Under the Great Bear

by Kirk Munroe

  CHAPTER XXXI.

  ASSISTANT MANAGER OF THE MAN-WOLF MINE.

  As the deeply laden sealer drew near to land, Cabot had impatientlyscanned the coast of the great island that he had once thought so remote,but which, after his long sojourn in the Labrador wilderness, now seemedalmost the same as New York itself. When the "Labrador" enteredConception Bay, at the head of which lies Harbour Grace, her home port,and was forced by ice to anchor, he inquired concerning a small islandthat lay close at hand.

  "Bell Island," he repeated meditatively, on being told its name. "Isn'tthere an iron mine on it?"

  "Sartain," replied David Gidge. "The whole island is mostly made ofiron."

  "Then it is a place that I particularly want to visit, and I know what wewill do. Of course, White, we can't let you go to prison, but at thesame time you haven't, immediately available, the money with which to paythat fine. I have, though, right in St. Johns. So, if you will endorsethat New York draft to me, I will carry it into the city, deposit it atthe bank, draw out the cash, and take the first train for Harbour Grace,so as to be there with more than enough money to pay your fine when youarrive. After that I propose that we both go on to New York, where I amalmost certain I can get you something to do that will pay even betterthan a lobster factory. If that plan strikes you as all right, and ifMr. Gidge will set me ashore here, I'll just take a look at Bell Islandand then hurry on to St. Johns."

  The plan appearing feasible to White, Cabot--taking with him only his bagof specimens, to which he intended to add others of the Bell Islandore--bade his friends a temporary farewell, and was set ashore. As thecountry was still covered with snow, he had slung his snowshoes on hisback, and as he was still clad in the well-worn fur garments that hadbeen so necessary in Labrador, his appearance was sufficiently strikingto attract attention as soon as he landed. One of the very first personswho spoke to him proved to be the young superintendent of the mine hewished to visit, and, when this gentleman learned that Cabot had justreturned from Labrador, he offered him every hospitality. Not only didhe show him over the mine and give him all possible informationconcerning it, but he kept him over night in his own bachelor quarters,and provided a boat to take him across to Portugal Cove on the mainlandin the morning.

  From that point, there being no conveyance, Cabot was forced to walk thenine miles into St. Johns, which city he did not reach until nearly noon.Even there, where fur-clad Arctic explorers are not uncommon, Cabot'scostume attracted much attention. Disregarding this, he inquired his wayto the Bank of Nova Scotia, where he presented the letter of credit thathe had carefully treasured amid all the vicissitudes of the past tenmonths. The paying teller of the bank examined it closely, and then tooka long look at the remarkable-appearing young man who had presented it.Finally he said curtly:

  "Sign your name."

  Cabot did so, and the other, after comparing the two signatures, retiredto an inner room. From it he reappeared a few moments later andrequested Cabot to follow him inside, where the manager wished to see him.

  The manager also regarded our lad with great curiosity as he said:

  "You have retained this letter a long time without presenting it."

  "And I might have retained it longer if I had not been in need of money,"rejoined Cabot, somewhat nettled by the man's manner.

  "You are Cabot Grant of New York?"

  "I am."

  "Not yet of age?"

  "Not quite."

  "And you have a guardian?"

  "I have."

  "Do you mind telling his name and address?"

  "Is that a necessary preliminary to drawing money on a letter of credit?"

  "In this case it is."

  "Well, then, he is James Hepburn, President of the Gotham Trust andInvestment Company."

  "Just so, and you will doubtless be interested in this communication fromhim."

  So saying, the manager handed over the telegram in which Mr. Hepburninstructed the St. Johns branch of the Bank of Nova Scotia to advanceonly the price of a ticket to New York on a letter of credit that wouldbe presented by his ward, Cabot Grant.

  "What does it mean?" asked Cabot in bewilderment, as he finished readingthis surprising order.

  "I've no idea," replied the manager dryly. "I only know that we arebound to follow those instructions, and can let you have but fortydollars, which is the price of a first-class ticket to New York bysteamer. Moreover, as this is sailing day, and the New York steamerleaves in a couple of hours, I would advise you to engage passage and goon board at once, if you do not want to be indefinitely detained here."

  "In what way?"

  "Possibly by the sheriff, who has wanted you for some time in connectionwith a certain French Shore lobster case that the government isprosecuting."

  Perplexed and indignant as he was, Cabot realised that only in New Yorkcould his tangled affairs be straightened out, and that the quicker hegot there the better. Determined, however, to make one more effort inbehalf of his friend, he produced the missionary's draft and asked if themanager would cash it.

  "Certainly not," replied that individual promptly. "Under presentcircumstances, Mr. Grant, we must decline to have any business dealingswith you other than to accept your receipt for forty dollars, which willbe paid you in the outer office."

  So Cabot swallowed his pride, took what he could get, and left the bank alittle more downcast than he had been at any time since the day on whichPresident Hepburn had entrusted him with his present mission.

  "I don't understand it at all," he muttered to himself, as he sought aneating-house, where he proposed to expend a portion of his money insatisfying his keen appetite. "Seems to me it is a mighty mean returnfor all I have gone through, and Mr. Hepburn will have to explain matterspretty clearly when I get back to New York."

  From the eating-house Cabot sent a letter to White, explaining hisinability to secure the money he had expected, begging him to lie low fora few days, and announcing his own immediate departure for New York, fromwhich place he promised to send back the amount of the draft immediatelyupon his arrival. In this letter Cabot also enclosed fifteen dollars,just to help White out until he could send him some more money. Thisoutlay left our young engineer but twenty-five dollars, but that wouldpay for a steerage passage, which, he reflected, would be plenty goodenough for one in his reduced circumstances, and leave a few dollars foremergencies when he reached New York.

  Two hours later, still clutching the bag of specimens that now formed hissole luggage, he stood on the forward deck of the steamer "Amazon" as sheslipped through the narrow passage leading out from the land-lockedharbour, gazing back at the city of St. Johns climbing its steep hillsideand dominated by the square towers of its Roman Catholic cathedral. Hewas feeling very forlorn and lonely, and was wondering how he shouldmanage to exist on steerage fare in steerage company during the next fivedays, when a familiar voice, close at hand, said:

  "Hello, young man in furs! Where do you come from? Been to the NorthPole with Peary?"

  Turning quickly, Cabot gasped out:

  "Captain Phinney!"

  "No, not cap'n, but second mate Phinney," retorted the other. "But howdo you know my name? I don't recognise you."

  "I am Cabot Grant, who was with you on the 'Lavinia' when----"

  "Good heavens, man! It can't be."

  "It is, though, and I never was more glad to see any one, not even DavidGidge, than I am to see you at this minute. But why are you second mateinstead of captain?"

  "Because," replied the other bitterly, "it was the only berth they wouldgive me after I lost my ship, and I had to take it or beg."

  "But I thought you went down with the 'Lavinia'?"

  "So I thought you did, but it seems both of us were mistaken. All butyou got off in two of the boats, and ours was picked up the next day by aliner bound for New York. But how, in the name of all that iswonderful-- Hold on, though. Let us go up to my room, where we can talkcomfortably."

&n
bsp; As a result of this happy meeting, Cabot's voyage was made very pleasantafter all. Much as he had to tell and to hear, he also found time towrite out a full report on the Bell Island mine, and also a series ofnotes concerning the ore specimens that he was carrying to New York.

  At length the great city was reached, the "Amazon" was made fast to herBrooklyn pier, and Cabot went to bid the second mate good-bye. "Hold ona bit," said the latter, "and run up to the house with me. You can't gowithout seeing Nelly and the baby."

  "Nice calling rig I've got on, haven't I?" laughed Cabot. "Why, it wouldscare 'em stiff. So not to-day, thank you; but I'll come to-morrow."

  The carriage that Cabot engaged to carry him across to the city cost himhis last cent of money, but he knew it was well worth it when, still infurs and with his snowshoes still strapped to his back, he entered theGotham building. Such a sensation did he create that he would have beenmobbed in another minute had he not dodged into an elevator and said:

  "President's room, please."

  He so petrified Mr. Hepburn's clerks and office boys by his remarkableappearance that they neglected to check his progress, and allowed him towalk unchallenged into the sacred private office. Its sole occupant waswriting, and did not notice the entrance until Cabot, laying a foldedpaper on his desk, said:

  "Here is that Bell Island report, Mr. Hepburn."

  The startled man sprang to his feet with a face as pale as though he hadseen a ghost, and for a few moments stared in speechless amazement at thefur-clad intruder. Then the light of recognition flashed into his eyes,and holding out a cordial hand he said:

  "My dear boy, how you frightened me! Where on earth did you come from?"

  "From the steerage of the steamer 'Amazon,'" replied Cabot, stiffly,ignoring his guardian's proffered hand. "I only dropped in to hand youthat Bell Island report, and to say that, as this happens to be mytwenty-first birthday, I shall be pleased to receive whatever of myproperty you may still hold in trust at your earliest convenience. Withthat business transacted, it is perhaps needless to add, that I shalltrouble no further the man who was cruel enough to leave me pennilessamong strangers."

  "Cabot, are you crazy, or what do you mean? I received your Bell Islandreport months ago, and it was that caused me to recall you. Why did younot come at once?"

  "I never sent a Bell Island report. In fact I never wrote one untilyesterday, and there it lies. Nor did I ever receive any notice ofrecall, and I did not come back sooner because I have been following yourinstructions and wintering in Labrador. There I have acquired one of themost remarkable iron properties in the world, which I intend to developas far as possible with my own resources, seeing that not one cent ofyour money has been used in defraying the expenses of my recent trip,"replied Cabot, hotly.

  But Mr. Hepburn did not hear the last of this speech, for he had openedthe report laid on his desk and was glancing rapidly through it.

  "This is exactly what I expected and wanted!" he exclaimed. "Why didn'tyou send it in before, instead of that other one?"

  "I never sent any other," repeated Cabot, and then they sat down tomutual explanations.

  For that whole morning President Hepburn denied himself to all callersand devoted his entire attention to Cabot's recital. When it wasfinished, and when the bag full of specimens had been examined, the elderman grasped the other's hand and said:

  "My dear boy, you have done splendidly! I am not only satisfied with youas an agent, but am proud of you as a ward. Yes, this is your day offreedom from our guardianship, and I shall take pleasure in turning overto you the balance of the property left by your father. It, togetherwith the balance remaining on your letter of credit, and your salary forthe past year, will amount to about ten thousand dollars, a portion ofwhich at least I would advise you to invest in the Man-wolf mine."

  "My dear boy, you have done splendidly!"]

  "Then you intend to develop it, sir?" cried Cabot.

  "Certainly, provided we can acquire your claim to the property, andengage a certain Mr. Cabot Grant to act as our assistant Labradormanager."

  "Do you think me capable of filling so responsible a position, sir?"

  "I am convinced of it," replied Mr. Hepburn, smiling.

  "And may I find places for White, and David Gidge, and Captain Phinney,and----"

  "One of the duties of your new position will be the selection of yoursubordinates," interrupted the other, "and I should hope you would givepreference to those whose fidelity you have already tested."

  Within an hour after this happy conclusion of the interview, Cabot hadwired White Baldwin the full amount of the missionary's draft and invitedhim to come as quickly as possible to New York. He had also written toCaptain Phinney asking him to resign at once his position as second mate,in order that he might assume command of a steamer shortly to be put on arun between New York and Labrador.

  With these pleasant duties performed, our young engineer prepared toaccept President Hepburn's invitation to a dinner that was to be given inhis honour, and with which the happiest day of his life was to beconcluded.

  THE END.