“Great Mackerel, kid! Sha’n’t I ever get clear of you?” exclaimed that worthy, wiping his greasy hands as he came toward the boy. “Who in thunder would have thought of this? Jerusalem, but I am glad to see you! What d’you mean by bobbing up out of the sea like this?” His face had grown red with astonishment, and he was performing gymnastics with his mighty eyebrows. “Been treasure-hunting, dear Barnsey,” said Dave. “Come on, pour out some of that stew. We’re starved. Haven’t had a proper sailor’s meal since goodness knows――” “Treasure-hunting!” spluttered the cook, as he filled a dish with savory-smelling stew. “You’ve got the brains of a caterpillar. Haven’t you learnt yet to stick to your job? Treasure-hunting, indeed!” he snorted. “Wait till we’ve finished dinner, Barnsey,” said Dave, “and then I’ll tell you something that will make you sing a different tune!” * * * * * Nearly four weeks later the _Seven Seas_ entered the Golden Gate, and deposited Dave, Tempest, and the Kanaka at San Francisco, where Tempest immediately took steps to turn the platinum into money. He found that he had slightly underestimated its value. After deducting the five thousand dollars for his farm, he placed the balance in a bank in Dave’s name, and it was a proud moment for the boy when he made out one check for Mr. Cresswell, one for the passage-money on the _Seven Seas_, and one for current expenses. Jim was arrayed in bright colors, such as gladden the heart of his kind, and his cup of joy was filled when Dave and Tempest showed him the sights of the city in a fleet taxicab. He soon grew weary of city life, however, and on the second day insisted on joining an outward-bound steamer for China. “Tempest,” the boy said when they had seen him off, “I’m going to ask a favor of you. We’ll be traveling together as far as Chicago, anyway. Won’t you come on to New York and stop a few days with me before you go south? Dad will want to see you, and――and I want you to meet him; and Aunt Martha, too. Will you?” “Well, it’s a long time, Dave, since I’ve mingled in polite society,” replied Tempest, with a smile; “but I’d like mighty well to see your folks, and so, if you think they won’t mind entertaining a tramp――” “Tramp!” Dave exclaimed, indignantly. “Don’t be silly! And anyway,” he added, laughing, “tramps don’t buy five-thousand-dollar farms!” “That’s so,” replied Tempest. “After this I’m a regular farmer. And you’re a――a――what are you, by the way, with all that money in the bank?” “I’m――” Dave hesitated. Then, “I’m just your chum,” he finished shyly. “Come on, let’s beat it for the train!” THE END Transcriber’s Notes: ――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). ――Except for the frontispiece, illustrations have been moved to follow the text that they illustrate. ――Printer’s, punctuation, and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.