blooming Dutchman come along and shanghaied ’em.”
“No, he didn’t,” laughed Captain Matthews. “I seized them in the name of the United States, and they are in the hold of this very ship at this very minute.”
“Wal,” said Jalap Coombs, with a comical air of resignation, “ef government’s got ’em ’tain’t no use, and I might as well do like old Kite Roberson said. He uster say, ‘Jalap, my son, let by-goners be by-goners, and never waste time in fretting over lost fish.’”
When the mate had thus finished his yarn, Captain Matthews turned to Mr. Ryder and said: “Now, sir, that Mr. Coombs has so satisfactorily explained his own movements since he was last heard from, perhaps you will have the kindness to relate your own experiences while in pursuit of your elusive son.”
“I will do so with pleasure,” replied Mr. Ryder, “provided that you will afterwards tell us how you discovered the lads, and how it happens that they are now at the Pribyloffs.”
“Certainly,” replied the former, whereupon Phil’s father proceeded with his narrative as follows:
“When I learned definitely that my boy was to join me at Sitka by a certain steamer, I was filled with pleasant anticipations, and counted the days until he should arrive, for I think there is a stronger bond of sympathy between us than between most fathers and sons of Phil’s age. I so arranged my business that we could spend the greater part of the summer in those hunting and exploring trips of which we are both so fond――in fact, all my plans were laid with reference to him; and when the steamer came in without him, I doubt if there was a more disappointed father than I in the United States. It brought a letter from him, written in Victoria, stating that he was ready and waiting to take that very ship, and it brought his trunk. I also discovered among the passengers an acquaintance named Ames――Judge Ames, you know――who had met Phil in Victoria, planned with him what they should do together while coming up the coast, and was greatly exercised over the boy’s nonappearance.