"Oh, pshaw," laughed Mr. Adams. "Don't let's rig up a scarecrow, to spoil our good-byes. Charley and I'll take care of ourselves; won't we, Charley? We'll stick by each other, and other folks can do as they please, as long as they don't interfere. Come on; let's go aboard, and you can see our state-room, and say good-bye there." Mr. Adams picked up the bundle, and shouldering it led the way up the gangplank. Mrs. Adams followed, and Charley, in his miner's rig, with butcher-knife stuck through his belt, proudly stumped after. He wished that Billy Walker was there, to see. But other people were seeing, anyway. When they gained the deck, and were passing around to the state-room (which was number 19), glancing back Charley saw a darky roustabout heaving the Jacobs trunk on his back, and starting with it for the gangplank. So it came aboard, but of its owner, if he was their Mr. Jacobs, there was no sign. Presently the big bell rang vigorously, and the whistle hoarsely blew, as signal for all visitors to go ashore. Mrs. Adams gave Charley and her husband one final kiss, and Charley added to his return kiss a round hug. She was such a good woman; he wished that she was going, too. He rather wished that he could stay at home with her; he--he--and he choked. For a moment he almost hated his miner's costume. However---- "Write often, now," she bade, her eyes dewy, as with her they hastened out on deck. "Yes, we will. And you write often and tell us the news. Send us the papers." "I will, dear. Now, do be careful." "Yes. Take care of yourself, too. If you need us, we'll come straight home, won't we, Charley?" Charley could only nod. "Hurry, dear, or you'll be left," warned Mr. Adams, anxiously--for already the gangplank ropes had been tautened by the donkey-engine and the plank was trembling to rise. Charley rather wished that she would be left; then she'd have to come with them! Wouldn't that be great! But she ran down the plank. Then, near the end, she stopped, and called back. "What's that, dear?" inquired Mr. Adams, and he and Charley listened keenly. "Have you got the quinine?" "Yes. Hurry, dear." "Sure?" "It's in the trunk. Look out--jump!" The gangplank was rising, but with a little run Mrs. Adams did jump and landed safely. Charley laughed. They didn't catch his mother--no, siree. And she was the last person to leave the boat.