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m.' •»■

"'to the RESrUF, !' SHOUTED TFIE HOYS."'

THE GOLD-HUNTERS

OF ALASKA

WILLIS BOYD ALLEN

AUTHOR OF " PINE CONES," " THE NORTHERN CK088,"
• SILVER KAGS," " KELP," ETC.

FULLY ILLUSTRATED

BOSTON
ESTES AND LAURIAT

IMini.lSHF.RS

/\)^Vr^<^

V I

OOPYRIOHT, 1889,

By ESTES St LAURIAT.

^•.J

e:7
3

TO MY COUSIN,

WITHOUT WHOSE HELP THE DUTTONS NEVKK WOULD

HAVE GONE TO ALASKA,

I AM HEARTILY GLAD TO DEDICATE THIS

STORY OF THEIR ADVENTURES.

r^fi'j^y^

! ,

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAOK

I. A Remarkable Letteu 13

11. Treed by a Moose 25

III. Ted's Prickly Bear o9

IV. Ax Unseex Enemy 48

V. Raft-Buildino G4

VI. Through the Enemy's Lines 8(5

VII. Out of the Frying-pan 81)

VIII. A Startling Discovery 102

IX. From Victoria to Sitka . 113

X. Day and Night in Alaska 119

XL The Chilkoot Pass 123

XII. An Escape, and a Xew Enemy 140

XIII. Nat's Shaggy Pup 148

XIV. To the Rescue! 164

XV. Under the Earth 1()9

XVI. A Mystery Explained 184

XVII. A Reunion 199

XVIII. A Lesson in Bridge-Making 205

XIX. Captured by Brown Bears 216

XX. Halt! 230

XXI. Winter-Quarters 239

XXII. Peeschee's Marvellous Story 261

'^'m^irmmF

"'mt'.' I*

r^-T^p^^l-i iiW"*

^»««™»"WW"

CONTENTS.

niAl'TKR

XXI II. Christmas in Alaska

XX J V. Thk Lfkutenant's Stouy C

XXA'. tSxoWKi) vv ....

XXVI. Pekschkk's Mai- A(iAiN

XXVll. FoK LiFK OK Dkatii .

XXVllI. WOLK ACAINST MaX .

XXIX. OVEK THK IC'K . . .

XXX. CONCLUSIOX ....

ONCLIDK

PAt;i;

201
28(»
298
314
311)
328
■ 33G
339

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PACiH
" ' To THE RESCUE ! ' SIIOl'TEI) THE HOYS " . . , . FrOVtitiftO'i'i'

Peeschee's Map 23

"It was evident that affaius weke keaching a crisis" 35

" We started across the lake " 53

Uphill AVork 57

"I shouldered the canoe" 60

"John was putting the last touches on" 62

" Still on the raft rushed " 83

Ayan Moose Arrow 90

"The royal barge brought up the rear" 93

Chilkat Canoe 103

"The Indians were gambling in dead earnest" . . . 109

Sitka, Alaska 115

Looking up the Yukon 137

Chilkat Bracelet 140

"A Grizzly Cub, 'Drop it, Nat!'" 159

"It was no ordinary sight" 179

"He was studying the map" 195

Peeschee's Map , . 208

Building the Bridge , . . . , 211

"I come from the great medicine man" 223

A Council of War 233

"A dish of venison is smoking on the table" .... 253

"Within a rod of the hut were a dozen shadowy

forms " 309

There was a sharp report, and with one leap she fell, 326

THE RED MOUNTAIN
OF ALASKA.

CHAPTER I.

A r?:markable letter.

SPACIOUS, comfortable-lookinii: lioiise. in the
outskirts of one of the largest nianufacturing
towns of Massachusetts ; the dining-rooui is
brightly lighted, and a wood fire blazet- and snaps cheerily
in the open fireplace, for it is kte October, and the even-
ing's are cold. Around tlie cosev tea-table are gathered
the family, namely : John Dutton. Esq.. proj.rietor of the
celebrated Sheldon Paper Mills; Mrs. John Dutton; Miss
Florence Dutton. age fifteen, commonly addressed as
''Flossie." or "Floss:" and Masters Pio'oert, Hugh, and
Nathaniel Dutton, ages respectively seventeen, fifteen,
and twelve years. Flossie and Hugh, it will be noticed,
are twins.

Only three more personages in the town of Sheldon are
at present sufficiently important to merit an introduction.

miw^

^"^F

THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

They are, in fact, members of the Button household, two
of them actually signing that name as their own, and the
third plainly desirous of doing so, were he able. All
three are in the dining-room at the present moment, and
the fact of their familiarity with the family is evident from
the interest with which they listen, with open eyes and
mouths, to the letter which their master is reading aloud.

Without further ceremony, allow me to present : Chloe
(Button), decided brunette, nurse of all the childen suc-
cessively, maid-of-all-work, and devoted slave to Miss
Flossie's slightest whim ; Teddy (Button), remotely de-
scended from County Kildare, red-haired, freckled, four-
teen years old, errand-boy, helper, and mischief-maker in
general, particularly attached to the oldest son: Carlo
(Button), at the side of pale, sweet-faced little Nat, — a
shaggy, coal-black, silken-haired fellow, from the south
coast of Newfoundland, as faithful a servant and friend
as any in the country.

And now for the letter. Mr. Button has evidently just
reached home from the mills, for his hat, coat, and cane
are lying on the sofa where he has dropped them, and he
is still out of breath from the quick half-mile walk. All
eight of the Buttons listen eagerly while he reads : —

" FoKT Wrangel, Alaska Ter., Sept. 5, 1868.
" My dear Brother, — It is a long time since I have
written to you. The uncertainty of the mails in this new
adopted country of ours, the constant dispute^ with Rus-

^^S^S^^^^^^Sm

A BEMARKABLE LETTER.

sian traders who are angry at having their hunting-ground
sold over their heads — or under their feet, rather ! — and
the treachery of the native Indians, as well as the reck-
less behavior of our own troops, have kept my liands full
and my head in a continual worry since the establishment
of the post. Sometimes I wish the government had kept
her seven millions in her pocket, and left this desolate
counti-y to take care of itself. It was an immense respon-
sibility to shoulder. Have you any idea of the size of the
' Northwest Territory,' old fellow ? Are you aware that
it contains something over five hundred thousand square
miles, or about one-sixth of the entire extent of the
United States and Territories ? This vast country is
covered throughout its southern districts with jungles and
forests, reaching far up the sides of its lofty mountains,
which smoke night and dtv}'. The portions nearer the
Arctic Sea consist mostly of dreary morass and mossy
' tundra,' as it is called, under which lies a deep layer
of ice. never thawing, winter or summer. But in the rest
of the territory are splendid forests, as I have said.
There are mountain peaks retiching (in Mt. Wrangel) the
enormous height of twenty thousand feet above the sea ;
there is a river, the noble Yukon, over two thousand
miles in length — a rival of the great Mississippi itself.
Among the hills are winding streams and pleasant valleys,
where brilliant wild-flowers blossom, insects hover over
them in the sunshine, and birds dart to and fro as merrily
as in our old New England orchards. The woods are full

i;i

^3^^

l-.IK4''W^''fl'

HP" ■■ Jl ^

THE RET) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

of game. There is no place in the world where bears,
black. l)rown, grizzly, and cinnamon, with two or three
other varieties, are found in such abundance. Moose have
not learned to fear the rifle, and wild goats clamber over
the rocks in full sight. The inland districts of Alaska
are almost absolutely uninhabited. The whole interior
population of Indians is probably less than three thousand,
while no white man ever passes beyond the protection of
the trading-posts and forts.

'■ By this time, my dear John, you are beginning to
wonder why I have launched forth into this lecture on
the resources of our National Purchase. Ah, ^■ou have
noticed, have you, that I have omitted an important item ?
Vegetation, game, inhabitants, scenery — but nothing said
about wealth !

'■ Yes. icealth. Reports must have reached you of the
startling discoveries of Haley and others. Little did the
Hudson's Bay fur-hunters dream that the}' were camping
each night on a gold mine ; or that the very rivers down
which they paddled, in pursuit of some paltry, frightened,
furred creature, were full of gleaming particles of the
precious metal !

"•Without doubt, the coasts of Alaska are veined
throughout their length and breadth with gold and
silver. Shafts are being sunk in all directions, and
mines located. Haley found it paid him to dig out
lumps of rock, a small bit at a time, and simply crush
them in a mortar.

A REMARKABLE LETTER. 17

ears,

"But I am not going to tempt you to rush for the

liree

' diggings,' my boy. There s hetter game in the cover!''

lave

over

'- Wliat in the world does the man mean ! " exclaimed

a ska

Mrs. Button. " He's as mysterious as a sphinx, and here's

erior

the supper all getting cold. Let's have the rest of the

and.

letter afterwards."

m of

Whereupon arose a chorus of " Oh, no, no ! Read on.

read on ! Never mind the supper yet — let's find out

? to

what he means by ' better game ' ! "

e on

Mr. Button accordingly found his place again, and,

lave

holding the letter so as to get a little better light upon it,

ein ?

resumed his reading.

" I know you will be incredulous when I say there is
more valuable treasure to be found in Alaska than gold
— knowing, as you do, that there are no diamonds in the
territory. Nevertheless, I am right. Among the many
ores which exist here, in more or less abundance, is one
which furnishes a strange metal, well known in medicine
and the arts. Its chemical symbol is Hg. Ah, you
start now ! I see you have not forgotten those tiresome
lectures at Harvard ; you know at last that I am speak-
ing of Mercury, which is obtained almost entirely from
the beautiful crimson ore known as ' Cinnabar.' "

Mr. Button paused, and glanced about the eager circle
of listeners.

i ,JJW"!"»-l"il"

mmm^mi^mm

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

" Now, shall we have supper ? The griddle-cakes are
hot," said Mrs. Dutton, plaintively, taking advantage of
the silence, and playing her highest card. In vain ! Even
Teddy testified with open mouth and round, light blue
"yes to his interest in the subject.

The vote was none the less emphatic because unex-
pressed in words. The reading continued.

"Cinnabar is worked to a considerable extent in only
half a dozen spots on the globe — Spain (which supplies
England), Idria, Peru, Japan, and one or two other places.
It has been discovered in California. All the mines in
the world, taken together, yield only a trifle over three
thousand tons a year, including the new American
mines.

"' No ore is so easily decomposed as cinnabar ; it is
effected by direct exposure to the oxidizing flame of a
furnace, the mercury vapor being collected in condensers.
I believe the metal can be even more economically sepa-
rated by the use of an iron retort in which it can be
readily volatilized, without the escape of vapors. By the
old way, nearly half is wasted in the process.

'• Now as to its value. This varies largely from year to
year. It runs from fifty cents to two dollars a pound,
avoirdupois. One dollar a pound, or two thousand
dollars a ton, would be a low average.

" But a ton, you say, is an enormous amount. Thirty
tons is a hundreth part of the world's annual product.

A liEMARKAliLE LETTER.

"' What would you say, John, to fifty tons a year, or
even one hiindml? In the countries I have mentioned,
the ore crops out, or is found heh)\v the surface, in narrow
veins, among nmch schist and slate. What would yoi'*
say to a whole mountain of cinnabar ! "

Mr. Button looked np with a prolonged " Wliew-w ! "
and Carlo gave a short yelp. As no one else seemed
disposed to conversation, the letter was resumed.

" To make a long story short (for T can see now that
vou arc ij-etting excited, as plainlv as if T were sitting with
you hi your cosey dining-room in Sheldon, where you will
probaljly read this letter), the following facts have recently
come to light; no one, until this letter was read, John,
knew of them. No one knows of them now, except your
family, myself, and Peeschee. The last named gentle-
man is a Chilkat Indian, whose name in honest English
is ' The Fox.' Call him which you like, he has served us
a irood turn. This is how it came about.

"I was oft' hunting with a party of Indians from the
vicinity of the fort. We were in camp about twenty
miles inland from Wrangel. when something came bound-
ing: into the circle of firelight like a deer. It was the
Fox, who threw himself panting at our feet, his teeth
chattering, and his face fairly gray with terror. As soon
as he could talk we made out his story. He had left his
village a week l)efore, on a trapping expedition. While

T 'T' "

'20

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

iit work among his traps, lie liad accidentally run on to
the line set by a wandering party of Tak-heesh natives
from the interior, and had ignorantly — so he assured us
a-gain and again — taken several pelts from their traps.

" A dozen Tak-heesh had come suddenly- u})on him,
taken him prisoner, and vowed he should die for the
ott'ence. Poor Peeschee in vain asserted his innocence.
To the stake he should go. On the second day of his
captidty, he had escaped by gnawing his thongs while
his captors were dozing after a hearty meal of bear meat,
and had been running all the afternoon, he said.

" We felt a little nervous about the pursuers, but those
Tak-heesh are cowards unless they are terribly roused, and,
sure enough, when they turned up the next morning, a
rifle volley into the air put the entire crowd to flight.
The Fox was as grateful as a dog, and, tlie day after
Me reached Fort Wrangel, he did me the good turn I
referred to.

" He came quietly to the barracks, inquired for my
room, found me alone, and then and tliere told me the
wonderful story which set me to writing this long letter
— an offence, John, which I seldom commit, you'll
acknowledge.

" What the Fox had to say was substantially this : Last
autumn he made one of his solitary expeditions over the
mountains, in search of furs. He penetrated far into the
interior, reaching a district absolutely unknown to him
before that trip. He describes it as abounding in game,

t I

A REMAUKAliLE LETTEIi.

■21

and heavily wooded. There were nuiiiy rapid streams,
all seeming to be well stocked with trout, grayling, and
other fish.

'• As often occurs in Alaska, the weather was cloudy for
fully ten days at a stretch. Toward the close of a dull,
drizzly afternoon, Peeschee stopped for the niglit on the
bank of a swift brook. Suddenly the clouds in the west
began to break away, and, as they gradually parted,
there appeared high in the heavens what seemed to be a
mountain of fire. It was a soft, glowing crimson, and
from its summit rose a huge colunni of smoke ; ii was
beyond a doubt a mountain peak ; Peeschee had never set
eyes on it before in his life. Within five minutes the
clouds had closed in again, and the wonderful peak was
out of sight.

'' The next three days he spent in travelling straight
uphill toward the Red Movmtain. After much struggling
through jungles and morasses, fording streams, and
encountering wild beasts by day and nigbt, he claims
that he reached the base of the peak, and discovered the
cause of its strange color. He brought a piece of the
live rock itself, and showed it to me. I have it in my
desk now. It is a magnificent specimen of cinnabar in
the ore, deep crimson in color, promising to yield, if
worked, an enormous percentage of weight of the pure
metal.

''John, that was a mountain of mercury! It waits
for some one to take those red heaps of granite and

!.!l

THE UKl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

quartz, fuse thcni, and boar away such a fortune as you
could not make in a century of prosperous mill operation
at Sheldon. Will you come ? Shall we share the Red
Mountain, old fellow, as we used to share the red apples
in grandfather's orchard ?

•• This is what I i)ropose. You have been in indifferent
health for a good many months. You need a change ;
you have a competent superintendent in practical charge
of the mills; you always liked hunting and camping-out.
Take the boys along, and meet me at some point in west
central Alaska — say old Fort Yukon. I will come from
the west, you from the east, if you like, striking up through
Canada and across from the Hudson's Bay post in British
America. From Fort Y^dvon we can proceed together to
the Rod Mountain, make a rough survey, lay out our
claim, and the following spring counnence work in
earnest. In other words, you can start from Sheldon as
soon as the sprhig of '60 opens, reach the Alaska boun-
dary by the first of July, and before the winter shuts
down we shall have finished all our prospecting, and be
ready to take out ore in the following May.

" One more point to consider, and then I have done.
It is, 1 admit, an important point. How shall we find
this half-fabulous ' Red Mountain ' after wo have effected
a union of forces at Fort Yukon ? Hero we must rely
entirely on Peeschee. He proposes to start from the
fort (which is situated on nearly 67° N. lat., 145" long.
W.), and strike due south. Y^ou will be glad to hear this

nxfi m m t , K^ ^im m9 i 'wmi i t»m cx,im^i^>^-arMiii

A REM ABK ABLE LETTER.

when I add that the Arctic Circle pu.ssos directly through
the fort. After travelling something over two hundred
miles straight into the wilderness, the Fox says we shall
tind ourselves at the foot of a lofty range of mountains.

-(((-

^^,

^^%r

• *<

• ••

r\r\n

/'^--^

From this point he bears away slightly to the east, and
within three or four days expects to reach his old camp-
ing-ground, from which he obtained his first view of the
flaming peak. Now will begin by far our hardest fight
with the forces of nature. Peeschee has drawn a map,

i«ni

77//!,' liED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

which he professes to iinderstaiHl. and hy which he pro-
poses to follow as nearly as possible his former route to
the base of the luountain and up its steep sides. I have
borrowed this map or chart, and will trace it here for
you.*

'' It's a curious-looking affair, but, Avith Peeschee as
guide, I'd stake it against a government chart. P]verv
mark on it means something to him. I'll give you his
explanation at some otlier time.

'• Now, then, once more, will you come ?
" Your affectionate brother,

"Dick Button.

'• P. S. Write full particulars, exactly when and
where you will meet me. Sorry you must leave Mrs. D.
and Florence behind. Of course, you'll come."

* See Illustration, page 23.

I*'

smtmamMmmm

CHAPTER II.

TREED BY A MOOSE.

JUST five months after
the letter of Lieutriumt
Richard Diitton was read
aloud in his brotl lev's (x)-
sey dining-room, a grimp
of people are assem})led
on the platform of the
Sheldon railroad station.
There is a tallish, brown-
bearded gentleman, with
clear, brig] it eyes, and an
exceedingly gentle voice;
a lady, of refined face and mannei, arid close beside her
a young girl ; four boys, one of them freckled and sandy-
haired ; a negro woman, with a red bandanna handker-
chief around her black neck ; and a young NcAvfoundland
dog, full of quiet surprise at all this commotion. Several
large trunks and cases are piled upon the platform, await-
ing transportation.

Presently the train comes in sight, around a curve, and

2")

"T^

THE UEl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

slows up at tlio .station, ringing and hissing vigorously.
People, (log, and baggage are liui-ried on board, the con-
duetor waves his hand, and, with lenewed clangor of bell
and liiss of steam, the train starts for Boston, bearing —
yon know as well as I^ — the entini Dutton family away
fronj their home.

Dick Dutton was right. The letter could not be
resisted. A favorable answer had been sent, thorough
preparations made during the winter months, the mill
wound up to run for a full year without the personal
supervision of the owner — and oif the party are starting,
this twenty-fifth day of March, 1800, on their long and
divided journey.

All the family, I said. You see, there has been a
slight change of plan. After the letter had been care-
fully considered, and it had been voted unanimously that
Mr. Dutton and the boys should make the trip to our
northwest province, Mrs. Dutton had unexpectedly
asserted herself.

" Dick's plan is a good one," she said, " with one
exception."

'• What is that, my dear ? " inquired Mr. Dutton,
mildly.

'•I do not propose to stay at home while you are off in
the woods for a year. Florence and I will take the
regular San Francisco route to Sitka, join Dick at his
po.st. and start inland with him, meeting you at the fort."

Mr. Dutton was astonished, but. as his wife's remark

*MiaigaAiisatAmmi*mataKB>ssAmtirimM.itsm

'i^ '^m itH ' ii ^^ mimii i i t im fi ^ismii

TliKKI) liV A MOOSK.

. (0.

liiid ratlier the appeariinco of a docision than a suggestion,
he wisely refrained from opposing it.

"You shall certainly go, my dear, if you wish to." said
this exemplary husl)and. And she did.

Certain modilications of the original route had also heen
made. The •• itinerary " was finally laid out as follows : —

The '• military section," as Flossie ianghingly calli'd
the lieutenant's party, were to meet at Sitka, and -pack "
over the mountains to the headwaters of the Yukon
River, moving down-stream until they should reach Fort
Selkirk, where they would await the eastern party,
instead of at Fort Yukon. Mr. Dutton and the boys
decided to follow the regular traders' route from Ottawa,
northward and westward to Fort Churchill, on Hudson's
Bay. From there a nearly westerly course, bearing a
little to the north, above Athabasca Lake and below (on
the map) the Great Slave, would bring them to Fort
Simpson ; thence over a lofty pass in the Chippeway
division of the Rocky Mountains into New Columbia, and
to Fort Selkirk, which is situated exactly G2° 45' north,
137° 22' west from Greenwich.

There ! We've done with figures an^^. theoretical geog-
raphy for a while ; practical geography we nnist study in
spite of ourselves. Once in Alaska territory, we nuist
examine our surromidings, and pick our way, almost inch
by inch, for we have no reliable guide to the interior of
this great, desolate region. If we want a map, we must
make one.

H-

THE liED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

We do not need to follow the Dutton family over the
first portions of their respective routes, which are more
or less familiar to travellers. Mi-s. Button,, Florence, and
Chloe sailed from New York for Aspinwall. crossed the
Isthnms, took steamer again at Panama, and reached San
Francisco safely, after a journey of n.early six thousand
miles. Here they rested a week, and completed their
outfit necessary for a summer in the woods. On a brigiit
morning In May they started in a sailing vessel for Vic-
toria and Sitka. So much for the ladies' party.

The sterner portion of the family had hardly a more
eventful trip until they left Fort Churchill. From this
point the boys had plenty of shooting, and Mr. Dutton
had much ado to keep them within reach of camp. The
trip, however, was quickly made, the •• Rockies " sur-
mounted, and by the second week in June the party were
descending the western slopes of the mountains within '
one hundred and fifty niih^s of Fort Selkirk.

It was ten o'clock in the forenoon when Mr. Dutton,
whose orders were obeyed by eveiy one in the expedition,
called a halt, on the first day after the high peaks were
left behind.

It was a curious company that was gathered there.
Mr. Dutton and the three boys were browned from ex-
posure to the sun and all sorts of weather : while Teddy
was burned a bright red, and fairly peppered with freckles.
Carlo was in the highest of spirits, and gambolled about
the party like a six-months-old pup. There were two

TliEED BY A MOOSE.

Indian guides, strong-limbed, quiet fellows, named Joe
and .Hill.

At Mr. Button's word, these two last named tlirew
down their heavy packs, and drew themselves up with an
air of relief.

'- Ugh 1 " grunted Joe, wiping his forehead. '' Much
hot comin'. No-see-'ems and skeeters dis night."

" Midges ? Have you felt any, Joe ? " asked Mr.
Button, recognizing the Indian term for those tiny
tormentors.

'^ No feel 'em. Smell 'em," said Joe, gravely, vsniffing
the air.

Mr. Button laughed, and turned his attention to select-
ing a good " nooning " spot where they could spend the
hottest hours of the day.

Tliey had halted beside a swift-running stream, whose
waters, though white with glacial silt, promised sport for
Hugh, the fisherman of the party. All around them was
a forest of immense spruce trees, through which they had
been travelling since early morning. The ground was
everywhere covered with thick moss, and long, gray
streamers hung from the lofty boughs overhead.

'' I tell you what, father ! " exclaimed Robert, with
enthusiasm, "this would be a jolly place to camp in for
a week. There's plenty of water, and I'll warrant the
woods are full of game."

'' A good place enough, Rob, but we've no time to lose.
The mosquitoes are getting thicker and hungrier every

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

I •

day, and l)efore long we shall have to rush to the settle-
ments for our lives. They are the pest of Alaska, you
know."

" But, father, w^e are within a few days' march of Fort
Selkirk, and are ahead of time."

" I want to see mother," interposed little Nat, quietly.
'' Don't you, Rob?"

The older brother made no further protest, but began
preparations for a short hunt before dinner.

''1 won't be gone long, father," said he, shouldering
his Winchester, and starting oft" at an easy gait.

"Won't you take one of the guides with you, my
boy?"

'• Oh, no, thank you. They've had enough to do, pack-
ing our blankets through the woods. Good-bye. I'll
keep within hearing of a gun-shot." And he was gone.

Mr. Button now busied himself about his "skeleton
tent," as he called it — a device of his own, for relief
from the attacks of gnats, mosquitoes, and other insects,
Avhile on the march.

It was a very simple arrangement; merely an "A"
tent made of mosquito netting. It was large enough to
accommodate all the party.

A few minutes sufficed to pitch it carefully, so that no
rent should be made in its meshes. The guides, Nat, and
Mr. Button then crept under its folds, and, stretched out
comfortably on rubber blankets which had been first
sj)read to keep out dampness, all four fell fast asleep.

^r^WfglJlfflPWIWllg'

TREED BY A MOOSE.

^>^

Hugh whistled for Carlo, and took his way, fishing-
tackle in hand, down to an inviting pool just in sight
through the trees.

When Mr. Button awoke it was high noon. The guides
were already preparing the noon meal, one of them build-
ing a good fire, laying the sticks all one way, for conven-
ience of cooking ; the other engaged in dressing a line
mess of trout which bore witness to Hugh's success.

Nat strayed about the camp, looking for flowers — the
delicate Linncea. or twiu-liower, the violet, the cornel,
and others familiar in the home woods. The oldest boy
had not returned, and Mr. Button began to feel anxious
about him. He fired his rifie three tunes, a signal that
always meant, •' Answer, and come into camp ! " But
there was no reply.

At one o'clock they sat down to dinner, worried and
perplexed l)y Rob's absence. Two hours passed, and still
he did not appear. It was time to resume march. At a
word from the captain, Joe, the Indian, took up his ritle,
and plunged into the woods, in the direction the missing
boy had taken.

When Robert left the camp, he had no definite inten-
tion, save that he would skirt round the base of a low
hill, about a mile away, and return to camp within an
hour or two. He hoped to come across some sort of
game; a brace of grouse, at least, of which there are
several varieties iu Britisli America. His Winchester
rifle had half a dozen cartridges in it, and Robert was a

■MMMiH

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

P i

good sliot. He liad no fear of missing a partridge or
ptarmigan at thirty 3'ards, with a single ball.

The forest floor was encumbered with i'allen and de-
cayed logs, into wiiose crumbling sides lie sank so often
th:it his progress was slow. There was very little under-
growth to impede his way, however, and within half an
hour he reached sliarply rising ground, wliich told him he
was at the foot of the hill he had seen from camp.

Up to this i)oint he had kept within hearing of the
stream, l)ut now he turned off at right angles, thinking
he would walk fifteen minutes and then retrace his steps.

Before he had advanced far in this new direction, he
found himself following a sort of trail. Indeed, it was
almost a beaten path in the woods.

'•Ah I " said Rob to himself, with some dissatisfaction,
'' we have struck civilization again I Here's a regular
route for fur-traders, I've no doubt. Well," he solilo-
quized, as he sauntered lazily along the path, '• I might as
well — halloo ! "

He stopped and examined a track that was plainly out-
lined in a patch of mud. It was shaped like the print of
a huge human foot, fourteen inches long at the very
least. Robert had not " trailed " from the Hudson's Bay
settlements for nothing. He knew that no man had left
th.'it footprint. It was undoubtedly the track of a bear,
and an enormous one, too : possibly a grizzly.

The boy's heart beat so hard that it seemed as if he
must stifle. The " sign " was fresh. It certainly was not

-^ 'jJI'.JtSijJW'*^'''?'

TREED BY A MOOSE.

half an hour old, for the water was still oozing into it
from the sides.

Should he go on ? The ambition of Robert's life just
now was to shoot a grizzly, but he knew the danger to a
single hunter if he should meet one of these terrible
brutes alone.

It flashed across the boy's mind at the same moment
that the trail he was following was very closely con-
nected with that peculiar track. It was no hunter's at
all. It was one of the famous '' bear-roads," for which
the great Northwest is noted, and which thread the
densest forests in every direction.

Only six charges in that rifle! But the temptation
was too great. Robert concluded at least to follow the
path cautiously for a short distance. Perhaps he could
come upon his shaggy game unexpectedly. Perhaps he
could stalk him !

With these thoughts passing swiftly through his mind,
he examined the lock of his rifle carefully, assured him-
self that the cartridges were in place, and, stooping over
like an old hunter, advanced softly along the trail.

At every slightest sound in the forest his heart gave an
answering thump ; but no bear appeared. He was
beginning to think of turning back toward the camp,
when a curious noise fell upon his ears. It was a succes-
sion of dull blows, like that of a farmer driving a stake
into the ground.

A sudden turn of the path brought him unexpectedly

mttm

fVK'

gum,

THE RED MOILYTAIN OF ALASKA.

upon a singular scene. About a hundred yards away, the
trail was blocked by a huge, dark form. It stood aljout
four feet nigh, and was covered with long, shaggy fur of
a dirty brown color. Robert recognized the animal at
once, although it was back to him. It was the Brown
Bear, Ursiis Arctos, of the cold countries. It was witli a
feeling half chagrin and half relief that the boy knew
in a moment it was no grizzly before him. That it was,
on the other hand, his very ugliest and most formidable
relative south of the Arctic Circle was equally certain.

But what was the occasion of the bear's quiet attitude ?
A glance along the path explained matters. Directly
facing the bear stood an old bull moose, his spreading
antlers touching the boughs on each side of tbc path.
The big fellow was not standing at his full height. His
head was slightly lowered, and his eyes fixed intently on
those of his near neighbor. Neither of the animals paid
the slightest attention to the new-comer.

There seemed to be no good reason why there should
be a quarrel. There was plenty of room, with a little
squeezing, for a bear and a moose, even if both, as was
the case, were larger than the average, to pass each other
comfortably. But neither of them thought of yielding an
inch ; they glared silently at each other, like two team-
sters who have unexpectedly met in a narrow alley.
Neither one would back out, that was settled.

The moose raised one of his great hoofs, and struck it
upon the ground several times, making moss and mud fly,

ti!

IT WAS EVIDENT THAT AFFATUS WEUE REACHTXCr A CRISIS.

k«*.«i

<««■

TliKKh nr A MOOSK

while his eyes seemed fairly to (lash lire. His lon*^..
ungainly head dro()[)ed lower : it was evident that affairs
were reaching a crisis, and Robert conchided it was time
to act. An old hunter would ha\e walked backward softly
to the turn in the path, and then run for his life, leaving
the two forest princes to fight it out as they pleased.

Unfortunately, the boy did no such thing. He raised
his rifle, sighted a spot in the very centn; of the moose's
broad breast, and tired.

At the very same instant, the latter made up his mind
to knock that bear into small bits, and bounded forward.
The bear was watching for tlr , and rose on his haunches
to meet his antagonist.

So it happened that the ritle ball, instead of doing its
work as was intended, merely scored the bear's right
shoulder, and inflicted a slight wound on the flank of the
moose.

Both the brutes were startled by the heavy report of
the u'un, and enrao-ed bv the stino; of the ball. The im-

O CD *.- (—>

petus of the big ••horned horse" was so great that he
could not stop himself, but struck the bear squarely on
the snout, causing Bruin to roll over backward, with the
moose on top of him.

The two huge creatures scrambled to their feet, and
simultaniiously caught sight of Robert, who pluckily drew
a bead on the brown, struggling mass, and fired a second
time, with as little apparent result as before.

Then he started for the nearest tree, which, luckily for

'V,

TIIK lih'l) MOr.\T.ll\ OF ALASKA.

Iiiiu, was a goo.l-slzod spr.ico. witli two or tlirec bouglis,
or stiihs of thoiii, close to tlie ground.

Uv had to drop his ,-ille, and indued had no time to
.spare, for by a conuiion impulse both the hite enemies
rushed against their coninion foe.

Pvobert drew a long breath as he seated himself, not
very eomfortablj-. on a stom. branch, souie tw(>nty feet
Irom tlie ground. To his relief, the bear concluded that
Ills honor had been vindicated, and and>led ot^' on his
-road " at a swift pace, which took him out of sight in
two minutes.

Not so the big moose. Pawing the ground, and snort-
ing fiercely, he continued to charge up and down, under
the tree, until at last, perc(>iving that his hated assailant
was for the time out of his reach, he sullenly connnenced
a slow walk to and fro, like a sentinel on guard duty;
now and then casting vindictive glances into the ever-
gi'een boughs overhead.

Faintly three rifle shots came echoing through the
woods, hut Kobert could not reply. He had giu-n his
party no idea of where he was going. Plainly his position
was a disagreeable one, not to say positively dangerous.

What was to be done ?

1#M

mL-

CHAPTER III.

TED S PRICKLY BEAR.

SOON as Joe, tlie younger and
more au:ile of Mr. Dutton'.s two
Indian guides, struck into the for-
est, he formed a definite plan of
action in his mind.

He had seen his vountj: master
start off in his expedition, and had
noted the direction lie had taken.
Once out of sight of camp, the trail
was lost in the deep green moss that covered the ground
everywhere. Joe, however, was not at a loss for the route
he should take. He reasoned that the boy would, in the
main, keep the direction he had at first taken, and would
follow the stream up toward the hills, good shooting being
generally found near water ; moreover, the brook would
be an infjillible guide back to camp.

Swiftly and stealthily as a cat the Indian glided through
the dark shadows of the forest, in and out among the
trunks of the evergreens. Now and then he would utter
a grunt of satisfaction as his quick glance fell upon a

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

l)roken twig, or ;i red mass of cniuibling wood where
Robert had phiced an incautious foot.

Arriving at the bear path, he did not hesitate a moment,
but followed it with a swift, shambling gait like the awk-
ward trot of the animals who had trodden down the path
for him.

When he perceived the big track in tlie mud, he started,
paused, and examined it carefully ; then felt of the
handle of his long knife — he had brought no other
weapon — and kept on as before.

If you had been watching him, a few minutes later, you
would have seen him sudden!} come to a standstill, listen
eagerly, and then creep forward on hands and knees.
Presently he dropped flat on the ground, and l)egan
wriggling forward as silently as a snake, but more
slowly.

From his perch, Robert caught sight of a dark iigure
crouching on the niosi; a hundred feet away, to the lee-
ward. At first he turned sick with fear, thinking it was
a puma, making ready for a spring. Then he recognized
with delight the homely features of his guide.

The besieger just then was wandering moodily about,
at about the same distance the other side of the tree, his
attention being distracted by a swarm of mosquitoes who
kept him stamping and licking furiously. It was evident
that he had not the least idea of the Indian's presence.

The latter wriggled nearer the tree, nearer, — until he
could lay his hand on the repeating rifle.

iiiiii

TED'S PliHKLY 11 KAIL

The sliglit noise he made in coekin*;' tlio piece caused
the moose lo look up quickly, half turning as he did so,
and exposing his hroad, hrown side.

A shot rang out, and another. The moose started for
the tree like lightning, hut hefore he had covered half the
distance he fell headlong. To leap to his side and i)lunge
the keen hlade of the knife into his throat \va hut an
instant's work for the Indian, who had despatch 'aany
a moose in his day.

As Rohert descended stiffly from his tree, and saw the
poor creature's huge hulk stretched out, helpless and still,
he felt a pang of remorse.

"It's too had, Joe," he said, gazing at his pro.strate
enemy.

'• H'm. You no kill 'ini, he kill you," remarked the
other, in soft gutturals. - You lucky git 'way from 'im,

VIS.

They cut several slices of meat from the moose, and
Joe took especial pains to carry away the muzzle, or
upper lip, which is esteemed a dainty among hunters.
The magnificent antlers they were of course o'uliged to
leave hehind.

The Indian had as yet made no allusion to the hear.
When thev had travelled ahout half way to the camp,
and had heen walking in silence for some time, he sud-
denly asked : —

" You shot at hear, too ? "

Robert laughed rather shamefacedly.

■!

1 I

rilE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

'- Yes, I did, Joe. I guess I didn't hurt him much, and
I'm glad 1 didn't. One of those splendid creatures is
enoui2;li to kill in a dav."

•' You no lire when you see 'im 'gain," remarked tiie
Indian. •' No hurt poor bear," he added.

Hob caught the twinkle in his companion's eye.

"• You're laughing at me, old fellow I " he cried, good-
naturedly. '• Never mind, I'll pay 3'ou up some day."

'■ No shoot bear when vou 'lone." said Joe, more
soberly. " Nor moose, too. Wait for Injun come, he
help shoot."

" Well. I'll be more careful another time. Hullo, here
we are at camp. Sorry you were worried, father."
as he saw Mi-. Button's look of relief at his api:)roach.

'• T was worried. Rob," said the older man. earnestly,
'• and I thank God that you're back safe. If I had
realized half the dangers and hardshi})s of this wild coun-
try. I'd never have come. I suppose Dick is used to them,
and don't mind meeting a grizzly, or fighting mosquitoes
for a week at a time, or running on to a tribe of hostiles.
I confess I do."

'• But. father, we were never so well in our lives. Just
look at Nat. there ! "

And. indeed, it did one good to glance at the little
fellow's brown, health}' face.

'• Well, well." said Mr. Button, brightening. '' we're all
in safe keeping, no doul)t. Tell me about your adven-
ture. Rob. It's too late to move further to-night, and we

TEDS PRICKLY BE Mi

could hardly find a better camping-ground. The tents.

boy

c. ' "

This last was addressed to the guides, who at once
quietly set about their preparations for the night. While
the boys gathered eagerly about Rob, as lie described the big
gaiH' he had seen, two tents of light, strong drilling were
taken from the packs and pitched. They were of the
" Shelter " form, with side ilaps that were secured to the
ground by pegs. These were necessary to keep out
the little winged tormentors whose falsetto songs already
began to ring unpleasantly in the ears of the hunters.

The mosquito bars were now stretched across the front
of the tents, admitting light, air. and nothimj' else, unless
perhaps the midges, or no-see-'ems. whose approach the
Indians feared.

In the midst of Rob's glowing account, there arose a
series of howls and cries, mingled with the barkina: of a
dog. close by the camp.

All hands seized rifles and axes, and ran to the rescue.

•• Oh, nuu'ther ! Oh. save me. quick I She's comin'
a ft her me. sure ! Come quick wid yev grns ! "

A moment later a shout of laughter went up from the
rescuers. Even the taciturn Indians smiled.

There \vas the valiant Teddy, with his hair fairly
standing on end, glaring wildly at a small ])lack animal,
which crouched in a tree, about ten feet from the irround.

'' Sure. I have fixed it wid me eyes." said Teddy. " I
hnve a slipell on it, I have. If 1 look off, it'll jump."

THE III::. MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

"Why, what is it, Ted ? " inquired Mr. Button, puttin,
on a sober face. '^

to 1.™ &„e I looked to see the ould one come ™.l,i„,
""to the bushes ivery minute, and that'., why I called

All thi« time Carlo was barking furiously al the little
annual, whatever it was.

•'I think the safest way." said Mr. Button, s-^pressinc.
a smde once n,ore. ■■ is to leave Teddy here for a while tl
vatc the beast. If the .she-bear attacks vou. be sure
to call us. led," he added, nraking as if he wJuld walk otf
But the Iri.,h boy set up a mournful wail that would
Have touched a heart of stone.
■• Ocli. don't lave ,ne, snr ! I'll be kilt entirely ' "
"Oh Ted!" called out Hugh, who could no loucre-
keep sdence. -.killed by a-hedgehog! Think of V'-
Uon t you see his prickles ? "

Poor Teddy grew even redder than before as he ev,.n-
■t'l^d Jl.e animal ane«-, and for the Hrst tin>e noticed the

He slunk back to camp, and it was a long time before
tlie boys ceased to allude to •' Ted's prickly bear "

■flic night passed quietly, and an early start was n , le

next n,omi„g. Before they halted for th,.ir noon r, s,

tho.v had tnade a good fifteen miles, due west. Nat was

,red. and when they started for tbel. ,.r.e,.noon tran.p.

•ft.", the older and larger Indian. !,ad a a.risus pack upon

If k

amm

TED'S I'lUCKLY IiEA:\

Ms back. It was, in fact, no other than Nat himself,
flonifortabiy seated in a natural chair, formed by cutting-
a, distorted birch close to the ground, and using the stump
of a bent bough for a seat. A belt was carried around
the Indian's waist, to steady the chair, but the weight
came largely upon his forehead, which held the loop of a
\eather thong supporting this human piece of baggage.
Mr. Button had seen Peruvian natives carry travellers in
this way, over dangerous mountain passes, and Jim found
that it worked to a charm.

At al)out three o'clock the leader of the party uttered
a cry of delight.

" Look : " he said, pointing forward. '" The head-
waters of the Pelly ! "

" What is the Pelly, father?" asked the oldest boy.
''The northern branch of the Yukon. Rob. Where
that river joins the old • Lewis,' or properly the Yukon
itself, is Fort Selkirk, and there we shall find youi- mother,
Flossie, and Dick."

'' Hooray 1 " shouted Hugh, catching his father's enthu-
siasm. •• How long will it take to reach them ? "

'' I should think that by day after to-morrow we ought
to come in sight of the chimneys of the old fort. As soon
as possible we will build a raft, and finish our journey by
water."

An hour's fast walking brought the party to the edge
of a small lake. On the southern shore were high blutt's,
crowned with evergreen forests. Just before them lay a

mmmiS saBam

. mf\ ■ 1 1 JHMi

Trr?J RED MOUXTAiy OF ALASKA

little inoado'.v. Its bright green grass was dotted with
dandelions and buttercups; butteriiies. red and yellow,
tioa^.ed gracefully in the sunshine. A cloud of waterfowl
rose from the reeds near by. and. flying low over the
sniooth water, plunged into it again not half a mile away,
with a deal of splashing.

:.. >reeze stirred the surface of the lake; the hills

along k .shore were reflected as in a miiTor.

'^Beautiful, beautiful:" nmrunu-ed Mr. Button, baring
his head for a moment, and gazing over tlio ti'anquil
scene. -Why should not one settle here, and spend his
days within sight of this lo\ely sheet of water? No
cares, but plenty of — "

•• Mosquitoes ! " interrupted one of the Indians, gravely.
The boys burst into a shout of hiughter at the sudden
conclusion of their fathei-'s soliloquy, and ran gleefully
down to the water's edf^'e.

" See, father, see ! " cried little Nat presently, holding
up a small brown animal in his arms. It was a vouno-
marmot, a species which furnishes to the Indians of the
interior their blankets, these being niad(> of numerous
skins of the little creatures, .sewed tocrether.

After an insjiection by all the boys, the captive Avas
permitted to waddle off at the top of his speed, presuma-
bly in the direction iiis parents had taken.

"Camp, boys, camp!" called Mr. Dutton. and all
liands set busily to ^vork, preparing foi- the night. The
tent was pitched on the bank of a tiny streani that fell

a-ji

>'««iHi<,»lMH»k..

TED'S PRICKLY BEAR.

Tnusically over a mossy ledge, into the lake itself. The
boys cut and broke arnifuls of boughs from the young
spruces that grew thickly along the edge of the forest,
and threw them into the camp for a bed. Nat was left
to kindle the fire, a task at which he was a particular
adept. With bits of bark and dried twigs he soon had a
jolly blaze mounting up through the larger sticks, and the
camp was ready. Rob strolled olf with his gun. and Hugh
with hshing-rod and flies, as usual. Mr. Button took
shelter behind a mosquito net, and registered hi his diary
the events of the day. the various sorts of plants and
li vine creatures he had observed; and the situation and
most striking characteristics of the lake before him. Then
he took out his map of the British provinces and Alaska,
settling his position beyond a doubt, and marking his
camping spot with a pencilled cross. Those l)oys who
woidd like to know just wliere the party was encamped
may make a cross on tlieir maps at exactly lat. (51° oO'
N., long. 128° 10' W. from Greenwicli. If the map is a
good one, they will find this lake, sliaped somethhig like
a horseshoe, with the open end toward the north. On the
east baidc of the right-hand arm of the horseshoe was
'^ Camp Prospect," as Mr. Button named their halting-
place.

(

CHAPTER IV.

AX UXSEEN ENEMY.

^HE afternoon had been
so bright, friends seemed
so near, and camp was so
pleasantly situated, that
the Buttons looked for-
ward to a peaceful, rest-
ful night. Tliey were
doomed to serious dis-
appointment.
Hugh came back from the lake empty-handed, and
Robert was the lucky one this time, bringing back from
his hunting expedition a fine bag of black duck, and a
good fat rabbit.

While Joe was preparing the ducks for supper, Teddy,
whose bump of curiosity was always leading him to poke
about among bushes and under logs, came rushing back
to camp, and breathlessly announced an important dis-
covery.

" Sure, it's a bear this time," he stammered, lookino-
over his shoulder. '- Ye've tould me toime and toime

AN UNSEEN ENEMY

agin that the print of a bear's fut looks like a man's boot.
Sure, there's wan here in the bushes that's the very image
o' Avan, tues an' all Oh, wirra, wirra, he'll ate us up
before morn in' 1 "

•• Hush, Teddy," exclaimed Mr. Button, authoritatively.
" Tell us where you saw the track.''

'• Jist bey ant in the bushes."

"Come, -Joe, we'll look at it."

The rest wanted to follow, but Mr. Button bade them
stay where they were. He had uncomfortable n;isgiviugs
regarding that track, with its toes so plainly marked.
What if it were not a bear's footprint at all ! What if —

His worst fears were realized when he saw the Indian's
manner on looking at the track.

•• H'm I " he grunted, with a slight start, as he stooped
low to examine it. - H'm ! Him no bear ! "

" What is it, then ? "

" Him man's foot."

"White?"

'' No. Injun."

•• How old is the sign ? "

"' Half-hour, mayl)e."

Here was intelligence, to be sure, of a decidedly unpleas-
ant character.

While they had been building their camp, discussing
iheir plans, roaming about the woods, dark forms had
been flitting to and fro among the shadows of the fore.st,
within a stone's throw. Glistening eyes had been watch-

I !

TIIK RED MOUXTAiy OF ALASKA.

\
i

ing thorn, probably witb looks of hate. For a friendly
band Avould have advanced at once, where the party of
whites was so evidently a harmless one, with its fonr
boys and one middle-aged man.

The two guides now held a short consultation, and, on
Mr. Button's return to camp, they darted into the woods.

The hour spent before their return was one of extreme
anxiety. The boys knew nothing of their father's appre-
hensions, and chatted merrily over the supper-getting,
which, in the absence of the guides, they took into their
own hands.

If the Takheesh Indians, in the boidei's of whose coun-
try they now were, should take the warpath, they were
greatly to be feared. Their tribe had been foully treated
l)y the traders, and. though few in lunnbers, the Alaska
Indians are known to be amoiiL!; the fiercest and most im-
placable of their r;;ce when their evil passions are once
roused. And if there was danger to his own party, what
of the other, near by, containing his brother, wife, and
daughter ?

While these thoughts were chasing one another through
^Ir. Button's troubled mind, Joe returned, and shortly
afterward his conu'ade.

The information they brought was not reassuring.
They had struck the trail of the strange Indians, they
said, in several parts of the surrounding forest, and,
though they did not come upon the band, the guides were
pretty sure that they were encamped just beyond a little

::^^

.I.V rXSEEX EXEMV.

ridge, about two miles southwest of Camp Prospect.
Tliey had probably been startlod, Joe intimated, by the
report of Rob's gun.

The boys by this time had been acqujiinted with the
sitiiation. and the faces of the company were clouded.

'•' Well," said Mr. Button, at last, '■ we won't try to
cross a bridge befori' we come to it. The Indians will not
dare to attack us to-night, while we are all in camp, nor
are they fond of roaming the woods after dark. We'll
take turns keeping guard, however, and while one
watches the rest .shall sleep,"

It was still so earlv in the evening that no thoughts of
sleep could be entertained for an hour or two. Mr. But-
ton was determined that his boys should not worrv awav
their chances for a night's rest. He therefore pro[)osetl
telling stories until bedtime.

•• That is," said he. with a good-natured slap on Joe's
broad shoulders, "I don't mean to do all the talking
myself. You can begin, old fellow."

The Indian's dark eyes lighted up. Taciturn as he
was on ordinary occasions, he was renowned auioiio- his
comrades as a recounter of marvellous tales and hair's-
breadth escapes. Joe was a good story-teller, and he
knew it.

As full of airs as a young lady who is asked to play,
and •' has left her nuisic at home," Joe coun-hed and
smoked, and pretended indifference, but, after the proper
amount of urging, raised himself upon elbow instead of

! I

■^•:

^w — ^"

l»

oli

TJIK RED MOLWTAIN OF ALAHKA.

squatting in tlic traditional Indian fashion, and, having
n'[)lL'ni.siiL'(l his pipe (which, however, soon dii-d out),
began as follows. I do not attempt to spell out his pecu-
liar dialect, or indicate the expressive grunts and gut-
turals which served <is punctuation marks.

•• About ten years ago," he said, •• T was guiding, near
Fort Churchill, with my brother, John Feathertop."

•' 1 didn't know you had a brother, Joe," interrupted
Nat.

•• Dead now." remarked the narrator, laconically,
then resumed his story.

•• We started out, one fine morning, from the fort, and
by the end of the next day reached a lake about thirty
miles away, where the fishing was good.

• Two men — white men — were with ns. They were
from a big town in the States — New — New — "

'• York ? " suu'gested Rob.

•• That's it. They paid us well, and were full of fun.
On the lake we had two u'ood canoes, hidden in the bushes
at different points. John and I soon found one of
them, drew the paddles from a hollow log close by, and
started across the lake for the other canoe.

'" We paddled straight across a wide bay. in a north-
east direction, took our Ijearimxs from a bunch of rocks
just al)ove water (there were half a dozen guU's-nests on
them, and the hirds flew up slowly as we paddled past) ;
then worked up to a point heavily wooded with black
growth, and John landed.

ft' 'i
■ 1- "i

;
J

AN UNSKKy KNKMY

" Pretty soon 1 heard a squirrel eliatter, ;iii(l right
afterward a bird sound, like this."

Her(! Joe imitated ])retty closely the long, plaintive
whistle of the hermit thrush.

"we STAItTKI) ACROSS THE LAKE.

The boys nodded to their father, to show that they
recognized the notes ; and Joe gravel}' proceeded.

" I knew then that something was out of the CDmmon.
and that John apprehended danger ; otherwise he would
not have called me at all. or would have sung out my
name. The squirrel and the bird meant " trouble — come

liW

Till-: II hh MOIWTAI.X OF ALASKA.

quick, but carefully.' If the bird had sung lirf " would
have meant, • Stay there ; I'm coming back.'

•• I mswered the bird call, and stepped out of the canoe,
pulling it up a little on a big rock. Then I went into
the bushes and found John.

•• lie was standing near an old i)ine stub that had been
our landmark for the second canoe. It ought to have
been just six paces from that stub, in a little overgrown
run. covered with brush. The fir and spruce, with a few
white cedars, grew so thick along the edge of the run
that nobody woidd have found the canoe withe • hard
hunt, and ;i hint as to its hiding-place. Nol)oay in the
world knew of that place but John and I. 77ic canoe
was (jo}iey

Joe paused impressively, havhig dropped his voice to
its lowest gutturals in pronouncing the two words,
" Canoe gone ! " — and looked around the lirelit circle of
faces to observe the effect.

The result of the survey proving satisfactory, he
lighted his pipe anew with a blazing twig from the camp-
lire.

'• But that wasn't the worst of it," he continued, more
solemnly than ever. '• There wasn't the faintest sign of
any stranger there. Not a track showed in the earth
between that spot and the lake. Not a twig, as far as
we could see in any direction, was broken or bent ; even
the boughs that had been thrown over the run were
absolutely undist u rbed .

ir|i

< i|ntniHP)i l ir i |i, iiii>a.;;,-i ^

.t.V I \SKEy ILWEMV.

i),i

" Simply, the canou was not there. Tn i-oine inystorioiis
way it had l)eeii drawn out from its hidiug-phice, and liad
totally di.sai)})eare(l.

"I said there was no track. Stop — there was one.
John pointed it out after we had heen there a minuti'.
It was a mere touch on the moss — so li_s>ht as hardly to
bend down the soft tops — yet, here and there, plainly
enough marked when once we had found one, were the
prints of i child's or a young girl's foot. The strange
part of it was the lightness. We found one spot where
she or it had stepped fairly on a piece of soft, muddy
soil. Vs I live, masters, the print was not half a day old,
and was not so deep."

Joe measured off about an eighth of an inch on his
tlunnb-nail. Nat crept more closely to his father, and
glanced over his shoulder. There was always something
uncanny about Joe's stories; and, indeed, Mr. Button
began to repent having called for the performance on this
particular night.

" Hurry up, Joe," he exclaimed, " and get to the point
of }'our story. What made the tracks around the run ?
Some light-footed Indian squaw, I suppose ! "

'' No squaw," replied Joe, with dignity. '• Track too
ver' light, you see."

But, as I said, I will not try to give the story in Joe's
peculiar dialect. Here is the rest of it, translated into
English.

"' We could make nothing of the tracks, and pretty

THE liEI) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

soon we paddled hack to eaiiip, after liaving searched the
])oint over for the iiiissingf canoe. Not a siii-n of it could
we find.

'• When we returned to our two hunters, they laughed
at us, hut were angary, too, ))ecause thev had ])ut one
canoe to lish from. Only one of them could go out at a
time.

'• We took a few trout in the lake, hut the fish did not
rise well, and after a couple of days we pushed on to a
small })ond five miles ahove.

" It was all white water between, so we had to carry.
It took five trips to get across, for it's the hardest carry
in all the north coinitry.

"The last time we took the canoe. It was rather
heavy for that stjie of ci'aft. and there was one ])oint.
just opposite a big waterfall in the river, where it iiad to
be lu(2;si;ed straight uphill for fiftv rods or more.

''■ John and I got underneath, and the New York men
pulled on a I'oju^ hitched round the ])Ows.

" It Avas a hard tug. hut we goi, there at last.

" We built a brush camp pretty near the shore of the
upper poild. and laid out for a fortnight's stay at least.
There was deer-sign in tlie woods, and if the rises in the
])ond at sunset meant anything, they meant all tiie fisii
we could eat. and mor(\ too.

'• Well, sir. if you'll believe me. we'd no sooner got
settled down in cami) than evervthing began to u:o wrong

*" John cut his hand that very night mending a leader.

m m

mmmvmK ■

■:';S*t««6S

AN rysEEN ENEMY. 57

SO he could hardly hold a paddlo. One of our blankets

VI I'/'Viif/ I .'"" ^^^^^ '^ ^'^^^ \mn\t m it the next

^JlJ kl,\wj^: "loi'wing; our best rifle missed

'' '""^?%fc'' / ■ caribou in easy range ; it I'ained

-^3v||h "'"'^^ '^"^^ ^^''»^ broiling hot

^^ wL '*^'* ^y turns ; and at last John,

through chunsv i)add]in<->-

"^--■^VW ,, With his lame liand,

"^iytJ^'i^i"'^ *^" to a I'ock. near tlie

"'*^\- '■;./('/,, outlet, and iiui a licle
throuuii tlu' l)irch.

s no use.

we am'eed. he and
I. * tlie tri])'s 1k>
witched. What-
t ver it Avas that
took that canoe has
sent us l)ad luck.'

•• Then we re-
nienibei'cd an old
story of liow an in-
nocent Indian girl
was shot by trap-
pers in that region years before ; sliot because? some skul!"

■■\^

^- ri'ini,!. Wn|;K.

-^.:*«Tr!«i,.^;

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

ing cliap in her tribe had stolen a pelt or two, and these
fellows wanted to square the account.

'• John shook his head, and said he believed the spirit
of the girl was abroad in the woods, and would be the
death of us if we didn't go ont.

'■ He wanted to tell the two gentlemen abont it, but T
told him they'd laugh at him, and we'd better wait a
while before doing anj'thing.

•• • irm; said John, • if we want to go back, who can
hinder ? '

•• • You'd have to go alone; said 1. ' for I won't leave a
party I've once taken into the woods, spirit or no spirit.'

'• That night one of our two masters was taken with
fever and chills, tliough he had been perfectly well
an hour before. John looked hard at me as we sat by
the fire, l)ut 1 pretended not to see him.

" Next morning tlu^ poor gentleman was rather worse
than better. Part of the time he was out of his head,
and kept raving about somebody he thought was tr\ ing
to drown him in the canoe.

■• 'Donf tip it over I Dont tip it over ! ' he'd cry, in
the mo.-t awful way, starting u}) and then sinking back
with a choking sound as if he w^ere going under water.

■• As soon as I got a chance 1 called Jolni out into the
brush a bit.

•• -John.' said T, • I had a queer dream last night.'

" • So did 1," said he. quietly.

" • I dreamed 1 found that canoe.'

BV>l*MMNMPmwm^^f3.i,

'-'^■■i --'^■>^i^

ti^**SSfe

^I.V rxSEEX KNEMr.

'' ' It was phiced across two flat, inossy rocks, and in it
was the body of a young squaw — '

" Before John had time to .siy, ' So it was ! ' (as I've
no doubt his dream was exactly the same as mine) we
Avere called to hold the sick man, who was now quite out
of liis head, and nuittering strange things that nobody
but John and I understood.

" He grew quieter after a while, and slept. The other
gentleman, Avorried and troubled as he was, took his
rilie and started round the sliore of the lake for game.

•• Before long I heard the crack of his piece, and not a
minute later a doe dashed past the camp.

'• Her tongue was out, and I could see that she was
wounded ; but she was out of sight with three bounds.
As she went past us she half turned her head, and gave
me one swift look from her big, frightened eyes. Vm an
old hunter, sir, but I declare to you I never had a deer
nor a living animal look at me so before. I found <•)
single red spot on a green leaf in her tracks, after she had

gone.

"This was at about noon. The master came back
more tired and anxious than ever. As soon as dinner
was over, he wanted me to go and hunt up that doe.

'• Generall}-, I'd want no better job, for I know by the
way she ran that she was shot to death, and I wouldn't
have to go far. But, sir. I hated to go. Fd have taken
John, but he said he must stay in camp and gum that

1 "V

THE RED ^rorXTATy OF ALAsh.].

leak ill the old eaiioe belorc dark. 1 left liiiii irottins
his guiii and some bark to burn and sear with.

•• Well, it took lonirer than I thou<j|it it would. For
upwards of three miles 1 tramped through the l)laek

"I .-^HDULDKHKU 1 HK tANUK.'

growth to the head of the pond, following the trail, which
wasn't the easiest to kcej) in sight. There wasn't a
broken Hull) or even a bent brake; and on the ground
scarcely a track, shf was so light.

':iS»*i^m

.1,V rysKKX ILXEMV.

" Tlic siui was well down, aiul it was getting pretty
sLadv in the woods when 1 struck a plain carry, made by
traders in old times, from the head of the pond to a chain
of lakes and a post beyond.

" After following this about a hundred rods, I came to
a standstill. A small sheet of water was just in front of
me ; but what T noticed most was a lot of big, mossy
rocks along the shore. They were the very rocks that 1
had seen in my dream !

'• And there, sir, not quite as T had dreamed it, but
pulled up a little across the opening of the carry, was the
lost canoe.

'• I came up to it with a creeping all over me, from
head to foot. I knew what I should find there, even
before I saw the patch of soft brown and white over the
edge of the canoe.

" There, just as she had stumbled and fallen, in her
last feeble eit'ort to reach the water, lay the beautiful doe,
the blood still flowing from the fatal bullet-hole. She
was quite dead.

'' Perhaps you'll laugh at me, sir, when I tell you I
didn't cut her up ?

"' 1 took her out easy, and laid her on the moss, out of
sight of the carry. She was a small, slender thing, and
lifted easy. I threw some brush over her, and shouldered
the canoe, which was not so large as the one we had
brought with us from the first lake, and in five minutes
was paddling down the lower pond as if all the spirits of
the forest were after me.

^ii

TIIK UED MOCMAIN OF A). A SKA.

[

" At last 1 came in sight of John Feathortop. just
putting tlio last touchos on tlie bottom of the damaged
canoe, and then, 1 confess, for the iirst time I breathed
freely.

" JOHN WAS PUTTING THK LAST TOUCHES ON."

•• The gentleman asked me where the doe was, but I
took no notice, and he supposed I felt bad at not iindlng
her, so he said nothing more about it.

" The next day the sick min was well enough to move,

AN UXSEEN EXEMY.

and we all started for home, althouo-li tlie two New
Yorkers wanted to stay and finish their sport."

'' Wliy did tliej go out, then ?

''Because tliey could not stay witliout guides. And
both guides refused, quietly and respectfully, but lirinly,
to spend another day in that locality.

"We got out in safety, with the exception of the
lighter canoe. That we left behind. Why ? Because it
had carried the dead: because the dead had claimed it ;
because it belonged to the dead.

''John Featliertoj) and I, as well as Jim here, were
poor enough : but tiiere wasn't money enough in all the
Vluihr i"s Bay territory to hire us ever to visit that lake
au'ain. '

As Joe concluded his story, with a furtive glance at
the staring eyes about hiui, a loon in the lake helow
suddenly made niglit hideou.s with its maniac laughter.

Mr. Diitton could feel little Nat shiver in his arms.

CHAPTER V.

RAFT-BUILDIXG.

■ -

T was plain that Joe's story, instead of quieting
the boj's, as their father had intended, had
wrought them to a high pitch of nervousness,
which would have to relax before sleep visited the little
camp by the headwaters of tlie Pelly that night.

"'Now, boys," he exclaimed in his clieery, whok^some
tones, that of themselves began at once to put to flight the
imaginary terrors of the night, " /'m going to tell you a
story. The difference between mine and Joe's is, princi-
pally, that mine is true ! "

Joe withdrew his pipe from his lips, and gazed reproach-
fully at Mr. Dutton ; contented himself with a shake of
his head, at the idea of his veracity being questioned ;
and began to puff again at his tobacco.

'" That is," added Mr. Dutton, changing his position in
the tent so as to rest more easily, and at the same time
face the boys, " the main facts are true. It's about a
severe cold snap that took place in Atlanta, Georgia,
not long ago."

Thereupon he proceeded to narrate the following story,

RAFT-liUILDlNG.

0.")

giving the negro dialect with such excellent effect as to
make the boys laugh heartily at some points, and to bring
tears to their eyes at others.

Lex had been Ijusy all day. partly in efforts to keep out
from under customers' feet, partly in running errands.
When he turned away from the store at night, and started
for home, he was very tired.

'•' Hi : " chattered Lex. as he pattered along the side-
walk, "ain't dis yere cold, jes' ! "

It was cold, and was growing colder. The sun had
muffled itself in a bank of clouds, as it hurried off to a
warmer climate, turning a very cold shoulder indeed
upon Lex and his surroundings. As soon as the sun
was well out of the way. presto! up dodged the sly
breezes that had kei)t quiet since ntorning, and, spying
the black hoy on his way home, made for him with
eager glee.

They could not do nuich with his hair, to be sure, it
curled so tightly and closely to his round head ; but, to
make up for that, they pinched his ears, and pulled off
his tattered hat. tweaked his fingers and toes, whooped
and hallooed at him, and threw dust in his astonished
I)luck eyes, vmtil he felt as if he were in the paws of a
sort of great Polar tiger, playing with him cruelly and
I)reathing on him from her icy jaws.

So the wind kept on blowing, harder and harder, and
the mercury in the thermometers sought to hide itself in

TUE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

their bulbs, until the very light of the moon above the
chimney-tops seemed to come down frozen.

Colder and colder it grew. In the North, people would
not have been surprised at it, but Atlanta folks were not
used to such cold, and it took them by surprise.

George Alexander Jackson, or '•• Lex," as he was called
for short, hurried along till he reached a small cabin on
the outskirts of the citv, and, slannnimi; the door behind
him, stood shivering before the stove, whose firelight,
shining out between the bars in front, fell pleasantly on
the floor, and danced all about the white kitten who
blinked sleepily at Lex.

'• Well, Tiex, got home f'ni yo' wo'k agin, ain't ye I "
said a stout black woman, cheerih', coming up to him and
drawing his woolly head to her motherly bosom. •• Po'
little boy ! He's done run all d' way home, — now, ain't
ye, honey ?"

Lex bobbed his head, and squirmed with the cold.

" Dar. dar, chile, you jes' stay right in mamm^-'s arms
till ye get wo'm an' comf'ble. Reckon 'twon't be so cold
ter-morrer. An' de Lo'd will pervide ! "

Chloe Jackson was one of the old slaves who had - got
religion," as her master had sneeringly said. Truly she
had " got " it, firmly enough, and not even her freedom
in these later days was so precious to her. To Lex. re-
ligion as yet meant mostly — •'mammy," and he would
have been as nmch alarmed had she stopped using Scrip-
ture phrases as if she had stopped breathing.

liAFT-HUILhlM;

A comfortabhf sense of warmth stole tlirougli Lex's
sturdy little frame, as he watched his mother goiii^- alntut
the room in iier preparations for supper. On the table.
bare, but clean, were set three i)lates of dilferent sizes,
and ni varied stages of repair ; a small teapot, a plate of
hoe-cakes, and a cracked mug full of a dark licpiid that
Lex's critical eye told him was molasses.

A cuj) and saucer for Chloe herself completed the tea-
set, and Lex was told to take his place beside his mother
and sister, the latter being a year or two younger than
himself. His father had gone (piietly away to another
country live years before, leaving his poo.- black eai'th-
clothes in the little burying-ground outside the city.

"Be quiet, chilluns ! " said (Jhloe, softly, raising her
hand. Then she proceeded to say grace — rather longer
than common. Lex thought, snifHng the hoe-cakes with
his eyes shut.

■' Lo'd," she concluded, her voice beginning to trem-
ble strangely, •• bress dese yere chilluns! cban fergit
yo' brack chilluns. what yo' led outen de wild'ness.'^O
Lo'd, an' don't let dese yere little ones freeze wid cold, or
die fer want of food, an' doan. Lord — Amen."

Lex looked up. surprised at her abrupt close, and caught
sight of two big tears rolling down her cheeks.

'•O mammy: mammy.' what ye done cry fer?" he
begged, laying his head again on her shoulder. •• What
makes y' ask Mass. Lo'd" (she never could break him of
sayinir thai

It) •• ter keep us f'm fr

eezni

i) >)

(18

TiiK iiKi) MoryiAiy of Alaska.

i h

■'■■|

I, I

'•Dar, cliilc'." ^hv said, almost sliarply, "(loan ye go ter
axiiT (iiR'stions. I)c LoM an" I done got two er I'roe
secrets wiiat pickaninnies nins'n know niif'n' 'bout. You
Jes' eat yo' suppei' an' he quiet."

His tliougiits diverted for a few minutes by this last
suggestion. Lex busied himself with his bread and
molasses. Then he asked. —

'• Mammy, wlio was it you read 'bout in de Bible dat
got fo' or live t'ousand hoe-cakes f'm a flock of crows?"

•• Laws-a-me. jes' hear him I " cried mammy, an ill-
suppressed chuckle of fun driving the anxiety out of her
face for a moment. •• 'Twas meat, meat, chile, what deui
birds bro't to 'Lijali."

•• An' would dey brung meat to us, mammy, ef we wus
mightv hungry ? "

"• 1 reckon so. honey," said Chloe. with a sweet look of
faith in her honest eyes. "He's neve fergot us yit."

So Lex was satisfied, and returned to his post by the
fire. Presently he looked up. with a little shiver.

"Mammy, please put some mo' wood «' fire. '

Mammy glanced up cpiickly, then to the lall

stove, and stirred the brands togethei , '' th' > crackled
and blazed again.

" Lex." she said, quietly, '• I'm gwine out fer a little
while. You an' Bess stay here an' 'have yerselves till I
git back."

Without further words, she drew a faded shawl over
her head, and went out into the bleak night.

,.6i

liAFT-BVILDlSC.

It was Inlf an hour or more before she came h-M'k.
She kept lier shawl about lier till she had sent the chil-
dren out of the room on an en-and. then dei)osited upon
the tloor a few sticks of wood sli ■ had brought in. When
they returned, she was replenishing the fire.

" 'Pears colder 'n ever," she said. '• You chillun 'd
better go ter bed now."

And they went, curling up in a heap of straw and
under a patched quilt in one corner of the hut.

"Are ye sho de crows will come, mannny?" yawned
Lex. as she tucked the ragged edges of an old blanket
around him.

" Sho'. honey," she replied, heartily.
" An' could — dey — brung — wood ? " — but Lex was
too sleeky to wait for an answer.

It will be long before the Atlanta people forget the
night of January 20, 18—. The bitter wind which
only a few weeks before had urged a conflagration to
do its fearful work, until a whole citv seemed UKJuntino-
to heaven !.: a chariot of fire, now with icy coldness crept
in noiselessly, to counteract the efforts of the very element
it had so lately helped.

In th.i night Lex had a curious dream. He thoutdit
he saw 1 is mother creep softly into the kitchen, and bear
the old pine table out of the house. Then there seemed
to come a cracking noise, and presently the firelight shone
out merrily through the little bars, and Lex felt warm
and comfortable. Mammy stayed by the stove, occasion-

rilK RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

ally throwing in bits of wood, until his dream carried him
el sew lie re.

The next morning Lex was waked by hearing Bess
crying softly beside him.

•• What's de matter, Bess ? " he asked, sleepily.

'• J'se s-so cold I " she sobbed, cuddling up close to Iinn.

But mammy's ears had caught the sound too. and she
was beside her little black lambs in a monuMit, coverinu'
them with the shawl she had worn the niuht before. As
she did so. Lex felt something soft and warm between
him and IJess. It was the white kitten. It struck Lex
as strange that the white kitten should prefer his bed to
the floor underneath the stove, where she was usually
found on other mornings. At that same moment he
ol)S('i've(l that the steam was not pulling from the tea-
kettle, .i- was its wont.

'• Wli-what's de matter wid de stove, mammy?" he
stannnered. rubbiufj; his eves.

" Doaii V(ju l)odder vo' lujad 'bout dat ar stove," said
Chloe, with great cheerfulness. '• I jes' let de fire go
down a little ]>'fo' lu'eakfas', dat's all."

•• U-but — whar's de table V"

Chloe turned her head away at first, without answer-
ing. Sh(> had loved the little four-foot taltle, at which
she and her husband had sat so often, and it had been a
sore sacritiee to burn it up. But she had all her mother-
hood stirred in. defence of her children. She fought the
cold as if it had been a living; thin";.

RAFT-BUILDING.

Just then Bess, catching the look, gave a little miser-
able wail of distress and cold.

At that cry, the fierce light that sometimes comes into
the mild eyes of her race flashed in Chloe's as she
crouched by the little heap of straw, and glanced ner-
\ously about the room.

There were only two wooden pieces of furniture that
had survived the demands of that night ; an old, broken-
legged stool, which her husband had brought from the
plantation, and which had always been specially set apart
l"'- liini ; and a small shelf, high up on the opposite wall,
oil which were laid a worn Bible and hymn-book.

Chloe rose, hesitated a moment, then stepped across the
room, swiftly reached up. au<l. taking the two books from
their re.sting-place, laid them carefully and reverently
upon a tew wisps of clean straw, in a corner of the hut.
Next, she gave the shelf a wnMich tliat brought it down
^vIth a cloud of dust, and. witbout pausing. — as if she
were afraid <,f repenting. _ opened tbe st,.ve-door and
thrust in the fragments upon tbe glowing In-ands.

All these proceedings Lex and Bess and the white
kitten watched with intense interest, and witb very dubi-
ous faces. Bess no longer cried, but had hard work to
I<".T h.-r lip from quivering. Kitty jnit out one daintv
I'aw. shook it as if she had dipped it into cold water,
'•urled up again in Lex's bo.som, and made a brave
attempt to purr.

Lex privately thought it might be al)out time for the

rUE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

ravens. It coiufortecl liiiii a little, he hardly knew why,
to think that thev would be black, like himself — these
t'hosen messengers from heaven. He was cut short in his
reflections by mammy.

'•• Fse gwine out again," she said, m a queer voice Lex
had never heard. " I'se gwine out ter git somefin far ye
ter burn an' ter eat."

"' But dem — dem crows, mammy ? "

'* I'se gwine ter look fer 'em." And she was gone.

" Meblje dey mout 'light down round de house," medi-
tated Lex. '' I'll jes' keep de cat inside de do', any-
ways."

This time it was an hour before Chloe returned, weary,
footsore, slow of speech, benumlicd with cold. She had
left the shawl, vou see. over little Bess.

In her pocket she brought a few chips, two bits of
coal, and a fragment of bread-crust. With the remains
of last night's supper, for which she had used the last
cnuiib of provisions in the house, the}' made a meagre
breakfast. The children were not allowed to get up. so
they did not miss the tal)le so nnich.

Still the ravens did not come. Chloe dra^ri^ed hersrlf
out once more, and returned — empty-handed I

It was Sundav, and the church-bells, in the wealthier
part of the citv, ranji; nu^rrilv. But conureu'ations that
morning were small. Tliose whose conscience permitted
them to do .so stayed at home. The lower streets were
thronged with poor people, crying for bread and fuel.

K-^

RAFT-BUILDING.

The little wliite kitten, and many other kittens that day,
white and black, mewed piteously for the meat the ravens
did not bring.

" Mammy," said Lex, " I'se pow'ful hungry. Doan y'
t'ink it's 'bout time fer 'em ? "

The three-legged stool had gone long ago. Mammy,
• her brave heart battling against the numb despair that
was creeping over her, laid her poor rough hand on the
boy's head, and sang : —

" Oh, my way's cloudy —
My way —
Oh, send dem angels down."

"Mammy!" Lex suddenly broke out, with a sharp
cry. '• was dat 'Lijah white ? "

Poor mammy! Perhaps if she could have had an
image of Elijah's swarthy face as it nuist really i.ave
looked, she would have been comforted. As it was. she
was fain to lay her tinger on the child's trembling lips,
and go on singing.

In the west the sun glowed in all its mockery of red
light, like a painted furnace in a frame of ice. The
wind. — ah. that remorseless wind ! — springing up again,
blew out the last spark of fire, and thrust itself through
the wide cracks in the little hut.

Still mammy sat stiffly, forming the words with her
lips ; —

" Send deiu angels doAvn, —
My way's clo-o-udy — "

Tin-: men moiwtaix of Alaska.

i i

'• Mammy," moaned Lex Once more, " 'pears like dein
crows lost dar way, 'r else dey doan come to no brack
folks. Daij dky is!" he shrieked out, all at once, jump-
ing to his feet and almost upsetting mammy, who raised
lierself more slowly and listened.

Yes ! it was a low, heavy rumble of wheels oyer the
frozen ground. Nearer and nearer it came. Chloe darted
to the door. They were stopping — two l)ig wagons, one
loaded high with wood, the other with baskets of provis-
ions of every sort conceiyable. The driver was a
wealthy lesident of Atlanta, well known throucrhout the
city, and, doubtless, throughout heaven, ion. (iod bless
liiiii !

So the rayens had come, and Chloe and her little ones
knew no more want that winter. The next morning the
following telegram quivered over the wires to the great
Northern newspapers, in the files of whicli you can find
it if you look : —

'• Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 27. The severe weather of the
past week caused great suffering among the poor. On
Saturday it was learned that hundreds of poor women
and children were huddling around their last burning
stick of wood, and the Constltitt'wn of Sunday morning
made an ap]ieal to the citizens to send to the paper
money, provisions, and fuel, wdiich would be distributed
by its business department.

'" At noon there were gathered together about sixty
wagons, containing wood and provisions. Merchants
worth hundreds of thousands of dollars took their places

UAFT-UUILDIJSG.

as drivers, oacli with a wood-wagon and a provision-
wagon nnder liis charge, and started on a tonr of th(»
city, working all day until nightfall.

"All day the Constitution othce looked more like a
military supply depot than a newspapei- office. Hundreds
of sacks of flour, coffee and sugar, sides of meat and
hams, and on the sidewalk cords of wood were seen, while
the streets were full of people, clamorous for relief. No
distinction was made in the distribution in regard to
color."

Who shall say, boys, that men are not still about their
Father's business ?

When Mr. Button concluded. Nat was already yawn-
ing, and the relie^-ed expression of the other boys' f^.ces
showed that their pulses were beating calmly once more.

'' Now." said the father, " we'll go to sleep."
^ It was easier to say - sleep" than to do it, after all.
Never did a night seem so long to the ])oys as they lay
huddled together in the tent. Perhaps little Nat, now'
that he had recovered from his nervousness, was the
l>rayest of all. He said his prayers composedly, took off
his jacket, and lay down in the tent with perfe^ct trust
in l)oth his heavenly and his human father, feeling very
sure that he would be well taken care of until morning.

Mr. Dutton watched, rifle across his knee, until twdve
o'clock. Then he called Rob. who kept guard till two.
The guides relieved him. and he slept heavily for the next
two hours.

THE JtEI) MO ry TAIN OF ALASKA.

At four o'clock the wliole camp was astir. Mr. Dutton,
wlio had decided upon a definite course, gave his orders
quietly. First, a good breakfast, in whicli hot coffee and
Rob's rabbit played a prominent part. It was wonderfid
how much better they all felt after this. Teddy, rein-
forced by a huge lump from the savory stew, declared
liimself ready to tight " ivery Injun in Alashky."

No alarm had been given during the night, and all
were alert for the day's work.

Already the terrors of the dusky evening twilight
seemed a thing of the past.

"• The first thing." said Mr. Dutton, cheerily, as they
rose from their meal, '• is to find some good large logs
floating in the lake. Half a dozen will do. "

•• There's a lot of them down there," said Hugh, point-
ing. " I crept out on them yesterday when I was fish-

nig.

•• What are you going to do with them, papa ? " asked
Nat.

•• T think it best that we should finish our journey, if
possible, on a raft, though it will take all day to make
one. We should be lialjle to lose our way by shore, and
I've noticed that the undergrowth of Ijushes and deep
moss is growing nuich more troublesome as we approach
the coast."

•• But how about the Indians ? "

•' If they are really hostile, we shall be safest on our
raft, for then thev cannot reach us without coming into

RAFT-iniLDlNG.

full view. Yes, by all means, it is best to take to the
water."

'• To the water, then ! " cried Robert, seizing an axe,
and starting for the point indicated by Hugh.

'• To the water ! " echoed all, and a general stampede
toward the lake would have followed had not the leader
checked it.

'• Wait : wait ! " he called out, laughing. •• There's
work here for some to do. Nat, do you straighten out
all the pieces of cord you can find in the packs. Thev
must be used for fastening the cnjss pieces together.
Hugh, you may busy yourself about camp. Take down
the tent, to begin with, and pack it up for transporta-
tion."

" But, father. I thought you said we should stay here
another day. Sha'n't we need the tent — ?"

•• Another da}-, my boy, but not another night I No,
we shall take the • night boat,' and before sunrise to-mor-
row we nuist be thirty miles from here, if it can be done."

Mr. Button now dispatched the two guides into the
woods, to reconnoitre. Tiiey joined him shortly afterward
at the water's edge, and reported all quiet ; no new signs
of the enemy.

How those axes did flash through the air ! Branches
were lopped off from the fallen trees where it was neces-
sary, but for the most part they had been broken or
rubbed away in the wild rush they must have recently
made from their native heights, in the current of a glacial

THE RED MOUyTAIN OF ALASKA.

I 1

I
I

I I

torrent. The ends of four of the largest logs were
notched, and the big timbers '• saddled " on each other.
Then, although they lay quite firmly together, they were
lashed with stout cords. Two other pieces were saddled
across from side to side in the same way, at even distances
between the ends of the oblong raft, and on these four
cross-pieces was laid a dry, compact floor or deck of
logs, running lengthwise of the raft, and secured by notch-
ing and tying at the outside corners. It was eight
o'clock in the evening when the last log was fastened in
its place.

The day had passed without a visit from the savages,
but there had been an indication of their presence which
had disturbed Mr. Dutton.

About the middle of the afternoon a light column of
thin blue smoke had been seen to ascend from just beyond
the ridge before referred to. Within three minutes a
similar smoke arose from a hill-top on the opposite side
of the lake. Then both disappeared. It was plainly a.
signal. It looked as if the natives were gathering in
force. Perhaps it was not a band of Takheesh after all.
but some strange, unknown tribe from the interior, far
more savage and uncivilized.

Supper w^as eaten in silence.

" Now," said Mr. Dutton, quietly, '• we'll rest an hour
or two under the mosquito tent."

The netting had been left out for this especial purpose,
and the whole party crawled under its meshes, thankful

JiAFT-nUILDISa.

to stretch themselves out on their blankets for even that
short time.

They had clone little during tlie day except hard work,
standing half the time up to their knees in water, while'
the mosquitoes were buzzing in swarms around their
lieads.

Hugh had taken half a dozen trout, and Robert liad
shot ca green-winged teal.

At just half past ten o'clock Mr. Button gave the si.r.
nal for rising. They rubbed their stiff and weary limbs,
and, one by one, scrambled, yawning, to their feot.

" Do up the blankets, boys. Jc,(.. is the raft ready ?
Have you got the poles on board, and the mast ri.ro-ed
with the braces?" °°

'^Yis."

"Now, Kob — that's it, take everything with vou, and
scatter tiie fire a little. Good-bye, Camp Prospect ! "

They stepped on Imrd tlieir rough craft, and the three
men took positions with tlie long push-poles Joe had
provided.

'' Now, then ; otf she goes ! "

And off she went, away from tlie 4hnt shore, toward
the middle of the lake.

A gentle breeze was l)lowing from the east. Mr. But-
ton spread the cotton tent in such a way as to shelter the
younger boys, and at the same time help their progress
a little as a sail. From the time they left the shore, 'they
spoke in low tones, in order not to apprise any lurkin.r

'////•; II K I) MOUNTAIX OF ALASKA.

•■ ;.l

ciieiiiv of their depart lire. In tliis way tliev moved slowlv
hut steadilv on tlieh' course down tlie hike, tlie litth'
\va\. s ripprniu,' against the sides ol" the raft, and a start led
(^Htu-k! now and tlien het raving the presence of a (hiciv
j)a(Mling al)out in tlie water.

It was now near niiihiight, but they were so far north
tluit they couUl have read a newspaper easily had such a
coniincjdity been furnishe(l l)y the Alaska press.

Tlie mosquitoes were so voracious that tlie " skeleton
tent " Avas ])itched on tlie raft, and atl'orded intense relief
to those of the crew who could be spared to take refuge
under it.

Hugh. Nat, Teddy, and Carlo were the fii'st to take
advantage of the netting, and in live minutes all four
were fast asleep, Nat's head resting lovingly on Carlo's
black fur.

Robert came over to his father's side.

"Where are you aiming for, father? How far do vou
expect to go ? "

•• M the traders' and travellers' stories are correct, this
lake is about a dozen or fifteen miles long, by an ayeraue
of three wide. At the foot of it, the river Pelly starts in
a series of rough but not dangerous rapids. I studied this
all out at home, for I could .see that we were likely to
trayel on or beside the river, from its source to its union
with the Yukon proper."

'' And do you expect to cross those rapids to-night,
sir?" asked Robert, in amazement.

llAFT-llllLlHSa.

-Tdo, said Mr Dutton, (innly. ^. About ton nuh-s

froM. tla-hMW. Ih. riv.r wMons into . sn.all poM.l. whiH.
'•"•^^'""^-"ri.sl M.l. On that islan.l w. shall can.,.- -

••I-"'l<.fatlM.r.whatis,haf.'-inh.m,i„,.,l Iloh. .aovrly.
•■It looks jiko a man swiiiiininu'. Isn't if.'"

A n.o.nent's sc-rntiny and a sind.- ..u.-stion to th.
guides explained tlu, tnu- (.haracf.T of th. swinnn.,- It
^yasnotanlndianorauhii,. nun. What th.v saw was
S3mph the hoad of a larg.- hhu-k hear, swinnnin^ aeross
at the narrowesi pai-t of the lake.

HolHTt wa> ,vov,. to g., out his Winchester and shoot
^''" ^^'""'■•^J' 'H" i"> fall.,.,, said no. II. did n„. da.v „,
h'-e a gun- lest he .should put he natives on thei,- ..ua.-d

'• Bes,d(>.s." he .said. - we <3o„ld not po.ssihiv .se.Mnv cMth.p
ly-ass or ski,.. a..d wc ,^.ust no, join the la,^ge aianv of
thmio-htless people who take a,.i„,al life • for fnn."" ^

The he:,,- look,.,! neither to ,-,Vht nor left, hnt swan, o.,
">..! presently they saw hi,,. <|rag himself out of the wate,-
-lid fh.sap,)ear in the foicst.

Th<" raft ha.l now tn.-ned the hend of the ho.-.sesl.oe
and was iu.iding no,-thw..st. The east wind. d,-awinc- in
--'•-Hhehigh hills I have already spoken of.on^he

-nthern sho.-e of the lake, was still slightly astern, and
IH-Ipcd the ,-aft so that th(. poles were not u.sed.

They now d,vw near the opening which. th(>v could
plainly see. mark(>d the exit of the Pelly Kiver. Ah■ead^■
they could hear the rush of th. '-rip" waves, where tlu-
h-Tce cnr,-ent contended with the eternal rocks

Till-: llEl) MOVSIMS OF ALASKA.

niinip I Mciit till' nift on a huge houldor. Carlo
Itccaiui! uneasy, and. getting out somehow i'roni under
the nios(iuito eanopy. advanced gravely to the forward
end of the raft.

'riiunii) I went the raft again. Still it kept the main
<']iannel. and was not ai)preciably the worse for wear.

A sort of steering oar liad l)een arranged for this
craft l)_v the hoys, and hy a diligent use of this, as well
as the push-poles, no great damage was done to the vessel
tir i)assengers.

Presently the raft heuan to run more smoothly. She
was i)assing swiltlv down between the sha'^')wv hanks of
the Pclly. i)icturesque and grand hy daylight, hut solemn
and awc-insjiiring in the dim. hrown dusk of the northern
niu'ht. Overhead, a thick hank of tog was stealing across
the sky. c(3ncealing stars and moon.

Still on the raft rushed. Strange shapes seemed to
thi'ong the hanks. The hoys thought they could see
huge t'lks. gigantic serpents, even lions and tigers, along
tlie shore. These were but the ghosts born of darkness
and iuuigination.

They hoped now that they were well beyond their
unwelcome and un.'^een visitors of the night before. Cer-
tainly no Indian war-party could have kept up with them
had they started on shore at the same time. The only
danger was that .some roving band of Takheesh had been
warned by that column of blue smoke that a raft was
going down the ra})ids .«!Oon.

'•STILL OX TJIK KAir I'USIIKl).

liAVT-nrii.insc.

S.)

•• HIvorv foot is cloar <i:;iin." said Mi'. Dullon. •• W.'
imist 1)1' getting prett\- well down to tlif little lake wliciv
I iiitciul we slmll eaini). I Itelicvc tlicic ww soiiir light
rip just hcforc we reach there, hut I think we've got o\.i'
ti" worst ol" — "

A startled gi'uut from Joe. wliu was at the forward end
of the raft, interi'uptcil liini.

•• What is it. hoy V"

.loi' ))ointed ahead, and at the same nioniont Carlo gavo
a sharj). angry yeljt.

In tlie dim light could he seen a row of dark ligures
stretclied entirely across the stream, ahout three hundred
yards helow thorn. JJeyond a douht they wuM'e Indians.

In i)rofound silence the raft swept forward, with
its tremendous momentum, and in another moment it
was u])on them.

CHAPTKR VT.

■|iii;<'r(.ii nil-; i;.\i:my .s lines.

N citcliiiiLi- siLiiit of tlio shad-

owv line of ciiciiiio. str( iciicd

;icr(is> t lie i'i\cfiii tlic direct j)inli

III' the swiftly iiioviuii' r;ifl. Mr.

Diittdiis lirsl imimlsc had hccii

to x'i/.c his rifli'. whicli was fully

tjiariicd with rcscisc cai'tridiL^os,

ami w as closi' at hand, 'riit'iiiuc

was so short that he had Ii.ii'clv

an o|H)orHmity to cuck the j/u'ce befofc the xoyauci''^ were

in the \(>ry midst of the iiaiid of TiK.lians. who crowdctl

ahoiit the I'afl. and. lialf wadinii'. half lloatinu' dowii-

s!ivani with the chnnsv I'uft. Ix'uan iiru,inLi it towai'd the

riil'lit hank of the fiver.

iM'fort' any of thcni conld dinih upon the raft. Mr.

r)iitton diseharn'e 1 his rille into the air; at exactly ihe

siiiie moment Carlo u.a\'e a liei'ce vdi). and Tedd\'. who

h)r the liist time reali/.ed the condition of affairs, ntterecl

an nnearthly liowl of dismay.

At the rejtori (d' the rifle, the natives f(dl luick ui con-

riiiiOUGU Tin-: kxhmvs li.xks.

«7

stenKition, piittiii^^ tlioir hands to tlicir cars; and the
apparition of tho hni^o, shag>;_v NcwI'onndland. together
with Teddy's outcry, put a climax to tlicir fright. Tum-
hling and s})hisliing in the water, tliey made for the
sliore. and, hefore the Buttons fairly knew what had liap-
pened. the river was as silent as a grave, save for the
rushing of the nniddy waters ai'ound the I'ocks and the
protruding logs of the raft.

'•Out with your poles, hoys I Push for your lives —
they may he hack, or send tlieir arrows after us at any
minute I " cried the leader, seizing one of the long poles,
and suiting the action to the word.

The raft, which had already touched hottom. now ulided
()!'f into deeiK'r water, and soon was swinging down-stream
without interru])tion. save an occasional thuuij) ujiou ,i
hidden l)oulder. For half an hour the vo\a«n' continued
in perfect silence, Nat. Hugh, and 'iVd .sleeping rpiietly in
their tent, and the attention of the rest heing conc(>ntrated
on keeping the raft in the channel. Once i grounded on
a sandhar, hut the two Indians, leaping into tlie water
and standing waist-deep, succeeded ui heaving it oft.

At length, to the intense relief of all. the river hegan
perceptildy to wide.i. The hanks hecanu; more and
more oh.scure in the mi.sts of earlv morninu'. The sneed
of the raft slackened, and the poles now and then failed
to touch hottom. Beyond a douht. they were (mierging
into the hroad lake to which they had heen anxiously
looking forward throughout the long niirht.

rilK liKI) MOrSTM\ OF ALASKA.

As file (lavliglit grew hriglitcr. tlicv could soon iii;ikc
out a low. wooded island ahead. 'lowanl this thev
moved, and ere long the logs grated on the ])ol)bles, some
half-dozen rods IVom shore.

Again the Indians entored the water, but. like the
raven from the ark. this time tiiey did not return. Thev
disappeared for a few moments: then, having explored a
small bit of the rocky island, came running back, not to
climb on board, but to drag and push the raft a few yards
neai-er the shore.

Carlo plunged into the water, and swam like an otter
to the island. Nat. Hugh. Hoi), and even Uv. Button
himself, were carried ashore ou tlu' stout shoulders of tho
guides. It remained oidy to bring Teddy ; but, t
bod

o everv-

y's surprise, that valiant youth refused to set foo<-

dry land.

Sure, T'ni safer on the raft," 1

le sai(

. " ril not be
sojers." So he

going into the woods again till I see the
was left to guard the ship.

Blankets and tents were landed, a roaring fire made,
and soon the whole party were soiuid asleep.

CHAPTER VII.

OUT OF THE i'I!VI\f;-rAX.

OUR frionds sli-jjt well tliat iiiiilit,
— or iiioi'iiiiiM'. rather. — it was ten
o'clufk Ix'foro tliccaiiip was fairly
astir. Teddy hcgoi-d to cohh. asliore
at last, and coiiiplaiiUMl I»itU'i'l\ of
the " imiskaytci's."" who. h<- said,
made sucli a iiuisc ahoiit Ids ens
tliat li(! was awak( all the tiiiiu he
was slee[)iiiir.

Jim waded out to tli(3 raft to hriui.- liiiii in. Tlie
Indian was ohserved to stoop and examine si.niething
closely mar tli(3 ei.d of one of the logs. 11(. hi'ouuht
Teddy to land on liis hack, and then handed .Mi Dm ton
a fragment of a peculiar-shaped arrow, which h,> v,id lu'
had fonnd sticking in the raft.

•• What do yon make of it. Joe?" asked Mr. fHirton.
The two Indians examined the ugly-looking sliatt nar-
rowly, and exehangtHl a few guttural n-marks in their own
tongue. Jim gav.> tiie verdict, laconicallv, as usual.

Ayan moose arrow

THE i:Ki> Mar SIMS or .i/..isa-.i.

'• Then it was not a wai- party tliat we saw?" ex-
cljiiiiicd I lie leader. The arrow is pictured bolow.

"No. Hunt."

'• IJut will) or wliat are tlie Ayans V "

'• Injuns round liei'e." said Joe. witli a sweep of liis
arm. "• No Taklieesh yit."

Ml-. Dutton was greatly gratified at tliis information.
Till' Itaiid they had come upon, then, was simi>ly a hunt-

AYA.V MOUM.; AltUoW.

iiig-partv of river Indians, who wen^ prohahly attracted
to the travellers by curiosity. When tin* gu'.i was lired.
oi' aftei' the Indians had reached the .<liore.it was likely
that one or two arrijws had heen discharged at the fast
disai)i>earing I'aft. No ti'onhle. then, was to he ap])re-
lieiidtMl. after all.

They were making lei.surely preparations to l)n*ak
camp once more, when a slight splashing in the lake
caused Teddy, who was nearest the water, to glance up
from his work. .\ wild howl of des])air hroke from Ins
li])s. Mr. Dutton s})rang to his fee?, aud folhtwed the
horrified gaze of the Irish lad: a>^ he did so. his heart
.sank.

No less than a dozen small rafts were flocking around
the corner of the i.><land. bearing at least twice that num-

OUT OF I'llK IUYIS<;~I'AX,

IxT of hidoously painted and lu'dcckod Indians. If was
l'«'Ily t.) resist. Grasping his rill., lirmlv. Mr. Duttu,,
stood oroct, and awaited tii.'ir a|.proacli. Tin- rest of
tli«" j)arty followed his exanii)le. even Ted being rooted to
tile s]»()t by Utter terror.

The new-eoniers did not seem in a hurry to land, but

l''"l<ll.'d and pushed their rafts along slowly toward shore.

On.- |.arti,Milarly ugly-looking old fellow, alone on a raft,

was in advanee of the rest. As m.ou as he came within'

.-iH-akingdistane... hr utf(Mvd a loud harangue in a jargon

whi<;h neither whitr men nor guides eould un<lerstand.

The won! •• Ayan " was reptsited several times, ami Mr.

Dulton gathered, after a whih-. that the stranger was

introducing himself.

The native's ne.xt move was to push his raft in until it
grounded, an.l then, looking ovr his >houlder to see that
liis rompanions were following closely. h(^ gathered up
Jiis \^nx^^ marmot-skin blanket, and. stepping into the
wat-r. waded solenndy ashore. Th." other Indians had
bo\\>. and airows. but tl

iulhu'ni'e in the tribe

ns one. who was clearlv a man of

now ad\an(cd with arm.s out;

'«• show that he was unarmed

•• What in tlie world does the old fell
UMiivd Tludi.

pread,

ow want ? " nuir-

Hob

Probably inquiring tl

in tl

way to Boston. " answered

»e same ton^'

would do hii

Looks .1- if a little civilizati

U U'OOfl

The old x\yan halted at a f(

ew paces' distance, and. to

{♦2

TiiK i:i:n MorsTMS or .iajn/iM.

every one's siir])rise. pointed to 'I'eddy, at tlie same time
niakinu' a ;^festure towaiwl tlie rafts, and moving liis jaws
in imitation of eating.

The cold |»ersi»iration Ijioke out on tlio ])0}'s freckled
face. lie was al)Solntely too frightened to speak.

Tlie Ayan chief stepped forward holdly. and laid his
hand on Ted's shoulder. This familiarity, however, was
indignantly re.><ented hy Carlo, who houniled to the rescue
with a deej) growl, and douhlless would liave attacked the
stranger had not little Nat held him h)- the collar.

•• I don't think he wants to hnrt us," said Nat.
looking up with a fearless smile into tiu' dai'k face of
tlie Indian.

The .Vyan's grim features relaxed, and he patted
Nat's h(>ad several times, in token of amity.

:\n animated ])antoinime now ensued, aided hy the other
savages, who had come ashoi'e. and crowded around the
whites with intense but api)arently not ill-natured curi-
osity.

Jt)e. the guide, was the first to catch an inkling of

tin ir meanuig.

•• They want us go visit village." ho interpreted to Mr.

Dutton. "Have plenty eat. Injun women want to see

white men."

•• Are you sure. Joe, they don't m(^an harm to us?''
'• No hnrt. See. no war arrows — uidy moose.'"
After a short consultation with the hoys. Mr. Dutton

decided that it would he wise to accej)t the invitation.

niT nr TllH rnvixf; /M V.

Of)

wliicli. MS lie s;ii(l to Ilohcrt. was like lli;it of n>\altv —
ill «'tVt'(!l. a coiiiiiiaiKl.

Tlic moment this decision was mailc known, the Indians
ponncccl upon tlicm and carricil tiicin to the larp' raft. In
an incn-dilily sliort space of t inie ever\ t liinu' was on lioard.
incliidinn' tiie passenizers. Teddy l»einu' l>oriie la>t . >t lain-
gling L'vory ste[> ol' the way. on the slK)nlder of a ln'awny
Ayan.

A do/en savages now ga\" the raft a pusii that sent it.
ont into deej) water. 'I'he chief, wliose name was l.oklok
(signifying •• IJear." tiiey afterward learned ). accompanied
tlie wliites ;is ;;n honorary escort . The small rafts, each
maimed hy one to three Ayans. went aiiead to .^how tiie
way. the royal harge. .so to speak, hringing up the icar.
In this manner the whole Ijotilla moved slowly down the
lake, aided hy the breeze, which still hlew freshh from
the east.

'• ^^ ell. I say." remarked liiigli. in an interval of pol-
ing. ■• this isn't so had ! It reminds me of the da\' when
the President visited IJostun. and the governor and stall'
turiKMJ ont in haroiiches to receive him."

•• I cant say that I altogether like the looks of old
Governor Lokh^k. if that's his name," ri'plied Iloh.
'• And (Jailo is of my opinion, it's ])lain to see."

The dog had never taken his eyes otl" the cliief. and
watched narrowly every movement of those dark legs, as
if he were ready to seize them on very slight provocation.

•• Oh, he's all right. It's only a way the old fellow has.

IMAGE EVALUATION
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23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

ifM

TIIE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

Ji
1 1

1 1

Ho ^vantod Ted to go ahead witli liiin. T guess, as a sort
of saiiipk'."'

'■ Miicli as to say ^ve're going to l)o sold."

'• Not liy a good deal I We'll keep our eyes opeu, and
let 'em have a ta'slc of Wineliestt'r sauee if they come any
shines on us. IIullo. here's the outlet."

The ru.shing of waters could plainly lie heard, and pres-
ently the raft shot down the narrow channel, where the
hanks were steeper than they had yet seen them. The
ra})ids were rougher than hefore. hut there was a much
o-reater yolunie of water than in the ui)per courses, and
they suffered no greater disaster than an occasional bump,
which would nearly upset them all.

One grave ol)stacle which had to he constantly avoided
was the occurrence, at sharp 1 tends of the river, of whole
clumps of dead trees, which had fallen where the earth
had caved in. and now leaned out toward the middle of
the river, with their scraggy branches only half sub-
mero-ed. These had to be dodued with great alacrity, and
the Newfoundland was onct' fairly swept off into the ice-
cold stream, to the great delight of the persecuted Loklok.

In some places these fallen clumps of earth had left
huge caves in the high banks, and the ice could be seen
dripping into the stream beneath. Now and then the
party were startled by a loud I'eport as of a nuisket ; not
for some time did they discover that the noises were
merely caused by the breaking off and falling of these
heavy masses of earth, trees, and rocks.

OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN.

m
t

Anxious as tliey were concerning the future, the invol-
untary visitors could not help marvelling, as they swept
down-stream, at the scenery on Ijoth sides of the river,
which was for the most part bordered by high hills, heav-
ily wooded with spruce and fir. Along the horizon
stretched gigantic foruis of the Rockies and their outlying
spurs, ending in snowy summits, from which flowed enor-
mous glaciers, all m plain sight whenever the clouds were
swept aside. No wonder a recent traveller says that
" before long we may hear Switzerland spoken of as the
Alaska of Europe ! "

A commotion was caused by a crashing among the
bushes just ahead.

'* Look I " cried Hugh, eagerly. " There comes another
Indian, waving his arms ! "

'■ Ugh ! Moose ! " grunted Joe, after one glance at the
object.

Hugh was not the first hunter in these far-away forests
to mistake the broad, spreading antlers of the moose for
the brandished arms of a man. as they were seen approach-
ing through the low underbrush.

The Indians quickly fitted their many-barbed moose
arrows to their bows. l)ut liefore they could shoot, the great
creature had caught the sound of Hugh's voice, and went
crashing off into the depths of the woods.

Seeing that Loklok appeared much surprised and
excited by the sight of the moose, Mr. Button inquired of
his guides if this animal was not common thereabouts.

THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

The Indians informed liini, correctly enough, that in
Al-^.ska and the adjacent British possessions large game is
scarce in the sunnner time, being driven away by the
dense swarms of mosquitoes, and following the melting
snow line ap the flanks of the mountains.

By one o'clock Mr. Button estimated that they must
have made thirty miles from the island where they had
spent the night. Everybody was hungry, and it was
intimated to the chief that it was time for dinner. The
old fellow looked black, but presently gave a few sharp
orders to his band, who once more plunged into the ice-
cold water, waist-deep, and drew the raft ashore.

While some were building a fire, and others producing
pieces of strong-smelling dried salmon for the meal, Hugh
took, the opportunity to try his rod in the stream, using a
small red-and-white fly. At the third cast he had a
hungry rise ; in a couple of minutes a fine spotted gray-
ling of perhaps half a pound weight was flopping about
the timbers of the raft. The Ayans were immensely im-
pressed by the young angler's performance, and instantly
a dozen eager hands were stretched out beseechingly for
the rod. Indeed, the Buttons soon found that, while the
natives assumed a vast deal of dignity on absurd occasions,
they were not above begging for every movable thing they
saw in their guests' possession. This trait gave the latter
some uneasiness, but Mr. Button had already made up his
mind to give his dark-skinned entertainers the slip before
daylight the next morning, if it were possible.

OUT OF THE FnYI\G-PAX.

The meal dragged vathei- slowly, though it was helped
somewhat by Hugh's contribution. The mosquitoes were
now reinforced by a kind of small black fly, much like
those of tlie Rangeley Lakes and Adirondacks, and their
attacks became so determined thjit the voyagers were
y;lad to be on tlie move once more.

After an hour's progress, tlie light rafts of the Ayans
began to forge ahead. One l)y one tliey disappeared
beyond a bend of the river, until the larger craft w^as left
to itself.

" It's a temptation," said Robert, r{'flectivel3% eynig
the morose chieftain, '• to give this old chap a good
ducking in the river, and leave hiin to shift for himself."

" Don't disturb him in anv wav," cautioned his father,
earnestly. " Our safety lies in his friendliness toward
us. We are unicli outnumbered, and so far from our
friends that if our whole party were massacred, no one
outside the tribe would know of it."

Joe, the guide, was plainly of his employer's opinion,
for he took from his pocket a small piece of tobacco, and
offered it to the chief.

Loklok seized it eagerly, and popped the precious mor-
sel into his mouth, as if to make sure of it. There are
no two commodities, Joe knew, so dear to an Alaskan
native as tobacco and tea.

It was of no use to ask an explanation of the sudden
disappearance of the Ayans, for '-The Bear" could not
understand a word of English. The far-off bend in the

(

100

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

liver was reached in due time, and the raft swung heavily
round in the swift current. All were occupied in keeping
it clear of the rocks, when a loud exclamation from Lok-
lok caused them to look up from their work. The chief
was standing at liis full height, his blanket drawn around
his shoulders, and an expression of patriotic pride on his
wrinkled face, as he majestically pointed ahead.

A glance showed the reason for this sudden change in
Loklok's demeanor. On the right bank of the river, about
an eighth of a mile below them, a long line of Indians
was drawn up, with faces turned eagerly toward the raft.
Others ran wildly up and down the shore, gesticulating
and screaming frantically. Mr. Dutton involuntarily
tightened his grasp upon his rifle, while the boys clustered
in the bows of the raft to gaze at the strange scene.

Loklok alone was unmoved, save by pride in the array
before him. A rope was now carried ashore, and every
Ayan rushed for it. including women and children, pull-
ing away until the raft grounded with a bump.

The moment it was made fast, the line of Indians com-
menced a low, monotonous noise, which was evidently
intended for singing. At the same time they placed their
arms akimbo, and swayed from side to side in a kind of
dance, their lonsji; hair swino-iny; to and fro.

At a word from '-The Bear" the dance ceased, and
the travellers were conducted — all save Joe and Jim,
who absolutely refused to leave the raft — to the clump
of eight or ten houses which composed the village.

OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN.

101

Mr. Dutton pointed to his tent-pack, and intimated by
gestures that he would prefer to occupy his own quarters
for the night. But Loklok shook his head, and pointed
firmly to one of the huts, a little larger than the rest.
They were all obliged to enter, stooping low at the
entrance, and there " The Bear " left them, evidently
relieved at having his curiosities securely caged.

Now at last the party had a chance to reflect upon the
situation, and discuss plans for the morrow.

f^^i'jr^fl

CHAPTER VIII.

A STARTLING DISCOVEllY

IHE liut in which our friends found themselves
was a small affair, built of spruce boughs, which
v/ere laid against a ridge-pole in such a way as to
form a seuii -circular wall. A caril)ou hide was thrown
over the upper part of these, on the outside, leaving only
a small space for the escape of smoke, which liung heav-
ily in the apex of the hut, rising from embers left in the
centre l)y the previous occupants, who had evidently but
just been hurried out of the guest chamljer.

A dozen split salmon were hanging from the rafters,
drying in the smoke, at an altitude unpleasantly near the
noses of the new-comers when they stood up. Every few
minutes, a native dog, of which there appeared to be
dozens about the place, would put his head in at the door
and snarl viciously, until scared away by Carlo, who had
declared war with the whole canine tribe at the outset.

'• I say. father," remarked Hugh, as the weary five
threw themselves down at the greatest possible distance
from the smouldering spruce-knot fire, " there's no danger
of getting lost in this liotel, any way."

"• Sure, it's the hotel itself is lost," added Teddy, dole-

102

«§

A STAI:TLIi\G DlSCWlCliV.

103

fully. '' Get out, ye baste ! " with a kick at one of the
lean v.iUage curs.

'' This is a summer village," said Mr. Dutton. '• Where
these fellows live in the winter, I'm sure T don't know."

< IIILKAT CANOE.

" Have you ever heard of the tribe before ? " asked
Rob, who had been examining his surroundings curiously.

" Yes, I remember that Dick mentioned them in one of
his letters. They claim the whole country watered l)y
the Pelly River — which they call the Ayan — and a

104

THE RED MOUNTAiy OF ALASKA.

considerable stretch of the big Yukon itself, above and
below old Fort Selkirk. Tliey never go near the coast. I
believe, but live along the large rivers, and in the winter
time make long hunting excursions into the interior after
caribou and moose."

"And bear?"

'' Not much," interrupted Hugh. " I heard Joe say
that the Alaska Indians won't hunt the brown bear, he is
so fierce."

'• It's strange that they have only rafts to go about in."

'• Down below, the tribe have plenty of canoes, and
good ones, too, I've heard. The}- make them of birch
bark, sewed with the fine roots of the spruce, well boiled
to make them soft and toudi."

'• Whew ! " exclaimed Rob, at this point in the conver-
sation, " isn't that salmon terrific ! I don't believe I can
stand it much longer."

" If it was only salmon ! " remarked Hugh, sadly.
" But there are about four other smells, each worse than
all the rest."

" Hold on, boys," said their father. " Ted, you stay
near the door, and make sure that nobody is listening.
There may be some one in the tribe who understands
Encrlish."

" Faith, it's nieself that'll be glad to get a breath of
air," said Teddy, taking his post as sentry, and laying
hold of a good-sized stick, to keep the dogs away.

" The question is," continued Mr. Button, " how shall

A STAliTLING DISCOVERY.

105

we get away from here ? These fellows are good-natured
enough, but somehow I don't wholly trust them. Once or.
twice 1 caught old Loklok exchanging glances - ith some
of his big subjects, and I didn't like the look in his eyes."

•• I say, let's part company with the whole crowd as
soon as possible," urged Rob. "• I feel about them just
as you do. father. They looked at my rifle to-night as if
they'd eat it. I don't believe they'll be satisfied until
they've laid hands on everything in our packs. They
could hardly keep from fighting over Hugh's rod there
while he was catching the grayling for dinner."

" Whist I " came from the doorway. "' There's an
Injun goin' into the house beyant."

As '' beyant " was only a foot or two away, caution was
certainly necessary.

The huts were mostly in pairs, and the Buttons had
noticed, on entering theirs, that, in common with the
rest, it directly faced a duplicate of itself, with only a
narrow passageway, a foot or two in width, between.

" Sure, it's the ould ' Bear ' himself ! " added Teddy,
softly, peering out of the door.

"■ If Loklok is to occupy that hut for the night." said
Mr. Button, decidedly, *' it's of no use for us to think uf
leaving by the front door. We must make our way out
of the rear of the hut, and that very early in the morn-
ing, before the Ayans are up."

Fortunately, this hut was a little removed from the
others in the village, and the back was toward the forest.

■m

106

TIII'J RED MOrXTAIN OF ALASKA.

'• Look out I " sung out the faithful Irish boy again,
" one o' those ugly craturs is coniin' now, sure." And he
glided away from the entrance in a manner that would
have done credit to an Ayan himself.

The visitor turned out to be some ofhcial of impor-
tance, who was surmised U) be a medieine-man. He was
dressed in a blue-black army bhinket. with a St. George's
cross of u:oru;eous red in the (Centre, which had somehow
found its way into the interior from one of tlie military
]>osts. Tliis extraordinary individual |H'rfoniied a series of
iviiiarkable antics in front of the entrance to the two huts,
stnittiuu' up and down, dancing, and assuming all sorts of
ridiculous attitudes ; at the same time flourishing the
showy blanket to what lie considered the l)est advantage.

In tlu' very midst of an uncommonly dignified strut he
suddenlv unbent, and. diving forward, would have wd
his hand on the ritle had not little Nat seen the move-
meii: in time to snatch the piece out of his reach. Carlo
uow thought it was high time for him to take a part in
tlw jH'vformance, and. darting forward l)efore anybody
could stop him, gave the Ayan's calf a good pinch with
his teeth.

The medicine-man uttered a cry of pain and rage, and
retii'ated, sliaking his fist at the owners of the malevolent
Newfoundland He plahdv meant mischief.

"1 thought all Indians Avore tanned skins of animals,
and had feathers stuck in their hair," said Nat, watching
the I'ctreatimi: form of their uncouth caller.

^^WIP

A STAIlTLlSa niscovKitv

107

'■ Wu aro too far iiortli Tor tliat." ('X[)laiiied his fatlier.
'• TliL» Indians an,' more and iiiori' like; Ksquiiiiaux in
their habits and (h'ess as we ncai' tiie Arctic Circle, whicli,
vou ^vill remember. i)asses dir<'('tlv throuuii Koi-t Yukon."*

A more alarmin*"' sound than the medieine-hi in's liarsh
voice was now lieard at the other end ol" tlie village. It
was the report of a unisket.

•• Ah 1 exclaiuicd Mr. Dut'on. starting it the noise,
•■ so they have guns I It uinst be one ol" the old smooth-
bores, with Hint locks. Dick said they still turned up.
once in a while, auiong the savages."

" How <lid thev "et them, father ? "

•' Why. when the Russian traders pnrcha.sed furs from
the Indians, in the old tiuies. they nsed to .set a nnisket
npright. and pile skins arouud it until they reached the
mnzzle. That amount was considered a fair exchange for
the uun."

Further con\crsation was interrupted by a sort of
euibassv of four Avans, who waited nixm the strangers
with a birch-bark dish, piled high with dried salmon.
tou;etlier with a o;enerou.s slice of bear meat, roasted over
one of their smoky fires.

The boys would have preferred to provide their own
supper, but it was thought polite to accept the hospi-
tality, if such it was. of their hosts. They therefore
made low bows of thanks, and partook in a gingerly fash-
ion of the "■. lands set l)(^for(^ them.

Several of the Indians joined the group at the door-

41*:

108

THE liEl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA

way, to watch the strangers at their r('}):i.st. Teddy was
greatly aiinised to see the babies carried on their niotliers'
backs, and facing backward. The good-natured l)oy
completely won the heart of a wofully homely squaw b}'
giving a lump of ^ugar to her copper-colored ])ap})oose.

As soon as the unsavory meal was finished, the whites
rose and began to stroll about the village. Xol)ody made
any objection to this, but the boys noticed that there was
always some one pair of piercing dark eyes watching
them. Now it was old Loklok. who had a u'audv tur))an
tied over his lonu". strinuv locks ; now the mi'dicine-man's
ugly features scowled at them from ])ehind a hut; now it
Avas a squaw, carelessly waiulering near by. with ap}»av-
ently no other ol)ject than to give her l)aby an airing.

Joe and Jim were found comfortably ensconced on the
raft. They had prepared their own supper, and eaten i*;.
m their own way ; the Ayans. it appeared, had pressed
their favorite tidljit. some half-decayed salmon, upon the
swarthv visitors, but Greek had met Greek, and Manito-
ban obstinacy had won against Alaskan.

Mr. Button talked with his guides a moment in low
tones, giving them directions for action if he should boai-d
the raft during the night ; but his conversation evidently
excited so nmch suspicion and distrust on the part of the
Ayans that he desisted and walked off, after receiving a
meaning glance and nod from each of the guides.

The village itself was picturesque enough, the red sides
of the recently caught and split salmon showing prettih'

#«

"TIIK nVDIAXS WKUK (iAMHLINU IN DKAD EARNEST."

A STARTLING DISCOVERY.

Ill

against the dark spruce brush of the wigwams, on which
they were hung and spread to dry. Some of the Indians
were gathered in groups, eagerly playing a sort of a game
with small bone dice or '" chips," about as large as one's
finger.

The Duttons watched the progress of one of these
games with much interest. An even number of Indians
took part — generally six or eight — and sat in two rows,
facing each other. One of the little pieces of bone was
marked in a peculiar way, and was held, in common with
the other pieces, out of sight in the hands of one of tlie
players. The whole group then commenced a sort of
low, groaning sing-song, with their elbows and heads
wagging, until one of the five suddenly pointed to the
hand of his vis-d-vis, which he thought held the marked
piece. If he was right, his side tallied one, with a
peeled willow stick thrust in the sand ; if wrong, the
count went to the other party, and the sing-song com-
menced again. It was plain that the Indians were gam-
bling, and in dead earnest, for they bet and delivered
over fish, horn implements, birch-bark dishes, and even
the clothes on their backs.

As the night grew more dusky, and the Indians became
more and more excited in their games, the scene was a
singularly striking one — the dark forms bending eagerlj'
forward, and swaying to the weird music of their wailinp,
song, the firelight now lighting up their swarthy faces,
now leaving them obscured in the gathering shadows — •

112

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

the pale waters of the gkicial river rushing by the dark
forests, and, behind all, the huge, silent forms of the ever-
lasting hills. Avith their gloomy ravines, glittering peaks,
and streams of ice.

At length the' Buttons, Aveary with the day's exertions,
and uncertain wliat i)lan to pursue, turned toward the hut
allotted to them for the night. As they did so, they
brushed against an old, wrinkled squaw, who had been
eying them narrowly for a considerable time.

Something white fluttered from the filthy folds of her
garment. Robert had it in his hand in a moment, for it
had a stranc2;elv familiar look.

It was a delicately embroidered handkerchief, and in
one corner were the words, in raised letters, —

"FLOSSIE, FROM MOTHER."

CHAPTER IX.

FROM VICTORIA TO SITKA.

HEN Mrs. Dutton, Florence, and Chloe found
themselves on the deck of the good ship St.
Ellas, leaving the hills of the United States blue
and misty on the horizon, and coasting along Vancouver
Island with all fore-and-aft sails set, on a fair west-north-
west wind, they felt that the adventurous portion of their
trip had fairly begun.

Of course, they had had no summer's-day excursion
thus far. The two ocean voyages had been arduous, and
the ladies had often felt the need of a male escort on
their long and tedious journey. Still, they had not struck
'^ {;om the regular lines of travel, and many of their
V wxi sex had been their companions on shipboard. Now,
on the contrary, they were the only ladies aboard ; they
were off the steam routes, and were bound for a wild and
desolate country. Had it not been for the near prospect
of meeting her husband and sons, Mrs. Dutton would
have felt undeniably homesick, as she leaned against the
rail on the quarter-deck of the St. Ellas, and watched the
headlands of Cape Flattery melt into the clouds that hung
along the southern horizon.

113

114

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

Flossie, on the other hand, was full of life and spirits.
She had just passed her sixteenth birthday, and presented
a fair picture of healthful girlhood. Her soft hair blew
out in golden wisps above a pair of honest, sparkling,
blue eyes, and fell over her shoulders in a thick, shining,
brown braid. Her nose was just turned up enough to be
a bit saucy, and her lips and ainipledi cheeks were as win-
some helpmates to the before-mentioned features as one
could wish to see.

" Don't feel blue, mamma," said the girl, nestling to
her mother's side, and throwing an arm around her in
that pretty, half-protecting way that growing daughters
have. •• We'll soon be there, and see them all. I wonder
if Hugh has grown! And little Nat — I expect he's a
great, tall boy, l)rown as an Indian."

" I shall be glad when we see your Uncle Richard.
Flossie," returned the older lady.

'' There ! — you're tired of taking care of me I " laughed
Florence. "' You'll be glad to send me off with the boys,
so you can ' talk sensible ' with father and uncle ! "

'" I don't care much al)Out the minerals and the great
fortune he wrote of." continued Mrs. Button, hardly
noticing the girl's interruption. " The main thing is to
get them all back alive and well. We've money enougli
to make us comfortable already."

Here the attention of both was attracted to a school of
dolphins, who curved in and out of the waves close
beside the vessel, flashing brilliantly in the sunlight.

•A
■n

•".''-•.' r'r'u" J'n

FROM VICTORIA TO SITKA.

Ill

The steamers now running between California and
Sitka take the " inside route," passing between Vancouver
and tlie mainland. Sailing vessels, however, keep to the
open sea, where they can have steady breezes, and few
treacherous currents, sunken reefs, or floating icebergs,
such as render the narrower channels perilous to craft
that can be handled only slowly. From San Francisco to
Victoria is seven hundred and fifty miles. From that
port to Sitka, the Buttons had still a sail before them of
somewhat over a thousand miles. Richard Button would
have to travel about a third of that distance, from Fort
Wrangel, to ioin his sister-in-law at Sitka. With these
distances clearly fixed in our minds, we can follow our
friends over every league of their voyage. While Mrs.
Button was on the St. EVias, it may be said, in dismissing
the subject of times and distances, her husband's party
was travelling slowly westward through the dense ever-
green forests of British America, just south of Great Slave
Lake.

The good ship *S'^. Elias was favored with fair winds,
and in just a fortnight from the day she sailed from Vic-
toria the lofty peak of Mt. Edgecumbe appeared on the
northeast horizon.

Flossie was wild with delight at the glorious view,
which constantly opened as the vessel kept on her course
toward land. The coast line was everywhere broken by
huge mountains, their rugged sides torn by avalanche and
torrent, and seamed with glaciers, flowing steadily down-

118

TUE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

I >

ward into the sea. It was late in the evening when the
St. Elias entered Sitka Sound. A long canoe, con-
taining half a dozen Indians, passed the vessel. They
were Stickeens, the captain mformed the passengers, run-
ning down to the halibut grounds off Borka.

A sharp mountain peak lifted its granite head to the
very clouds straight ahead. This was Mt. Verstova.
Its sides were clothed with dark reaches of hemlock and

pine.

At the head of the sound, a clump of low. dingy-looking
buildings crouched beside the water. One of these was
on a bold, rocky bluff — the old Russian castle — nearly
two hundred feet above the other houses. K tumble-
down wharf presently came in view, with a few sleepy
people lounging upon it.

'' What place is this? " asked Flossie, eagerly.

" Sitka ! "

•

CHAPTER X.

DAY AND NIGHT IN ALASKA.

|T was now after nine o'clock in the evening, but
the sun was still shining brightly, lighting up
with a soft glow the slopes of Mt. Edgecumbe,
fourteen miles away, and throwing a strange light over
every object ashore. It seemed like a dream. There
was the old castle, of which they had read, the decaying
wharf, the desolate but sturdy old buildings of the Rus-
sians, and the ice-lopped lieights far away, reaching up
into the eastern sky.

But now a tall, manly figure appeared on the wharf, as
the vessel dropped her anchor a short distance from the
shore. In another minute a boat was seen putting off,
manned bv a native oarsman.

•• Uncle Dick ! Uncle Dick ! " cried Flossie, recognizing
the quiet figure in dark blue sitting in the stern-sheets.

The officer made no reply, but lifted his hat and
swung it.

The boat came alongside ; Lieutenant Richard Dutton
was up over the side in a twinkling, and held Flossie and
her mother in his honest arms.

119

^■■P

^■P

120

77/2; UED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

•' I'm so glad you've come," he said, as they rowed
asliore. " It was getting pretty hite for a start, and
we've a long journey hefore us. Bless me! how this
little girl has grown I " and he eyed Florence with a
look of quizzical' admiration, that made her laugh and
blush and give his whiskers a pull at the same time.

" You've grown — brown, yourself, uncle I " she laughed.
'' You've tanned so. I didn't know as you'd know me! "

•' I don't suppose you need to wait very long before
starting ? " inquired the lieutenant, turnhig to Mrs. But-
ton.

" Oh, no, not more than a week — "

" A week ! Why, Ella, tliat won't do at all. To-day
is the fifteenth of June. We have agreed to meet at
Fort Selkirk on July 10."

" Well, how soon must we go ? "

" To-morrow."

Mrs. Button, as we have already seen, was a woman of
decision.

" Very well, Dick, at two o'clock to-morrow afternoon
my daughter and I will be ready."

The lieutenant looked relieved, and the subject was
dropped.

The two ladies were lodged that night in an old house,
formerly belonging to one of the wealthiest Russian resi-
dents. It was built of big spruce logs, trimmed square,
was three stories high and as long ;is a good-sized hotel.
These large buildings were once divided into '" fiats," like

DAY AND NlQllT IN ALASKA.

121

our modern apartincMit hotels, and were occupied in this
wav 1)V well-to-do families, both co iifort and self-pnjtec-
tion beinu" y;ained. The walls of tlie house were painted
red, and the roof was covered with sheets of iron of a
dingy yellow.

Flossie V is delighted with her room, which o]»en(;d
into her mother's. She declared, as she tried one antique
piece of Russian furniture after another, that she almost
wished she was going to stay in Sitka, which promised so
many surprising walks, funny customs among the native
inlial)itants, and genuinely interesting antirpiitios. Flor-
ence w^as an ardent lover of history at school, and had
taken pains during the winter to book herself up thor-
oughly on the story of Russian America, from the time
when the first Russian explorers visited its wild shores,
in 1742, through the history of the oppressed Indians, the
massacres and wars, the greedy incursions of the fur-
hunters, to the year 1867, when the whole territory now
known as Alaska was sold to the United States for
$7,200,000, and garrisoned by United States troops.
There was already a custom-house officer at Ntnv
Archangel, or Sitka, as it had come to be called from the
Indian name.

So Flossie was eager to verify her studies, and as she
skipped over the polished plank floor of her room, back
and forth from the deep window-seats to the old mahog-
any sofa and the w'ild-goat skin rug before the fireplace,
she did long to see the castle of Baronov, and the tin-

100

THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

roofed spire, beneath wliicli tlie gorgeously bedecked priests
had so long administered the rites of the Greek Church to
Siwash, Stickeen, American, Englishman, and Russian.

But Mrs. Button was already busy with preparations
for the trip, and' at eleven o'clock, while it was still bright
daylight, the two ladies retired to dream of the glaciers,
forests, and volcanoes which lay in their path ; which
separated them from the wonderful " Red Mountain."

Next morning, Florence is awakened b}' a flood of sun-
liorht streamino- in on her chamber iloor. Conscience-
stricken at having overslept, she patters to the window
for a look at the new country before dressing. Nobody
seems to be stirring. Curious, how lazy the inhabitants
are ! She pulls out the tiny Geneva watch that her
father gave her on her sixteenth birthday, and springs
open the cover. A quarter before three ! With a merry
little laugh all to herself, the girl swings to the shutters
of the windows, jumps back into bed again, cuddles down
under the blankets, and is soon enjoying the soundest of
morning naps.

|i !

CHAPTER XI.

THE CHILKOOT PASS.

iT there is one thing that troubles

me," said Lieutenant Dick, as the

party sat around the table, eating

the last meal at Sitka, "and that

is that a Copper River Indian,

with a couple of Avans. was

hangino; around the settlements

yesterday, trying to find out

where we were fi;oini>:. and what

was the object of our expedition."

'' Are those tribes located in the country to which we

are bound ? " asked Mrs. Dutton, calmly, helping herself

to another saucer of preserved salmon-berries.

" That's just the bother. The Coppers live on the
outskirts of the very district covered by Peeschee's map.
Isn't that so, Peeschee?"

'' The Fox." who was waiting on the party most obsequi-
ously, corroborated the lieutenant's statement by. several
emphatic shakes of the head. " Ayans fish on Yukon and

Big Ayan," he added.

128

124

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

" Hang it ! " exclaimed tlie officer, ruefully. " I hope
we sha'n't have anv trouble with those fellows."

"What does he mean by the 'Big Ayan'?" asked
Florence, who had been listening attentively.

" That's the native name for the Pelly River, the
northern fork of the Yukon. Fort Selkirk, where
our expedition is to form, is at the junction of the two
streams."

" But why are you concerned about the Indians,
Dick ? " asked his sister-in-law.

" Why, it's only about twenty years ago that a lot of
'em in there rose and massacred a party of wiiites.
Then, a few years later, they burned Fort Selkirk.
They're awfully jealous of any one who comes into their
territory for mining, — or anything el.se, for that matter.
I was in hopes that we could slip down by their country
without attracting much attention, they're so busy catch-
ing salmon just now."

''Well, why can't we?"

" Because it's got round somehow that we are a big
prospecting party, on the lookout to establish a post for
furs, and so cut in ahead of the natives and spoil their
profits. Here. Peeschee, step outside and see if anybody
has lieard anything more of tliose skulking chaps from
the north."

Peeschee was absent just seven minutes. No one
knew of his reentrance until he was at liis master's shoul-
der once more.

THE CUILKOOT PASS.

126

Paddle urn

" Injuns gone at sunrise this morning,
ca.ioes for Copper River."

Richard shook his head gravely, and rose from the table.

" We may hear more of them," he said, " but I hardly
think there is serious danger, or I would not start. We
shall go well armed, and when the cowardly chaps find
we are to strike reenforcements at Selkirk, they won't
care to risk their skins, I reckon."

One half-hour later the party was under way.

As it moved down toward the wharf, viewed by a half-
hundred sleepy Sitkans, it was composed as follows : —

1. Lieutenant Button and Peeschee.

2. Mrs. Button, Florence, and Chloe.

3. Thirty Chilkat Indians, whose services had been
procured to " pack " the tents, arms, blankets, and pro-
visions over the snowy mountain pass to the navigable
waters of the Yukon.

4. Solomon Baronov. This last was a hunter, trapper,
and guide ; a Yankee through and through on his
mother's side, and a shrewd Russian on his father's.
The former had been a Cape Cod girl, and had found her
way somehow with her father, the skipper of a fisherman-
coaster, to the Alaska banks. Seeking shelter in Sitka
from a storm, they had met Ivan Baronov, and " Betsy "
had loved and married him. Solomon, their only child,
had at an early age taken to the woods for amusement and
occupation. Whether his mother and grandfather had
always retained the peculiarities of the nasal New Eng-

126

THE ItED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

land dialect is not known ; bnt certain it is that Solomon
was '^ down-east" in every shrewd twinkle of his eye and
intonation of his voice. This, with the fact that he was
a dead shot, and immensely powerful in his arms, is all
we need to knoW' at present of Solomon Baronov. We
shall be better acquainted with him by and by. Getting
wind of the lieutenant's expedition, he had petitioned at
once to join it, on small pay, as general hunter and guide.
At the present moment he was swinging along at an
easy gait, behind the Indians, smoking a well blackened
briar- wood as he walked.

A small schooner had been chartered, and lay at the
wharf in waiting for her passengers and freight. These
were soon on board, sails were hoisted, and the Walrus
began to plough the waters of the sound. Sitka was
left behind, Mt. Edgecumbe passed, and the prow of the
schooner turned northward.

The short voyage was without special incident, and
early on the morning of the fourth day, Saturday, the
Walrus let go her anchor in Chilkoot Inlet.

Canoes — and iho schooner's boat — were now taken
to the extreme head of the inlet, an all-day's hard pull.
At noon the party stopped for lunch under some large
cedars near the shore. Grass grew on all sides shoulder-
high ; enormous dandelions, buttercups, and violets dotted
the moist banks, while b'Mars and berry vines, covered
with snowy blossoms, grew in rank profusion over boul-
der and fallen trunk.

THE CUILKOOT FASS.

127

Soon after leaving this spot, the little flotilla entered
the narrow portion of their course, known as Dayay
Inlet. Again Florence's girlish adjectives of admiration
wore called into play by the dark masses of foliage cloth-
ing the steep hills on each side of the stream, and the
frequent cataracts that dashed down from the far-off
lieia:hts.

The end of open navigation was reached at last, but
the banks were too soft at this point to admit of a camp.

The swift Dayay River was therefore followed up for a
mile, and here the really wild life commenced. Tents
were pitched and fires lighted at once. Solomon slouched
off with his rifle, and presently returned with a couple of
rabbits, which he threw down for his contribution to the
evenimj; meal.

After supper, the whites gathered about the fire in front
of the largest tent, which was devoted to the ladies, and
told stories. How dim and weird the twisted shapes of
the trees in the dusky northern twilight ! How ceaseless
and cukl the rush of the white, icy river ! The Indians at
once organized themselves into gambling parties, and
added their doleful wails to the hooting of an owl some-
where in the forest.

'• Hark ! " said Solomon, suddenly, letting his hand
drop instinctively upon his rifle, then continuing the
story he had just been telling, but plainly with every
sense on the alert.

Flossie looked up inquiringly, but, guided by an

128

THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

hand, said

expressive gcstiire of the liunter's big
nothing.

Before Solomon had reached the end of his story

which indeed had assumed a remarkably rambling char-
acter during the last few minutes — the snapping of a
twig close by was heard by all, and a moment later
three men walked into the circle of firelight.

"Ayans!" grunted the Fox, just loud enough for his
master to hear.

The new-comers merely glanced aiound the group, and
then joined the Chilkats, by whom however, they were
coldly received.

Finding their presence unwelcome, they retired a short
distance, threw themselves down on their blankets, and
were soon apparently sound asleep.

In the morning the Ayans were missing, together with
several small articles, of more or less value, about the camp
— including an embroidered handkerchief, which Flossie
had incautiously left on a log near the fire on the previous
evening. As it was Sunday, this day was spent quietly
in camp.

Monday's journey was a hard one. For ten miles the
party strrf. .^'\ ; along the banks of the Dayay, up whose
milky ci,. : tt^^ " packers " dragged the canoes, heavily
loaded with baggage. More than a dozen times the
ladies had to be carried across the stream, as the trail
struck its bends and long, winding detours. Chloe at
first objected seriously to this method of ferriage.

THE CiriLKOOT PASS.

1-29

"Dat's a po' contrivance," she said, anxiously, as she
watched a broad-shouldered Chilkat lift Florence and
carry her across to the opposite bank. " He'll go an'
drop uie, sho'."

'■ But how are you going to cross, Chloe ? " asked her
mistress, amused.

'• I dunno, Mis' Duoton, I dunno. Tears like I done
got far's I c'n go."

" Oh, nonsense, Chloe," and Mrs. Button gathered up
her skirts preparatory to her own embarkation. '' If a
can go. you can."

A compromise was finally effected by employing two
Indians, instead of one, to carry the black woman, who
uttered various uncouth cries at every step of her bearers,
and clung so tightly to their necks as almost to choke
them.

The scenery grew more and more wild as the expedi-
tion advanced. Baird's Glacier seemed fairly to overhang
the valley. Heavy clouds rested on the summits of the
highest mountains during the day, rising only as evening
came on.

That night, the air was much colder than before ; big-
ger fires and more blankets were called into requisition.

The canoes were now concealed in the bushes, a few
yards from the shore, and the baggage packed upon the
backs of the Indians, the men carrying about one hun-
dred pounds each, and the boys less weight, proportion-
ately to their strength.

130

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

The travelling now became so difficult tliat Lieutenant
Dutton was in serious doubt whether it was practicable
for ladies to advance farther into the wilderness. He
accordingly summoned a council of war.

" Ella," said he, addressing Mrs. Dutton, " the trail is
decidedly rough — much rougher than I expected, I must
say. There seem to be thousands of acres of these
fallen trees — "

" We can climb over them," interpolated Mrs. Dutton,
with energy.

"There are boggy places between — "

" We will wade through them."

" There are numerous bears in the neighborhood, Sol-
omon informs me."

'' So much the better for the commissariat."

" The Ayans have got wind of our approach -

" Let them come."

" In short," shouted Dick, in desperation, " it's going
to be a mighty hard road to travel. The question is.
Shall we return, or go on ? "

Mrs. Dutton rose to the occasion. She did not argue
or discuss. She pointed to the mountain pass before
them, and said just two words : —

" Go ox ! "

It was on the evening of this same day that they
reached a wild and desolate district, known to the Ind~
ians as the " stone houses." These consisted merely of
huge boulders piled pell-mell in great heaps, with crev-

THE CHILKOOT PASS.

131

ices and caves between, where shelter could be found.
There were banks of deep snow close by, and closing the
gaps between mountains on every side were walls of blue
ice.

The lieutenant and Solomon set to work at once, and
in a short time had one of these caves cleared out, car-
peted with moss and spruce boughs, and provided with
two front curtains, one of drilling and one of netting, as
a protection against mosquitoes, which even at this alti-
tude were inclined to be troublesome.

This comfortable little retreat was bestowed upon Mrs.
Button, her daughter, and maid, and, with a bright lire
crackling just before the entrance, was really as cosey-
looking a camp as one could wish.

"Oil, look!" cried Flossie, just as the cave was fin-
ished, '• there's some kind of a creature crossing the snow,
away off there ! "

Solomon looked up from his work, and viewed the dis-
tant animal with a professional eve.

" A mountain goat," said he, picking up his rifle. " I
guess ni go 'n' stir him up a leetle — no, I don't want
anybody but the Fox. tliar," he added, as a dozen or more
Chilkats came forward to join him.

The goat's hair was white, and he could hardlv be dis-
tinguished against the snow. Sending Peeschee round in
the rear of the animal, the hunter crept cautiously toward
a certain bold bluff of bare rocks, half-way between him
and the game.

132

TlIK RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

I 1

After an absence of some twenty minutes, Peeschee
appeared Ix'yond the goat, wliicli started on a quick run
toward the bhilf. There he was seen to pause suddenly,
and wheel about. But it was too late. A puif of smoke
arose from between the rocks, a sharp report rang out
across the valley, and the goat made his last leap, falling
headlong over the bluff to the boulders at its base. Solo-
mon and Peeschee now descended the cliff in more lei-
surely fashion,- and presently were seen bending over the
game, which was evidently stone-dead.

What were the two men about ? Were they preparing
to bring the carcass of the goat into camp ? Not they.
The day's work had been too arduous to invite a '• lug " of
a hundred-and-iifty-pound goat across half a mile of rough
rocks and deep snow. They busied themselves for .^ome
time at the foot of the bluff, and then were seen coming
back to their party. Peeschee bore his share of the
results of the hunt — a hide of snow-,white hair, reaching
an almost furry softness on the neck and breast parts of
the animal. Solomon did not want the hide. The
handle of his huntincj:-knife had been cracked in some
way the day before. He proposed to occupy his leisure
moments in manufactiu'ing a new one from the glossy
ebony horns, the points of which protruded from the
pocket or pouch of his hunting shirt. In each hand, it
should be added (Peeschee carried the empty rifle), Baro-
nov swung what might well be taken for an uncommonly
large " Indian club." They were the hind-quarters of

THE cniLKOOT PASS.

1 o<>

1 ')r>

the goat, Avliicli were straightway added to the hill of
Tare of the party.

It was thought hest to rest a day at the Stone Houses,
and the decision was a fortunate one. for hv eleven in the
forenoon a driving hailstorm set in. and throuu'hout the
remainder of the dav it rained and snowed furiouslv hy
turns. The ladies were ([uite eomfortahle in their sinig
cave, the front opening of which was overhung hy a
hroad honlder, forming a natural lintel. The Indians
crept into the crevices among the rocks, like so many
marmots. Solomon im])roved the time ])y fashioning the
new horn handle to his knife.

Next morning the ex})edition was at roiifc at half })ast
three. The sun shone hrightly. and scattered the fogs
from the valleys. The hardest day's march of all was
before the Duttons. through wdiat is now called Terrier
Pass.

Up, up they mounted, over (h-eary wastes of snow and
ice. the Indian packers going ahead and often pausing to
cut steps in the glacier slopes, or looking back and gestic-
ulating to ])oint out the best route. At noon all hands
reached the summit of the pass, a trifle more than four
thousand feet above the level of the sea. A cold, clannny
fog drifted around them ; nothing was to be seen but
snow and ice and a few stretches of bare rock.

On one of these last they paused for a dry aiid cold
hmcheon, there being no fuel of any kind near. On

CI? \j

again, down a steep descent, the Indians using snow-

184

Till': lil'Jh MOL'XTAiy of ALASKA.

shoes, which they had brouglit on their ])acks for that
purpose.

Now they came to a frozen lake. One swaHow, swiftly
darting across its still, white expanse, was the only sign
oi life.

Nightfall — or what would have been nightfall at
home — came down upon them while they were still
tramping wearily through the snow, and it was nearly
midnight when the broad waters of Lake Lindeman
stretched out before them. Tents were hastily pitched,
and, thoroughly exhausted, the whole i)arty threw them-
selves down on their blankets and forgot snow, ice, weari-
ness, and moscpiitoes, yes, even apprehensions of the
sullen Ayans, in refreshing sleep.

"We \vd\v already seen how Mr. Dutton and the boys
bnilt their raft near " Camp Prospect." It is needless to
describe the process again. Lieutenant Dutton went to
work with his forces in nuicli the same way, and tiie
result was a craft considerably stronger and hand;^omer
than the former — as gov^ernment work is usually more
thorough than that of private contractors I In addition
to ropes at the corners of the raft, the logs were fastened
together with stout wooden pins, driven into auger holes
which had been bored for that purpose at the points where
the logs were mortised and saddled. An elevated deck
of spruce poles, high and dry al)Ove the water, furnished
comfortable quarters for the gentler members of the expe-
dition.

THE CIULKOOT PASS.

185

On the second Monday morning, the twenty-eighth of
June, the voyage down the river began. All the Indians
except Peeschee and half a dozen of the most trusted Chil-
kats were paid, discharged, and sent home across the pass.

For two weeks the raft sailed, bumped, floated its
way down-stream. Just below Lindeman was another
lake, thirty miles long. Its shores were low and boggy,
but the hills in the background gave a liveliness to the
landscape, which was increased by the abundance of little
streams that came leaping down from the far-away glaciers,
to pour their ice-cold waters into the larger river.

Now and then, but rarely, large game appeared on
shore. Solomon and Flossie became firm friends, and
had many a long talk together as they sat oa the raised
deck, looking out over lake or stream.

" What do you do in the winter? " the girl asked, on
one of these occasions.

'' Oh, I jest hang raound, pretty much. Sometimes I
hev a line o' traps to tend."

'• ^Yhat do you do with the poor little creatures after
you catch them ? "

" Sell their pelts," said Baronov, laconically.

'' Why, how nnich are they worth ? "

'' Oh. a good beaver skin '11 bring abaout two dollars
an' a half. They're the commonest fur animal in Alasky
that's wuth ketchin'. Mush-rat pelts air wuth five cents.
A sea-otter's skin kin be sold anywheres for se\^enty-five
dollars and up'ards."

136

THE llED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

•' I wonder if there are really any ' blue foxes ' ? " asked
Floss. •• 1 had such a pi-otty boa last winter. It was
just the color of a nialtese kitten, only the fur was just
as long and silky ! "

'• Oh- yes, thar's some islands whar the blue foxes are
connnoner than red. Thar's eight or ten thaousand pelts
sent oft" every year. The Injuns on them islands kill otf
the red foxes all tliey kin. so's to leave 0]dy ])ure blue ones."

"Pour little tilings 1 "' mused the girl. "How they
must wish they didn't have any fur at all. I wouldn't
like to be a blue fox."

"Wal. I (Tno."' said Solomon, "I reckon they kind o'
look daowii on the red ones, an' git some comfort out
o' that. It"s astonishin' haow foxes — an" folks — do like
to look daown I "

Day after day the raft surged onward, drawing con-
stantly nearer its destination. On Friday noon. Julv ',».
it was only foi'ty-hve miles from Fort Selkirk. The banks
were now steep and forbidding, and the river full of dan-
gerous rapids, ^[ore than once Florence and Chloe went
ashore and walked over a " carry." while the rest of the
party shot the swift water, or " rii)S," as they were called.
Mrs. Button never deserted the shiji.

All that Friday night they kept on, not daring to halt
lest some unforeseen accident should carise them to miss
their appointment. For Saturday, July 10, was the day
set for the union of forces.

Only twelve miles away I Ferhai)s it was the effect of

ii
'I

THE CHILKOOT PASS.

130

the gloomy gcges through which tliey were shooting, or
the heavy clouds which settled down over the river, be-
tokening a coming storm ; but the party could not shake
off a strange sensation of fear, of dread of some discovery
to take place, of an actual shrinking terror, that gained
on them momently as they swept onward.

High noon, and the site of Fort Selkirk only five miles
away, according to the confident assertion of Peeschee,
the Fox.

Three miles. — two. — one !

A clump of blackened, ruined chimneys comes into
view, on a little raised plateau ahead.

Dick Button strained his ej'es, Mrs. Button looked
eagerly in the same direction, Flossie waved her hand-
kerchief and Chloe her red bandanna ; but there was no
respTiise, though by all previous calculations the British-
Aii fj'ican party ought to have arrived several days in
advanc(5 of the Sitkans.

T'le raft grounded, and the Buttons, with hearts full of
forebodings, hurried up to the ruined fort. Their worst
dread was realized. The ground was trampled with the
recent tread of many feet, but no other sign of the dear
ones they longed for was to be seen. Wnile they stood
staring silently at the ground, the wind began to moan
uneasily through the spruce tojis, a few great drops of
rain came splasliing down, and in another minute, with a
glittering flash of lightning, the storm burst upon them.

CHAPTER XII.

AN ESCAPE, AND A NEW E., '.

OMING upon his sister's ImiRlkerchief, Robert's
heart sank witliin him. Until liis fatlier and
brothers were safe inside tlie iuit, and the
tattered cariliou hide (h-awn across the en-
ranc-e. tlie hov did not dare to speak of his

<iiii.K.vr iii;.\i i:-
ii;t, madk fkom , .

sii.vKK ( oiN. aiscover\

As tliey threw themselves down on the skins and
blankets that carpeted the cabin, the (ire flared np for a
moment. Instantly Mr. Diitton saw bv Robert's expres-
sion that .something had gone wrong.

-What's the matter, my boy ? " he asked qnietly, after
waiting a moment for the former to s))eak.

Robert handed him the handkerchief, without a word,
hardly daring to look into his father's face as he did so.
Mr. Dutton controlled himself by a strong effort.
"It is Flossie's?"
•^' Yes, sir."

There was another silence, that threatened to be broken
by a wail from Teddy. While Hugh was hushing hini
up. Cai-lo gave a low growl, and at the same moment the
hide across the doorway was pushed aside.

141)

AN ESCAPE, AM) A NEW ENEMY

141

" Be still, Carlo ! " comiiianded Mr. Diitton. " Wliat
is it ? " he added more sharply to the new-comer, forget-
ting that the Ayans spoke and understood only their own
lano;ua<i;e.

But, to the surprise of all, the visitor, though evidently
one of the tribe, replied in broken English. By the dim
light they could make out that it was. the ill-favored
squaw to whose pappoose Ted had given the sugar.

" S-s-t ! " she hissed, looking over her shoulder. "■ Bad
Injun hear. No speak loud."

"What do vou want ?"

'• You 'fraid, 'cause find white girl's han'chif."

The boys gathered more closely about the speaker.
Mr. Button's voice trembled in spite of himself.

"Weil, well, my good woman, go on. Is — is she
alive ?"

" White girl not hurt. Nobody hurt. Bad Injuns go
look for white people comin'. Think he come steal furs.
Injun take han'chif."

The man gave a long sigh of relief.

" What do vour tribe mean to do ? " he asked.

" They go liunt for white people. P'r'aps kill 'em."

" And we — "

" You stay here with squaws."

There was no trace of humor in the woman's voice
or face. She was simply telling facts as she knew
them.

" You git oft' to-night, go tell white peonle," she added,
rising to leave the hut.

142

THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

''When shall we try it?" eagerly mqiiired Rob and
Hugh, in a breath.

" When umjaik (grouse) call free times."
And she was tjone.

Preparations for departure were hastily made. The
rifles, of which, fortunately, the Ayans had not yet seen
fit to deprive them, were carefully examined.

"What day of the month is it?" asked Nat, while
they were resting on their arms, listening for the signal.
•' The twenty-ninth of June, my boy."
" And how far are we from the old fort, papa ? "
" About two hundred and fii'tv miles."
" Then, if we start to-night, we shall get there before
the tenth of July, sha'n't we, sir ? "

•• Please God," replied his father, earnestly, " we shall
be there 0> the fifth, at the latest. Then we can prepare
for trouble, and, if they have not yet arrived, we can
even go up the Yukon a bit to meet them. But I think
they will be there, for we allowed several days to spare,
and Dick always was a prompt fellow."

For half an hour nobody spoke. Then Teddy started up
and put his hand to his ear. The others listened intently.
" Oo-oo-ou ! " the sound came faintly from the forest.
The Buttons started to their feet and peered out of the
hut. What was their disappointment to find that the
Indian — presumably Loklok — occupying the hut oppo-
site and almost adjoining their own had left his front
entrance wide open, so that it would have been almost

AN ESCAPE, AND A NEW ENEMY.

143

impossible for live men and a big dog to get past and out
through tlie narrow passage-way already referred to
without discovery. They softly withdrew into the
recesses of their own apartment for further deliberation.

" Oo-oo-oo ! Oo-oo-oo ! " plainer than before. The
grouse was getting impatient.

A low exclamation from Nat directed the attention of
the rest to Carlo, who was thrusting his black snout
between the spruce limbs forming the rear wall of the
hut. The close air of the place disturbed the Newfound-
land, and, on being checked at the front door, he was
bound to get out by hook or crook.

The dog's instinct had led him to the loosest place in
the wall. His masters took the hint, and softlv widened
the aperture that Carlo's nose had begun. In three min-
ntes it was large enough to allow a human body to pass,
and one by one the captives — for such they practically
were — squeezed through.

How delicious the cold night air, after the foul, tainted
atmosphere of tke Ayan hut ! The dogs discovered them
at once, and set up a doleful howling, but the natives
were apparently too well used to midnight concerts of
that sort to trouble themselves as to its cause.

The very uproar made by these canine performers
served, in fact, to cover the slight noise made by the
escaping party. They crept around behind the huts, Nat
holding Carlo by the collar, and Mr. Dutton leading the
way down to the shore of the river.

144

THE HE I) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

Joe and Jim were wide awake, and liad managed, dur-
ing the earlier liours of the night, to edge the raft ofV
from tlie banks, so that it swung free in deep water, lieid
oniv bv the rope.

One (hirk fo.rni after anotlier crept on l)oard. A
rptick sweep of Joe's sliar}) hunting-knife severed the
tightly drawn hawser, and aw^ay swept the raft to
freedom.

"Glorious! glorious!" exclaimed Mr. Button, in low
tones, gazing back at the fast dwindling village, where
nothing was stirring but the wolfish dogs, who howled a
dismal farewell from the landincr.

The energies of all the party were now bent on keeping
the raft free from obstructions. Once they grounded on
a mud fiat. but. by poling the free end of the raft up-
stream, they got the force of the current to help tliem,
and presently swung off again. The sun rose brightly
shortly after two o'clock, but the refugees dared take no
moment of rest. Hugh managed to secure half a dozen
grayling as they swept along, and these were cooked over
a fire of twigs hastily collected at tiie lower end of a
small island. Avliere they ventured to halt a few minutes
after ten hours' steady progress.

At noon they reached another lake, and here their
advance was slow, as hardly a breath of wind was stii--
ring. The rays of the sun were intensely hot, and the
attacks of both mosquitoes and gnats incessant.

By six o'clock they had reached the lower end of the

■

! '

AN ESCAPE, AND A ^,E]V ENEMY

14;")

lake, and just at the outlet they ventured to enjoy an
hour's refreshing rest.

Hugh knocked over a brace o*' spruce grouse with his
shotgun, and these, with a mess of fish caught by little
Nat during their tedious sail across the lake, made a very
good supper.

It now seemed improbable that the Indians would pur-
sue them closely, so long a time had elapsed without
their appearing in the rear. All the Alaskan tribes,
Mr. Button knew, were sluggish in their disposition, and
preferred to hunt their game down deliberately rather
than with undue haste.

At a little after seven the raft resumed its voyage,
keeping steadily onward until midnight. A heavy fog
now set in, and the leader, confident that the savages
would not follow in the darkne.ss or gray dusk, with a
risk of ])eing caught in a storm, came to anchor against
a large boulder, just under the lee of a little knoll crowned
with spruces. All hands went ashore, taking the most
valuable of the property with them, as a precaution
against sudden attack. Tents were pitched, and the
weary crew were soon as sound asleep as if they were in
their own comfortable beds at home, instead of the fron-
tier of Alaska, surrounded by known and unknown
dangers.

Quietly the little company on the embankment slept ;
so quietly, so soundly, indeed, that they did not perceive
the approach of an enem}- against which they had not

146

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

thought it necessary to guard. Attacks of wild beasts
they did not fear, for had they not their good rifles, not
to mention a 3G-calibre revolver, and a breech-loadiuc-
shotgun with shells charged with buckshot ? The Ayans,
they felt certain, would not trouble them, separated from
them as they were by leagues of fog-blanketed river.
What other foe could there be ?

Ah, one they never suspected ; one that had heretofore
been their best friend ; had. indeed, borne them and their
raft swiftly away from the hostile camp by night and day.

You know now ? Yes, the rtvcr itself. The treacher-
ous Pelly turned against them, and took away their only
means of reaching their friends on time. Far up on the
spurs of the Rockies, two days before, there had been a
tremendous shower. It had poured hundreds of thou-
sands, millions of hogsheads of water on the snowy slopes,
and on the broad district drained by the head-waters of
the Pelly and its tributaries. This shower, together with
the suddenly melted snow, had turned every trickling
streamlet into a roaring torrent. Lake after lake had
felt the incoming stream, and had brimmed to overflowing,
passing the freshet wave on from inlet to outlet. The
advancing flood, now grown more cpiiet and gradual in
its power, had pursued the flying raftsmen more swiftly
and surely, through every maze in the forest, around every
Ijend of the river, than the best equipped canoe-fleet of
the Ayans.

And as they slept it reached them. The men and boys

.l.V ESCAPE, AND A NEW EXEMV.

14-

were safe on tlu; (Miil)aiikniont ; but tliero was the raft !
Softly tlio river pushed its lingers under the heavy logs ;
lifted, lifted, lifted, as the minutes flew hv, until, with
one swelling, eddying ripple, it drew the sturdy old craft
away from its moorings, out into the deep current, and
swept it silently down tiie stream toward the sea.

CHAPTER XIII.

NAT S SI1A(;(;V ITP.

ilATHER. father, wlun-o is the raft ? "

Mr. Duttou sprang to his feet, and rubbed his
eyes. There was the river, niiming quietly
between its wooded banks, as lie had seen it tlie evening
before. But the raft ! Ncnvhere to I'e seen I

Mr. Dutton's hrst move was to secure his ritle, and
glance at the lock.

•" The Indiaiis nmst be near ! They must have surprised
us during the night, and, having taken away our means
of escape, the cowards mean to attack us only when we
are too weak and bewildered to resist ! "

By this time the boys were all awake, and filled with
consternation at their loss.

'* How nmch farther is it to the fort V" asked Hugh.

" Not far from two hundred miles. And to-day is the
first of July ! We cannot reach it by the tenth."

" But why not build a new raft, father? "

Mr. Button pointed sadly to the little heap of baggage
they had brought to land the night before. Hugh's eye
followed the gesture, and wandered quickly over the bags

148

SAT'S snAuav pup.

149

iind rifles. Then lie sprang to where they were lying,
and turned them over. !t was of no use. No need for
his fatlicr to put into words wluit was only too plain to
all; the axes had been left on the raft!

At that moment. Joe. the Indian j^iiide, came runnin,^'
up from the water's edge. He evidently had made a
discovery.

"No Ayans! " he said, pointing to the river.

'•No Ayans? Another tribe is on our iiei'ls, then ? "

"No. Raft not carried off. Raft iloat away itself."

"Float away I How is it possible?" demanded Mr.
Button, incredulously.

" High water in night. Big rain in mountains. Now
him low again. See ! "

The evidence was indisputable. There Vvas a mass of
drenched sticks and leaves left stranded on one of the
larixe l)oulders near which the ark of their safetv liad been
moored. All rememljered that the top of the rock had
been bare and .smooth the nii-iit before.

One source of dread, then, was removed. In much
better .spirits than at lirst, the leader gave orders to
prepare Ijreakfast.

Here again trouble immediately arose. Hugh's rod.
line, and reel were on the ill-fated raft. Fortunatelv, his
small w^allet of flies was in his pocket. Three spare
lengths of snell were found tucked away in it. Oiie of
these the boy knotted on to a piece of twine, which little
Nat produced from lih pocket. A willow rod was quickly

150

TUE llED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

cut from a thicket lining the river hank; and, by stand-
iiig on the boulders, well out toward the centre of the
stream, Hugh found he could make a tolerable cast. He
first tried a brown hackle. Finding that nothintj; rose,
he changed it for a red ibis. At the third cast there was
a splash among the eddies of the stream, and the rod bent
almost double.

The strain came so quickly that the fisherman lost his
l)alance and plumped fairly into the river. Fortunately,
^'he water was not deep, and the plunge resulted in notli-
ing Avorse than an extremely cold before-breakfast dip.
Teddy rushed to the rescue, and, after ten minutes' care-
ful manoeuvring, — for Hugh was too thorough a fisher-
man to throw away the chance of killing a fine fish just
for a ducking, — they managed to land the game.

It proved to be a splendid salmon, weighing at least
six pounds. Hugh was proud enough when he scramljled
up the bank bearing tlie big fish, his beautiful gra}' sides
glittering in the sunlight.

Meanwhile, Rob had been in no less luck. Within
twenty rods of the camp, he had started up a rabbit, and
Ijauired him at the first shot.

OCT

'• Good for you, my l)oys ! " exclaimed the ex-manu-
facturer, as the two purveyors came into camp almost
sinudtaneously. " There's not much danger of starving
while vuu are on the commissariat ! "

Teddy, who had a wonderful knack of cooking, pre-
pared some Ijroiled slices of salmon in fine style. And,

NAT'S SHAGGY PUP.

151

though tea and coffee were among the lost stores, the
whole party declared they had never sat down to a better
breakfast than Teddy's salmon, some hard biscuit, which
luckily had been brought ashore, and glacier water from
the river.

As soon as the meal was over, preparations were made
for an immediate start.

" First of all," said Mr. Button, '• let us know exactly
what we have for provisions and other baggage. Ted,
take up one thing at a time, and let me write them
down."

The list, when complete, was as follows : —

Two Winchester rifles.

One Billiard shotgun.

Two hundred cartridges for the former, and half that
number loaded paper shells for the Ballard.

About forty-eight pounds pilot-bread.

About one-half peck Indian meal.

About one pint salt.

Two cotton-drilling tents.

One mosquito-bar tent.

Every one of the party had a pocket-knife, and two
had small tin dippers on their belts. Mr. Dutton pro-
duced his compass, which was now to be their guide, in
company with the river, to Fort Selkirk.

The two Indians packed and shouldered the tents, and
the provisions were distributed as fa.irly as possible among
the rest, according to their strength.

■ns

? !

152

THE REl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA,

'• Forward — march ! " called Mr. Diittoii, cheerily.
Joe went first, and Jim brought up the rear, the rest
trailing along between.

For an hour or more, no great difficulty was experi-
enced. They kept along the height of land within hear-
ing of the river, following patiently all its wayward
crooks and turns. At length, however, they began to
come upon fallen trees in greater and greater al)un-
dance.

Now, the hardest possible tramping in wild lands is
where growing timber has fallen and died with its limbs
sticking out in every direction. This kind of a district is
called " slash," and is as far as possible avoided by
hunters.

Tlie Indian in advance stopped, dodged about here and
there, and tried every possible chance of an escape or
detour : but it was of no u «' : tlirough the timber their path
lay, and through it they nuist go. There had been large
forest fires there at some time within the last generation,
and the bleached or charred trunks i)rotruded mournfully
from the entangled mass of underbrush. Hour after hour
the weary travellers toiled over and through this ten-ible
chevaux-dc-fnse. Their clothes were torn, thinr limbs
bruised, and tlieir feet aching. Oftentimes they would
step from a slippery log and sink in a slough, covered
with treacherous moss, up to the waist. The mosquitoes
— those ever present torments — fairly swarm in tliis
hraU, as the French-Canadian hunters call the burnt

NAT'S SHAGGY PUP.

153

district. Poor Carlo's eyelids were swollen l)y the bites
of the ravenous little insects so that he could hardly see.

Not more than eight miles had been traversed when Mr.
Button began to look about for a camping-place for the
night. A clump of boulders, exquisitely draped with
ferns, showed itself above the desolate tract of white
trees, about half a league ahead.

Upon its summit was a little grove of spruces, fresh and
green, a refreshing sight in the midst of such dreary
wastes of dead timber. Toward this knoll they pressed,
gaining strength at the sight, like horses headed for
home.

As they advanced, the passage of the fallen trees actu-
ally became less arduous. No one noticed this, however,
until Teddy exclaimed : —

"• Faith, isn't it good, then, to git into a rale path ag'in I
Sure, I'd forgotten the looks o' wan. I had."

\iy a simultaneous impulse the whole train halted in
their tracks, and looked at the voung Hibernian as if he
were crazy.

" 1 said it's a path we're in." he reaffirmed, stoutlv.
*' If ve don't belave it, look fer verselves. D'yer see the
branches broken off, iest bevant ?

Again, as cme uian, they looked at the point indicated,
and then at the uround at their feet. Teddy was riuht
this time. They had struck, without knowing it,. a trail
— unmistakable, though faint.

*' The question is," said Mr. Dutton, breaking the

154

rilP: ItED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

silence, " wlietlior we are deliberately walking into
another Indian village."

Something as near a smile as ever lights an Indian
face agitated the stolid features of the two guides.

" Do you think it is an Ayan trail ? " asked the leader,
not noticing the flicker of merriment in the faces of the
two Indians.

Joe merely shook his head, but John solved the prob-
lem with one word, —

'' Bears ! "

Teddy's cheeks grew pale under his freckles.

'' Snre, is it to them bastes we'll be afther comin' all
this way ! " he muttered, glancing in every direction.

He did not have much time for reflection, however.
At that moment the expedition emerged on a small open
spnre. in the centre of which was a pool, surrounded by
low. l)oggy banks. The trees near by had mostly fallen,
and lay about in all stages of decay. But it was not this
that arrested the attention of our friends.

A little to one side, not far from the " path," were
three animals, busily engaged in pawing and pushing over
the prostrate trunks and roots in search of larvte. Now
nnd then one would run out his tongue and pick off a
delicate morsel. No bevy of school children, off on a
picnic, gathering l)lue})erries, could have enjoyed them-
selves more heartily than these great, furry creatures.
For, beyond a doubt, they were good-sized brown bears,
everv one of them.

NAT'S SHAGGY PUP.

155

The moment the two parties saw each other, Teddy's
voice was ra»ised in a cry of terror ; and the three hears,
without waiting for a further introduction to the stran-
gers, wheeled about and dashed into the hnde at the
top of their speed. It was well known to Mr. Dutton
that the bears of the Northwest, while extremely danger-
ous if broiiLi'lit to bay or surprised at close quarters, always
obey their tirst instinct to run, when they can get the
vchance.

Convinced that there was no further danger from their
ursine neighbors, he gave the word to advance ; and an
hour later the green oasis was reached in safety. It was
elevated about sixty feet from the surrounding plateau,
and was nearly a quarter of a mile from the river, whose
rushing waters could be jolainly heard. At the summit
of the mound was a broken heap of large rooks, among
the crevices of which grew the little spruces that had
escaped the fire, or sprung up since its date. It was
plain that the whole hill was a mere pile of boulders, cov-
ered ages ago with moss, decaj^ed wood, and slowly form-
ing forest mould, thus affording sustenance for the ferns
and larger growths upon its rugged sides. Nat soon
s])ied a sheltered cranny among the rocks, large enough to
.•H'conunodate the whole party, and here they resolved to
camp for the night. At the base of the knoll was a
spring of delicious cold water, the ground round about
sliowing marks of many generations of bears, caribou, and
moose, who had slaked their thirst from its clear depths.

156

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

Strips of salmon were soon sizzling most appetizmgly
over the fire, the mosquito-bar was thrown over the rocks
in such a way that any one not actually employed could
shelter himself from his noisy little foes. Overhead, the
dark spruces ..L. etched their protecting arms.

While the other boys were deep in consultation whether
to turn the salmon, and the older members of the party
were getting water, unstrapping tlie packs, and recon-
noitring the !.L iToundings. Master Nathaniel took it into
his head to explore the snug niclie, among the boulders,
which they had selected for a bed-room. He scrambled
up, therefore, over the slippery spruce needles and jagged
rocks until he reached wliat seemed to be the end of the
cave or shelter, formed by the overlapping stone. But
no ! a cluster of Ijroad-leaved ferns had concealed a fur-
ther opening. The boy pressed forward eagerly, and
squeezed himself through the narrow passage, wliich pres-
ently grew wider, until it exi)anded into a sort of inner
cave. The further end of this subterranean chamber was
a triile lighter, as if there were another entrance in that
direction ; ]jut where Nat was it seemed dark as night.

The little fellow liad hardly gained his feet, after the
scramble on hands and knees, when a queer sound caught
his ear. It was a low, wheezing, snarling noise, witli
now and then a sort of hoarse squeal, like that of a pig
with a very bad cold.

Nat's curiosity was aroused. As his eyes became accus-
tomed to the dim liglit of tlie cave, lie perceived a wrig-

NAT'S SUAGGY ITP.

157

gliiig iiiound of grayish black fur. At first he thought
Carlo had made his way into the cave ahead of him ; but
a moment's observation convinced him of his error. It
was not a shaggy Newfoundland, venting his displeasure
so inhospitably in the corner. There were plainly tvut
animals, whatever they were, making the uncouth noises,
and showing their little white teeth at the intruder.

Now, Nat, as we have seen, was a strangely courageous
boy. He absolutely did not seem to know what fear
meant. He always acted as if he knew his father were
close at hand, and that no evil could possibly befall him
so long as he behaved well and did as he would be done
by.

When he saw the furry pair on the leaves in the
corner, he was by no means alarmed, but, advancing,
began to speak to them coaxingly, holding his hand out
as he did so.

The little creatures, after all, did not seem disposed to
be hostile, but rather cuddled up to the boy with con-
tented little whines and grunts. Nat's heart was won at

once.

'"• Thev nmst be little dogs!" he said to himself.
'' There are wild-cats in the woods, I've heard Joe say ;
and why shouldn't there be wild dogs as well ? "

It then occurred to his active brain that one of them
would make a good play-fellow for Carlo — at least over
night. If he wanted to go back to his nest in the morn-
ing he could.

158

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

Accordingly, Nat stepped out to the farther end of the
cave, and was delighted to find that an easy and well
worn path led out into the open air, over a fern-draped
rock, from which he did not doubt he could easily climb
up to the camp.

Retracing his steps, he lifted the smaller of the two
puppies, as he called them, in his arms. The animal was
bigger than he thought, and proved to be about all the boy
could lift. Although he seemed very young and helpless,
his claws were remarkably sharp, and in the course of a
minute or two had inflicted one or two painful scratches
on his captor's wrists.

'• Well," exclaimed Nat, out loud, '' I never in my life
saw such a heavy puppy ! "

There were bones scattered here and there about the
mouth of the cave.

"That's where the father and mother dog have had
their suppers," thought Nat, pausing to take breath.

To return for a few moments to the rest of the party:
they all were so busily engaged in performing their
various tasks that they did not for some time
notice the absence of the youngest member of tlic
exjjedition.

Mr. Dutton walked down to the river bank, in a vain
hope of catching a glimpse of the lost raft. The terrible
exertions of the day's walk showed him what a journey
was ahead. He could hardly hope to ivach Fort Selkirk
inside of ten days. Could the boys, young and unaccus-

•9

"A (iKIZZLY CUB. * DROP IT, NAT ! ' "

I PI

! i\

yAT'S SHAGGY PUP.

lt)l

toined to hardship as they were, endure the fearful strain ?
IJesides, what if they reached the fort, as now seemed
inevitable, too late to connect with his brother and wife ?
'i'rue, it had been agreed that, in absence of any letter or
sign at the trysting-place, either party reaching it alone
sliould wait for the other, if it took all summer. But
what if the Sitka expedition should fancy, by some sup-
posed traces or by false advices, that he and the boys had
gone on. down-stream ?

The n»ore poor Mr. Dutton thought about it, the worse
he felt, and the more bitterly he upbraided himself for
taking his family upon such an unheard-of trip. His best
tools and half his provisions were swept away. Yes, and
a large package of lu-^ifer matches, which had been left on
the raft that unluckv night. Without sure means for a

t CD

fire, witliout provisions, without ammunition, — how long
could sucli a large party sul)sist at Fort Selkirk, a mere
patch of blackened ruins in a tract of country as desolate,
save for wandering tribes of Indians, as if it had been
smitten l»y a plague ?

Mr. I>atton buried his face in his hands, and groaned
aloud. His anxiety and self-reproach seemed almost more
than he could bear, as he turned his weary stops back
towards tiie camp, where he must speak cheerfully, and
keep up the spirits of the rest.

Hugh and Rob were entirely absorbed in a discussion
over the cooking of the salmon. Hugh maintained that
it should b(^ laid on a previously heated rock, and so

162

TJIK liEl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

> ill

! i

bilked. Robert was in favor of roasting or broiling on a
spit, Indian fashion.

Joe came back from a sliort excursion into the forest,
with both hands full of what appeared to be small green
bulbs.

Teddy, as chief cook, gave the vegetables a dignified
snitf. Then his features expanded with delight.

'• Hooray ! " he shouted. *• Sure, it's ingyuns ye have ! "

Onions they were — small, to be sure, at this season,
but with the " rale tang to 'em," as Teddy announced.

Jim had taken the Ballard with him, and now joined
the campers, throwing down at their feet as he did so a
fine ptarmigan, such as abound in south central Alaska,
and the adjoining province.

'• Shtuffin' fer the bur-rd ! " ejaculated Ted, feasting his
eyes on the suddenly accumulated stock of provisions, in
anticipation of the morrow's breakfast.

'• Where is Nat ? " suddenly asked Mr. Button, looking
round him.

" He climbed up those rocks just now, sir," answered
Hugh, his whole being concentrated on the slice of salmon
browning odorously over the blaze.

Mr. Button was not satisfied, and sprang up to the
highest point of the bluff, calling, '* Nat ! Nat!" Pres-
ently he heard an answer, just below him.

Nat had found the big, shaggy '"puppy" a hard lug,
and nothing but real Button pluck kept him from drop-
ping his heavy, squealing, struggling burden.

5.«j^^r/<r,.«*«i«V';^gn:-'.

NAT'S SllAQCY I'll'.

163

a
II

Up he mounted, umcli out of hreutli. All at once lie
heard his father's shouts.

'• Here 1 am. papa," he answered, looking up.

At the same moment the father's eyes ftjll on the ani-
'ual in his boy's arms. The man's face al)solutely hlaiu^hed
with terror. The two Indians gained his side, and from
the three men came a confused medley of cries that smote
on the boy's ears as he tugged away at his load.

•• A (jt'izzly cub ! A <jrlzzhj ! Drop it, N(U ! JJrop it,
for your life ! "

CHAPTER XIV.

TO THE RESCUE !

GRIZZLY, a grizzly cub ! " re-
peatod Joe and his mate. " Come
\ quick, Nat I The old one must
be near."

Nat mu.st have failed to catch
the import of their cries, for he
still toiled upward, despite the
warning gestures of tlie men, and
the renen'cd struggles of the cub.
Mr. Diitton. in an ;i<ii:onv of dread lest he .should be too
late, started down to meet the lad. He had hardly cleared
the first boulder when a hoar.se panting was lu'ard by all,
and a crashing among the underbrush at the foot of the
knoll. Tile noise ceased as suddenly as it l)egaii. and the
anxious fatluM- IioimmI for a moment that the danger was
past. He reached Nat's side in safety, almost tore the
cub from Lis arms, laid the animal down on the ground,
and, catching up his son without a word, started for the
camp.

As he did so, a low, deep growl came from below,
together with a renewed trampling of dry twigs and

1U4

L»

TO THE rescue:

16.")

re-

buslies. Then, perhaps for the first time, Nat realized
wliat he had done. The she-bear, having entered her den
and discovered the absence of one of her twins, was
retnrning and charging fiercely up tlie hill on their trail.

In another moment her head and shoulders appeared,
and then her whole huge form, as she scrambled up the
rough hillside with marvellous rapidity.

On reaching her cub, she paused and licked it ; then
lifted her head and looked up irresolutely after the
retreatiu"' forms of her unwelcome visitors.

Robert, by this time, had gained a good position, rifle
in hand ; but Joe told him not to fire unless the life of
his father or brother should actually be hi peril. It often
takes a dozen well placed balls to kill a full-grown
grizzly, and the risk of merely enraging her was too
great.

The shaggy mother, relieved at finding her offspring
safe, now renewed her maternal attentions to it : and
soon, her natiu'al affections mastering her anger, she pro-
ceeded to trundle it along home, partly lifting it by the
back of the neck, like a gigantic kitten, partly pushing it
with her huge paws, of which an ox might well have
stood in terror. As Mr. Button reached the sunnnit of
the knoll, the grizzly disappeared among the wilhjw scrub
at its base.

The Indians earnestly counselled that the bears should
not b(^ a[)proached. They believed that, if they were not
disturbed, the she-bear would not leave her young to

r d 'w '

! a

166

THE liED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

attack the camp. Ami the chance of killhig lier, in ca^o
of a fight, without injury to some of the party, was very
small. '

The resnlt proved that the guides' reasoning was cor-
rect. A. watch was k^pt up during the night, but noth-
ing more was heard from the ursine neighl^ors. Early in
the morning, the party •• folded their tents like the Arabs,
and as silently stole away."

It was very rare, Joe informed them, that a irylzzly cub
was still so small at that season. They arc usually born
m January or February, and by the time midsummer
arrives are able to sliift for themselves.

It would be tedious to follow our friends in tlieir lono-.
wearisome tramp througli the forest. At the end oi the
tenth day. Hugli. looking down from a higli ),lulf by
the river's bard., beheld a sight that made his'heart beat
with delight.

His shout of joy called the rest to his side.

'' The raft ! The raft ! " he cried, pointing to a l)end
in the river just below.

Sure enough. tluMv was the old craft, grounded high
and dry. one end of it at least on a nuid bani<. All
liands rushed down, jind, not without more or less wet-
ting, chnnbcred on board.

Not one arti<-]e „f their belongings remained on the
raft, except a rusty axe. Kve.y other scrap had been
swept away by fl,„,d. wind, or wild bensts.

The raft was in t,>lerably good repair, and, with the

TO THE RESCUE :

167

aid of the axe, the men soon had it fitted out for another
voyage.

'• A long push, a strong push, and a push all together ! "
shouted Robert. The stubborn old raft moved inch by
inch, then slid off the bar. and floated grandly away once
more, bearing its little band of adventurers, young and
old.

In due time they arrived at Fort Selkirk. They
landed eagerly, and searches! about for traces of their
friends, the date Ijeing July 14. or four days beyond that
appointed for the meeting.

Traces there were in abundance, but no letter. A
violent storm, of which they had experienced but the
edge, had evidently passed over the place not long before,
and nearlv obliterated the tracks of the visitors. But
.loe and Jim had sharp eyes, and they presently pointed
out to Mr. Button .iie little heel-prints of the ladies, as
well as the firmly delined marks left by the lieutenant's
lioot. There were numerous other tracks, seeminglv
older than tiiese. which the uuidcs did not understand
One thing was plain : tlic salt-water branch of the expe-
dition had reachcil the spot. and. without waiting even
one night, iiad contimied tluMr journey — ])resumal)ly
down the Yukon, whose waters, increased at this point by
the whole mass of the swift Pclly. rolled downward
toward the sea in a broad, turbid flood. Whv the lieu-
tenant had de})arted i^o hastily, witliout leaving any mes-
sage, was something Mr. Dutton could not comprehend.

1U8

THE RED MOUNrAIN OF ALASKA.

Still, there had doubtless been so.ne good reason, and the
party would probably be found encamped near by

Having reached the site of the fort in the early evening
the travellers spent the night near the blackened chimnej-s
and next morning took raft once more, full of expectation
ot meetnig their dear ones soon.

For two days, however, nothing was seen of then)

At the end of the third, a faint sound of nmskets was

heard -welcome break in the silence that had reigned so
long.

Half a mile more by river bro,,gl,t them into the very
midst of a stirring scene: A raft, mnoh like their own
but shghtly larger ; three women and several men n|xm"
It ; smoke and flashes of fire issning fron. the n.uskets of
the latter. On either shore, skulking hehind trees, dark
ugly iorms. that could be no other than Indians.

" To the rescue ! " shouted the boys, lustily, bearing
down upon the expedition and the craft that had thus
been brought to bay.

CHAPTER XV.

UNDER THE EAliTH.

|RS. BUTTON had barely time to draw Flossie
into the shelter of one of the chinuieys of the
old fort, still standing, when the storm burst
upon them in all its fury. The men occupied themselves
in covering the goods on the raft, and making everything
fast. The wind increased in violence from moment to
moment, and the rain came down in torrents.

Fortunately, there remained the greater part of the fire-
place, at the base of the chinuiey. It was as larg" as a
fair-sized bedroom would be in oiu' own part of the coun-
try. Evidently, the early traders had intended to keep
warm during the long, terrible winters of the North, where
even the Indians do not venture far from their huts, and
the desolate forests and bare, mossy plains are left to the
undisputed reign of the moose, the wolf, and the cariljou.
Although the rain trickled down the sides of the chim-
ney, the dismayed little company in the old fireplace soon
perceived that the small rivulets finding their way over
the rough bricks did not increase in size. They afterward
learned that the fur-traders had an ingenious contrivance.

KiO

170

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

\ %'

consisting mainly of a large stone slab at the top of the
c nnney which eo„M he elosed at will during the s.„nn.e.,
» l.e . only ran, fell, and the fire below was not needed

The nnned fireplaee. therefore, was far from bein. an
..neon, ortahle shelter f.-on, the storm, and, had not H,eir
hea,.. been heavy with disappoi„t,nent and app,.el,ensio„.
the hreewo,nen_it we count little Flossie as sueh-
would l,a^■e really enjoyed the fun.
Hon- the wind did roar about the .-ugged old chimney!
lo,ved down the Hue in t.nnpet tones, and died away
... doleful n„„.,„„,« .,,.„„,„, „,, f^„, ^^ J

boa en trees that told of the little settle.nent once n,al 1
Its Jiome there. '^

"Here comes uncle." exclahned Floss ; " I'm so glad ' "

The ,.est of the n,en took shelter as best they .ni^ht

«..cler canvas and in the lee of rocks and ruined tails': '

^^el I wel. sard Lieutenant Dick, whose spirits had

nsen under the excite.nent of the stor.n and the work of

S;."^, , :' ''«^^'=" "'"'"■ '=°™'' " tl.is isn't so bad.

He stooped, slightly, under the cross-bar where a man-
te! l^d once been, and stood upright with the others
• Oh. Riehard, do you suppose we .shall ever find them ' "
■ -Fu,d the,,, ?-of course we shall ! They can't ha^-e
gone a,., and „,y n,en say the faeks he,-eabouts we,-e '
mndc by Ind.ans. who v.e,. p.-obably canoeing down the
Yukon There are half a dozen villages on the banks,
and notliing conld be more natural."

1.1

UNJ^Kli THE EAliTII.

171

'•But they may have taken my bqys ])risoners — my
husband — " Mrs. Dutton covered her face and sobbed.

'• Nonsense, Ella ! " said Dick, with energy. '• I tell you
the other party nmst liave gone down at least two days
ahead of the rest. There isn't a hoot track among 'em."

'• But how can we ever find them ? "

'Oil; they'll go down-stream a piece, and then camp.
They can't go beyond Fort Yukon, any way, for that's the
l)oint where we leave the river, and John hasn't a ghost
of an idea where to go to strike the mountain."

'" We'll find them, we'll find them I " cried Floss, who
was too young to remain sad o^■er the future for more
than five minutes at a time. "What a funny old place
this is ! " she added, poking over a heap of dry grass and
leaves with her foot. '' Why, something wiggled ! "

She stooped and began to brush away the leaves.
*' Look, look, mamma ! " she cried, excitedly. '-An iron
ring, just like the Arabian Nights ! "

The other members of the group now became interested,
and the lieutenant got down on his hands and knees to
help pull aside the rubbish.

A few minutes' hard work cleared the surface of a
broad, flat rock, reaching from the side of the fireplace
out some three feet toward the centre. It was blackened
by the mass of cinders and charred wood and bricks that
had long lain upon it, but the outline could l)e clearly
made out. In the centre was an iron ring, about four
inches in diameter, let into a circular groove neatly hewn

172

niE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

i •

out of the face of the slab for its reception and partial
concealment. Tiie ring was covered and eaten into by a
thick layer of rust, and when Mr. Button piied it out of
its socket, and endeavored to raise the slab, the iron,
nearly cut through by the rust, broke witli such sudden-
ness that the lieutenant sat down hard, at the feet of the
startled Chloe, whose eyes had been growing rounder at
every new development.

" Laws, massa ! " she cried, her teeth chattering with
dread and the chill dampness of the place. •■ d-don't go no
furder. Dat's an orful place, dar. Nobody knows what's
in under dat stone. 'Pears like sumfin '11 jump up at us,
jes' so soon as dat stone comes otf."

Dick added to the black woman's dismay by stamping
on the slab, which o;ave out a dismallv hollow sound.

•• Don't you be afraid, auntie," said he, good-naturedly,
seeinu: that she was reallv terrified by the combination of
the storm, the strange land, and the mystery beneath
their feet. " This is nothing but a sort of private cellar,
1 reckon, where those old Russians kept their wines and
other property they didn't care to have their coppery
neighbors ";et hold of."

•' And when the door was covered with ashes," added
Flossie, who felt the importance of a first discoverer, '• of
course no one could ever find it."

There was a delightful sort of Captain Kidd flavor about
the whole thing, however, which urged them all to make
further investigations. At the same time, each one felt

UNDER TIIK EMIT 11.

173

an unaccountable sense of aversion and distrust regarding
that cellar. Looking around the circle, they read the
same expression in one anotlier's face.

" Nonsense ! " exclaimed Dick, answering the look.
" What are we afraid of ? Chloe's talk has made geese
of us. It is dark, though I "

The clouds grew blacker, and the wind steadily rose in
fury, until it fairly lashed the little peninsula and the
frothing waters of the river beyond. The lieutenant
drew a small pocket-lantern from his coat, unfolded it,
and lighted the candle. Contrary to his expectations,
the yellow light, mingling with the cold gray gloom from
outside, but increased the cenness of the situation and
the unpleasant sensations they had all felt.

As he hesitated what to do next, he struck his heel
sharply again on the groove in the slab, where the ring
had been. The blow broke the stone squarely in the cen-
tre, and the two pieces fell in with a crash. The stone
itself was not over an inch thick, and was merely a fire-
proof protection for an under-layer of planking, now
worm-eaten and decayed.

A peculiar nnisty scent arose from the hole as they
bent over it. Dick remembered having somewhere cauglit
the same odor : at first he could not recall it ; then he
remembered that it was at the reopening of a long dis-
used tomb, which he had watched with boyish curiosity
and awe twenty-five years before. The recollection was
not a pleasant one, and for a moment the United States

174

THE RED MOUNTALX OF ALASh'A.

officer heartily wisliod that his niece had found other
employment for her little fe^et than uncovering this un-
canny aperture gaping below.

" Well," said he, at length, trying to throw oft' his ner-
vousness, which lie felt to be unmanly, '• shall we enter?"

The uncerta;in flame of the candle threw a fitful light
into the opening, and at first disclosed nothing. When
Dick kneeled by the side of the hole, and held his little
lantern as far down into it as possil)le. there could only
be made out a small, square apartment, like a dungeon,
rudely walled in with uncut rocks, and ceiled with tim-
ber. The two halves of the stone slab lay where they
had fallen, just beneath the opening, on the earthen
floor.

" It's quite empty ! " announced the lieutenant, in a tone
of relief. *" We had all our trouble for nothing."

" But, uncle," interposed Florence, who had been
screening her eyes from the flame of the lantern, '^ what
do you call that dark place over in that corner ? Isn't
that another opening in the wall ? A doorway to some
place beyond ? "

Dick .scrutinized the spot, and wished the young lady
with sunny hair was in — Sheldon.

Beyond a doubt, it ivas a door. Beyond a doubt, Dick
Dutton was called upon, under the circumstances, to pass
through it, and explore the shadowy vault beyond.

He tried to temporize.

" Why not wait till to-morrow ? " he suggested, weakly.

UNDER THE EAliTII.

175

'" If you don't go, Dick, I shall. I believe you're
afraid ! "

It was Ivlr8. Dutton who spoke, with a nervous l;iugh,
that betrayed her own state of mind.

The lieutenant prepared to descend. He felt they
would all regret ^he discovery they were to make. He
knew they would make it, nevertheless, before leaving tlie
ruins of ill-fated Selkirk.

" If I must — ! " he said, with a resigned air.

Near the broken stoni' lay some fragments of wood.
These, it appeared, were all that was left of a step-ladder
that had once formed a means of entrance to and tigress
from the dungeon.

" Hold the lantern, Flossie," said he, as he seized the
framework of the pit firmly, and let himself down.

The dungeon, or cellar, was about eight feet deep. He
dropped the last two feet.

" Wait," called Floss, peering down into the darkness ;
" I nmst come, too! "

Richard groaned in his sleeve, but obediently readied
up and lifted the girl down, lantern and all. It was ex-
ceedingly damp in the pit, and the close air gave them a
choking sensation.

'• For Heaven's sake, my girl, let's hurry ! " said the
officer, coughing violently ; " I want to get out of this."

'' Let me have the lantern," commanded his niece.
" There ! I'm going ahead the rest of the way."

She accordingly advanced cautiously to the opening in

nr,

THE liKl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

tilt' Willi, which seemed to indicate further opportunities
for exploration.

Her uncle humored her ambition for taking the lead,
but })laced himself almost directly at her side.

On passing the doorway, which was so narrow that
they could hardly squeeze through, they found themselves
in a sort of gallery, about five feet high and two feet wide.
Here they had to walk in single file, Florence preceding
her companion. The noise of the storm overhead had
now become only a faint, dull roar, like surf at a great
distance.

Dick knocked his head several times against projecting
roots or knots in the rough planks that only partially
lined the passage.

Stooping, and moving very slowly, they crept along,
following the gallery, w4iich had several sharp turns, for
fully two hundred feet. The air now became decidedly
more foul, and tlie lieutenant earnestly begged the girl to
go back and wait for him. But she was a Button, and
was determined to see the adventure through to the end.

The passage suddenly contracted still further, becoming
so low that it was with difficulty they walked at all.
They could not speak without violently interrupting
themselves by spasmodic coughing.

"Only a few steps more," gasped Floss. "Then, if we
don't find anything, I'll turn back."

Even the light seemed to grow dim, as they advanced.

Suddenly the gallery widened. They saw that they

UNDER THE EAR! a.

I t

were in another apartment, or cell, about the size of tlic
first. As Florence entered this room, and held her lantern
aloft, she uttered a shrill cry of terror, and, turning, hid
her face in her uncle's arms.

It was no ordinary sight that shook the girl's nerves.

The lieutenant felt a cold horror sweep over him as he
followed her glance to the furthest corner of the room.

There were two pieces of furniture — a rough deal table,
and a chair. In the cliair, with head sui)ported by its
hand, sat a skeleton, with its grinning jaws turned directly
toward the intruders.

The figure leaned against the wall, as well as the back
of the chair, and was thus kept in the position in which
death had come to the unhappy occupant of the dungeon.
Scattered over the table were two or three bits of paper,
yellow and mouldy.

A few rags* still hung about the bones of the hideous
figure, adding to its fearful aspect.

There were no indications of what had taken place
previous to the tragedy, slow or swift, which had been
enacted in that subterranean chamber of horrors, save a
shallow excavation in the floor, near the opposite wall.
. A pickaxe lay on the heap of earth beside it. The work
of digging seemed to have been abandoned on account of
a ledge which was just below the surface of the floor, and
which, while a deep crack had been made in it, or uncov-
ered, by the pick, had discouraged the poor creature whose
repulsive likeness alone inhabited the dreary place.

rr^

178

TUK RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

• I
I

i t

i f

.1 f

As soon as he could steady liis nerves, and could leave
the shuddering girl hy herself, at the entrance of the
gallery, the lieutenant proceeded to investigate.

Repressing his strong feeling of revulsion, he move'd
across the room, and satisfied himself that this was really
the end of the passage. The sound of the tempest was
now more indistinct than ever, by which he gathered that
they were farther below the surface than at any previous
point in their walk.

The room had evidently not been meant for permanent
habitation. There was no apparent means for ventilation,
and no arrangement for eitlier cooking or sleeping.
Rather, it might be a place of refuge in times of sudden
attack ; of concealment of valuable property, were the
safety of the fort threatened. Could that l)e the key to
the excavation ? Was the man engaged in burving a
hoard of treasure ? But, if so, why did he stop, and die ?
It could not have been a violent death, for that easy sit-
ting position would not have been taken.

All these thoughts flashed through the lieutenant's
mind as he gathered up the fragments of mouldy paper,
and tried to decipher them by the dim light of the pocket-
lantern. Nothing, however, could be made out, and he
stuffed the papers into his pocket for future inspection.

There was one piece of paper, yellow and tattered,
toward which Richard felt an overwhelming repugnance;
yet that might explain the man's errand in that dismal
burrow, and might disclose information that would be

A ■

* 8 ' ' '
■J

^-. — ^- ■*«i

i^\ i

mgm^&

'^^^ ■^.. / , .

i " ^

if.

ii»i. V. «^:,A'., ^ -■ '.jil i^' ^

^ '

IT WAS \(» (H;i»i\Ai;v sKiiri'.

rxDEii Tin: K.MiTii.

isi

highly important to the Diitton cxju'dition, or oven to i\\v
govennneiit.

Why (lid the brave lientenant hesitate to touch this
doeuiiient ? Becanse it was held in its place on the tabic
by a forefinger that elo(|nently lorbade meddling. Yet it
must be taken. It was taken.

Richard gave a sudden start as he held it up to the
light. The paper showed no handwriting, but faint tra-
cings of curved lines, and odd hgures like Egyptian hiero-
glyphics. At the lower left-hand rornei" was a character
like a triangle ; then a wavy line cros.sed by thn-e vertical
strokes. Just above these were three inverted K's, and
further over to the right were three objects looking some-
thing^ like suuar loaves. Various other dots an<l markins's
were to be .^een, the mo>t ominous of which was a [)lainly
defnied deaths-head in the ui>[)er light-haud corner.

I said that Richard started the moment his eve fell on
the tracing. It looked strangely familiar to him. Tlicn
he remembered.

*• I'ce.M'hci's ma)) I "he exclaimed, alond. '"The very
thing, line lor line I dust look lieic. Florence!"

Without not icini!; that she uave him no rei)lv. he con-
tinned his search about tlie room, preparatory to 1(m\ iii_
it. He felt sui'e that this placi' was in some way con-
nected with the objcrt of their search.

Turnin!"- from tin- table, his lo(»t struck lieavih" au^ainst
a box which he bad not beforr noticed. It was a com-

ii't.j

nion uroccrv Itox. and thr cover was nailed down. .\

(■

lH-2

TiiK i:i:i> MoiMAiy of Alaska.

> 1

! I

'f!

Iilow with liis boot het'l broko the lialf-fU-ciiyL'd l)oar(,l^,
and (lisclosotl the conleiil.s. They consisted wholly of
masses ol' i(jek. which sparkled in the light of the candle.
A second glance showed their color to Ijc a deei), glowing
crimson. Richard took one in his hand, and held it
nearer the lantern. Without a shadow of doiiht. it was a
magnificent specimen of cinnabar in the ore. The box
wa.s full of similar samples.

liichard tugued the box out into the centre of the
room, resolving either to take it out himself or send Pee.s-
chce for it on his retnrn to daylight.

All this takes a long time to tell, a shorter time for
vou to read. The actual occurrences were still more
brief, liichard had not been in the dungeon two minutes
when he stooped down for a final look at tlie ragged
excavation in the iloor. and the fractured ledge.

As he did so, his cough, which had troubled him more
or less ever since he had entered the narrow passauewav,
returne(l with redoubled violence. His brows throbbed
with a sudden pain. lie turned sick and faint. The cell
seemed to grow dark. Was be losing his .senses in this
fearful place V — oi' was it — look — l/ir laiift rii ! the lun-
krn !

Kven while the man rose dizzily to his feet, and tried
to collect his dazed senses, the tlame of the candle — not
yet half burned out — dwindled, dwindled, before };is
very eyes.

And now wbat is liiebard <loing? Is he going crazy?

UXDEli THE KAIiTII.

188

He snatches the little lantern up from the mound of loose
earth on which he has placed it, tears it open, and
dashes out the feeble remnant of flame, leaving the place
in total darkness.

Then he staggers over to the entrance of the passage-
way, where he last saw Florence, gasping: —

" Flossie ! Flossie ! Hurry ! We are lost if we wait !
Tlie Jive-damp is on us ! "

CHAPTER XVI.

A MYSTERY EXPLAINED.

IT cannot be denied that we deserted our gallant
officer in a most uncomfortable situation —
"'under fire," we might almost say

Had Lieutenant Button been obliged to spend many
momeuts n\ the old cellar-way under Fort Selkirk, witli
his sunny-tempered but headstrong little niece, it is quite
certani tliat neither of the two would ever have lived to
read this account of their subterranean explorations.

As Richard stjirted toward the door, he thrust his foot,
in the darkness, against the table. There was a crash as
the old piece of furniture went over, followed by a rat-
tling sound, like an armful of dry sticks falling on the
hard lloor. ITnder other circumstances, the thought of
what produced this singular noise would have unnerved
him ; but the man's mind was now wholly l)ent on rescu-
ing; the acirl, whose continued silence filled him with a
new fear.

He groped his way toward the exit, calling again : -
'" Flossie I Flossie 1 my dear child ! Where are you
No sound. Only the consciousness of that hideous heap

ls4

A MYSTERY EXPLAINED.

185

on the floor, over which he might stumble at any mo-
ment ; and the stifling carbonic-acid gas, or " fire-damp,''
which seemed fairly to have its clammy hands on his
throat.

After what seemed hours, he felt, with the joy of
a drowning man clutching a floating timber, the posts
that supported the doorway oi)ening into the long
gallery.

Moving cautiously along, he had not advanced a yard
in the new direction before he nearlv stumbled over an
obstruction in his path. Stooping, he felt the unconscious
form of Flossie, who had been unable to endure the poi-

sonous gas.

Richard put all his waning strength into a great effort,
and lifted the girl in his arms. As he stau-o-ered con-

o or?

fusedly along the passageway, bruising himself at
nearly every step, realizing only that two lives hung
on his powers of endurance, he tried to call for help, but
his throat would not respond.

And now, in spite of every effort, he felt his senses
leaving him, and I lossie slipping down from his grasp.

•• Helj) I help ! '' he gasped, in a husky whisper.

Hark I Was that a sound of footsteps in the passage ?
A rustliiii: of woman's clothing? In another niuiiient
Flossie was snatched from the lieutenant's failing grasp,
and a torrent of soft, almost incoherent ejaculations burst
out in the darkness.

" Dar, dar, my po' little Iambi Diet ye git tired.

III

186

THE liED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

h }

honoy ? Was y' almos' done suffiiiiicated ? Po' chile !
Conic T'l ycr ole iiiammy. bress yer lieart I Dar ! dar I "

The sounds grew fainter as tlie rescuing Chloe with-
di-ew, 1 tea ring Flossie, and evidently forgetting all about
her late comrade.

Relieved of his burden, the man felt new strength come
to him. The gas was not nearly as strong now, and he
could catch whiffs of fresh air from the opening ahead.

And now the Fox himself, the faithful Peeschee, came
hurrying into the passageway, and. with his arm around
his master, managed to assist him out to daylight and
life.

The Chilkats had already drawn Chloe and Floss out
of the pit, and Richard was soon pulled up after them.
Not ten seconds after he was extricated there was a dull,
cra>lung sound beneath them ; the earth settled slightly,
in a line toward the river, and a cloud of dust arose from
thf oi»ening in the fireplace.

Tlu'u they knew what had happened. The old timbers,
long ago worm-eaten and crumbling, had at some point
been jam.'d or i>uslied down by the passing footsteps. The
earth liad fallen ; and the whole, following like a river
behind a broken dam, had caved in, completely filling and
destroying tlic passage.

The Indians were employed for half an hour, as a mat-
ter of safety for futuin; visitors, in filling the entrance pit
with bricks, stones, moss, and clods of earth — the whole
smoothed over and covered with ashes, until not the

.1 MYSTKllV EXI'LAISKI).

187

slightest trace reiiiaiiied of the tra}) that had so nearly
proved fatal to the two adventurers.

Meantime the latter came fairly to their senses, and
soon were as well as ever, saving a pair of headaches and
a slight ijausea, accompanied hy a ringing in the ears.

The storm was still violent, l)Ut evidently ahating its
force.

" It's gomg to clear off soon," said Richard, looking up
at the sky with a knowing air, '• but we can't go any
further to-night., it's so late. We must have used up three
or four hours in this miserable business."

'• Dick," remarked Mrs. Dutton, quietly, '• how l(Dng do
you suppose you and Floss were underground, from the
time you jumped in to the moment when you were drawn
out through that trap-door?"

" I'm sure I don't know, Ella," looking rather surprised
at her queer tone. '• I haven't looked at my watch. Two
hours, I should think, at the very least. Perhaps more."

" I did look at my watch," said Mrs. Dutton, " for T
was anxious about you both. You were out of my sight
just six minutes and a half ! "

It was hard to ))elieve, but the evidence w^as conclusive.
It is a well known fact that a review of a whole life ma\'
pass through a man's mind in a hardly appreciable instant
of time. So it had been in this case.

They had arrived at the camp at about two o'clock in
the afternoon. It was now a quarter before four, the
surplus time havin^^ been occupied in securing the raft

18H

THE liEJJ MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

. '1

I I I

Si I

III

ami goods against injury, and in filling up the hole under
their feet.

By half past four the rain had ceased, the sun blazed
out with tropical fervor, and a glowing rainbow spanned
the sky.

"' En route ! " called the lieutenant, cheerily, bustling
about among the Indians, and urging them to the work
of resuming the voyage down-stream. Mrs. Dutton had
expressed her earnest wish to leave the fort, with its
unpleasant associations, and camp further down on the
banks Jie Yukon. Besides, she said, they would be
lessening the distance between the two parties, and every
mile of hill and dale made the separation harder to bear.

By five o'clock, the raft, with all the company on board,
swung off into mid-stream, and floated slowly downward,
past the mouth of the Pelly, down which the husl)and and
sons were really pursuing their toilsome journey. Bub
the dark hills gave no hint of the secret they held, and
the Pelly, the Upper Yukon, and old Fort Selkirk were
soon out of sight.

For two days they rafted down-stream. On the even-
ing of the second day they passed two Takheesh Indians
paddling up-stream. The Indians were friendly, and, on
being questioned by the Chilkats, informed them that no
party of whites had descended the river within the last
fortnischt.

ere

was
agai

poser. " Poor Mrs. Dutton was almost d

is-

■■■]

couraged again, and even the sturdy lieutenant hardly

A MYSTEIiV KXPLAISKI).

189

know liow to act. As they positively could not. however,
work the raft up-stream, they determined to <::o into com-
fortable quarters, and wait several days — a week. ;it
least — for the arrival of their friends, at the first spot,
which should show favorable indications as a camping-
ground.

The north bank of the river, for many miles below Fort
Selkirk, had presented much the same appearance as the
lower Hudson, a steep, columnar blulf playing tlu' i)ait of
the Palisades. The south shore was less bold, and invited
the voyagers to rest there during their enforced delay.
A site for the camp was accordingly selected near the
mouth of the Yuk-ko-kon Heena, or White River, who.se
swift, turbid waters poured down like a broad stream of
milk into the deeper Yukon.

The banks here were frozen some six or eight feet deep :
but their mos.sy surface was bright green, and at noon
each day the sun was intensely hot.

Here the expedition remained for four days, undis-
turbed save by one or two thunder-storms and mvriads of
gnats and mosquitoes. Lieutenant Schwatka. who passed
through the same region a dozen years later, declari's
that, when a netting is put up in these regions, two mos-
quitoes will hold the wings of a third flat to his sides, and
push him through the meshes !

While the raft was quietly resting at its moorings,
during these few days, Richard had ample opportunit}' to
examine the writings found under the fort. Of most of

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190

TUE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

the papers he could make nothing ; for not only was the
writing blurred and almost indecipherable by reason of
age, but the characters were of a sort which the honest
young officer had never set eyes on before.

" They're not Russian," said he, throwing down the
papers in despair before Mrs. Dutton and her daughter ;
" I'm sure of that. What those outlandish-looking square
things mean, with their dots and crosses, is more than I
can tell."

Mrs. Dutton pored over them in vain, and shook her
head.

"Let me see, mamma," said Florence, stretching: out
her hand languidly. She had not been wholly herself
since her adventure that so nearly proved fatal, and her
mother watched her pale face anxiously as she handed
her the mysterious manuscripts.

'• Why," she exclaimed, " these are not paper at all !
They're parchment, and I think — yes, I'm sure, the
writing is in Hebrew."

'• Why, how do you know that. Floss ? " asked the
lieutenant, scrutinizing each fragment w^th a new in-
terest.

'' Teacher once showed us the ' Lord's Praver ' in two
or three languages. She copied them on the blackboard
out of a book, and one of them was Hebrew. It looked
almost exactly like this."

As none of the party knew a word of the language, the
information didn't avail them much; although, as Dick

A MYSTERY EXPLAINED.

191

gravely remarked, it was " a great moral consolation to
know what language they w^ere written in."

•'T have it ! " he added, suddenly. "Let's call Pees-
chee into the council. That fellow knows a good deal
more than he's told yet, I'll warrant. T want to know
how he got hold of a duplicate of the map our — hem I —
quiet friend down below was guarding so carefully."

He pulled a crumpled bit of parchment out of his
pocket as he spoke.

The Indian was summoned; his stolid face changed
when he saw the map, and his teeth actually chattered
with fear.

'• W-where you git dat map ? " he stammered, pointing
with shaking linger to the stained parchment.

'' Never mind where I found it, my fine fellow." said
the other, sternly. "The question is, where did vou
get yours, and what do you mean by telling me you
made it?"

"I — I did make dat, master," chattered the Fox, look-
ing fearfully over his shoulder. " You no tell medicine-
man ? "

"There, there, Peeschee," said the lieutenant, more
gently, perceiving that nothing was to be gained by terri-
fying the man, " make a clean breast of it, and tell the
whole story. You've done something crooked, no doubt,
but I don't believe you mean any harm by us. No." he
added, seeing the Indian's frightened glance around. •• you
needn't be afraid of the party that owned that map. He

■ 'I

192

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

f I

won't trouble you Jiny more. He's gone to the Warm
Countr\' " (an Alaskan's idea of heaven).

The Fox, being thus reassured, told his " plain, un-
varnished tale " as follows. We will turn it into English,
rather than stop to puzzle over his broken sentences and
Indian idioms.

"It is true that I have seen the Great Red Mountain.
It lies there," pointing to the southwest. " It is true that
the only way to reach the mountain alive is by the map I
have made for you, a copy of the one on the parchment
there. It is true that the piece of red rock I showed you
came from the mountain ; it must be true, for the medi-
cine-man with the gray beard told me."

" So you have never visited the mountain yourself ?
You were lying to me when you told me that ? "

'• Listen, master ! "

Peeschee's gesture with the outspread palm had some-
thing of the native dignity that marks his red-skin
cousins of the lower latitudes.

" I have not visited the mountain myself. If I had
told you that, you would never have gone. When I was
a very small pappoose, my father was packing goods for
the great fur company. One day he wandered from the
trail. After a week of suffering, he came upon an Ayan
village, where he was kindly received. The medicine-
man took him into his own hut, and nursed him. He
was an old man, with a long, gray beard and hooked nose,
very, very terrible.

A MYSTERY EXPLAINED.

193

" My father soon heard that he was a descendant of
many generations of medicine-men in that tribe ; that
lie had in his possession many old pieces of skin, covered
with strange marks, that had been handed down from
father to son for many hundred years. The whole tribe
believed that when Alaska was made, and raised up out
of the ocean, the Ayans crossed the great waters from the
west, and took possession of the new land."

" The Lost Tribes of Judaea ! " shouted Richard, almost
upsetting the tent in his eagerness, as he sprang up and
paced to and fro. " Don't you remember, Ella, that one
of the theories of scholars is that the tribes crossed
Behring's Straits, and gradually changed their character
as they became more fitted to the climate, until they
were such men as we see now among the North American
Indians?"

"Yes," replied Mrs. Dutton, no less eagerly, "and I
noticed particularly that those two Ayans who camped
with us the first night had a strong Jewish cast of coun-
tenance. Go on, Peeschee! "

The Fox had waited quietly, during these exclamations
of surprise, and now continued.

" One night the old Long Gray Beard fell asleep before
his kettle, in which he was boiling herbs. One of those
strange pieces of skin lay near him, forgotten for the
moment. My father copied it exactly on a strip of birch
bark, using a black coal from the fire. Before the medi-
cine-man awoke, he had hidden this copy under his

!i Ti

194

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

blanket. "When Long Board was awake, my father asked,
' What does that mean ? ' He was studying the map. ' It
is the road to the Red Mountain,' said Long Beard, angrily.
' It is the house of demons and evil spirits, and no one can
reach it alive but the great medicine-man.' He then
snatched up the map, and put it in his pocket. The very
next day. Long Beard went off for many hours in his
canoe. While he was gone, my father found some red
rocks under a pile of blankets, in a corner of the hut.
He took only one," said Peeschee, drawing himself up
with pardonable pride at his father's moral bravery under
severe temptation. " When he went away, two daj's later,
he showed one of the tribe the piece of rock, and asked
him what it was. The Avan looked frigjhtened, and said
it was a piece of the Red Mountain, which could not be
visited by any living man. He added that it was worth
more than gold, but that it would surely bring death to
the owner. That is the piece of rock I gave to you."

" Cheerful prospect for the present owners ! " laughed
Richard, nervously, trying to shake off a presentiment of
coming evil, as he fingered the rock,<st that very moment
reposing in the bottom of his pocket.

'* When I was hunting," continued Peeschee, in conclu-
sion, '' I did see with my eyes the Red Mountain, as I told
you. I did not dare to go there myself," he added, hon-
estly. " When you saved my life, I thought : I will tell
him of the red rocks which are better than gold among
white men."

I if

sir.

A MrsTEUr EXP LAIS ED.

lu-

*' And your father ? "

" He died many years ago."

"Have you heard from the long-bearded medicme-

man?"

Peeschee could not repress another shudder. He simply
said, '' No."

" But how do you know this map starts at Fort Yukon,
as you said ? "

'' Because that," pointing, " is what the Indians make for
fort. That is a big wigwam, with smoke going up. You
have seen the big cliinnieys that made the smoke. The
next year the fort was burned."

" You think, then, that the medicine-man knew of the
mountain, through his old parchments, or skins, as you
call them ; and that he made this map himself ? "

" Yes," and Peeschee nodded several times vigorously.

"But why did the Ayans want to burn the fort?"

'' The medicine-men of all the tribes drove them to do
it. They told the Ayans the white men would take away
their trade in skins. They were mad because the white
men brought good medicines, that cured sick Indians
better than their own."

"And do you suppose your long-bearded friend ever
visited the fort before it was burned ? "

" Yes. The tribe lived on the Ay an River, just above
the fort."

" The Ayan — that's the river called Pelly now," mused
the lieutenant. " I hope John and the boys won't get

!■ i

198

Till': HE I) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

into any troublo up there. It's perfectly clear," he added
aloud. '' Old Gray ]5eard found out about that cellar,
which was probably built by the traders to store their furs
in, where they could be neither stolen nor injured, either
by Indians or elements. It probably was unfinished when
the fort was built. The crafty old . medicine-man, know-
ing he was closely watched in his own tribe, found out
about this cellar, got down into it some day when nobod\-
was round, taking a pickaxe from Russian stores in the
fort. Then carried his treiisures with him, intending to
hide them, like every old miser that ever lived, where
noljody could find them but their owner. While he was
digging, and planning future trips to his haunted Red
Mountain, the steel point of the pick struck open an
empty pocket in the ledge, reaching to a blast of that
fearful fire-damp. It only came out slowly, and I sup-
pose he didn't know what was the matter, but sat down
at the table to take another look at his precious docu-
ments. He never got up again from that chair."

" Do you suppose those Hebrew writings tell iibout the
mountain ?"

"' That's more than I know. The main point is that
the map is probably correct, and, if we have the pluck to
put this thing through, the Buttons are the wealthiest
faniil}' in the United States ! "

Peeschee now withdrew, but not till his master had given
his hand a hearty shake as a token of restored confidence.

The Indian's eyes glistened, but he said nothing;

CHAPTER XVII.

A REUNION.

■i

IT was now nearly a week beyond the day ap-
pointed for the rendezvous at Fort Selkirk, and
nothing had been heard from Mr. Dutton.
The lieutenant began to entertain serious fears as to the
safety of the inland party ; the more so when he heard
Peeschee's account of the hostility of the tribes of the
interior to any intruders upon their domain.

That there were Ayan villages or encampments both
above and below them on the river they knew. The
Chilkats went on daily scouting expeditions, and on sev-
eral occasions reported fresh trails of large parties of
natives, — whether peaceful or warlike they could not
tell.

Richard became decidedly impatient. He fretted be-
cause of the enforced inaction, the torment of the clouds
of mosquitoes that infested the banks of the river, the
bands of Indians hanging about the camp ; and last, but
not least, the state of Flossie's health. The girl seemed
suffering from a sort of malarial attack, for which the
most direct cure would be a trip into the mountainous

interior.

t99

«!f

200

THE llED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

Tliere was oiu; more apprehension, of wliich the lieu-
tenant ilid not speak to tlie rest of the party. By tlie
middle of Si^ptember the warm season would be over, and
snow would fall among the mountains l)y Oetober first, if
uot before. If they sliould be caught by the wintry
storms, and snowed in, their escape alive would be almost
a miracle. Whatever was to be done, then, must he
accomplished within about eight weeks at the latest, as it
was now tlie middle of July. Besides, the last vessels
going soutli from St. Michael's, at the stormy mouth of
the Yukon, would leave before the end of September. Cut
off from this avenue of exit from Alaska, the only alter-
native was a long and arduous struggle with the forest,
through an unknown country', directly south to William's
Sound. This last route was, moreover, almost impassable
on account of the enormous glaciers, wh.oli can be seen
for miles at sea, and which furnish the northern Pacific
with thousands of icebergs every summer, advancing down
the mountain-side, as they do, at the rate of forty feet a
day, or about twelve times as fast as the swiftest pace
attained by the great glaciers of Mont Blanc, — the
D> Boi,s and Mer de Glace.

Under the circumstances, great alacrity was necessary
to prevent their trip from being an utter failure, or to
escape from the wilderness with their lives.

The raft was now poled out to the lower end of one of
the little islands with which the river was dotted, and
the heaviest of the goods stowed upon it, so as to be

A liKryioN.

'2()\

ready for a start at half an hour's notice. Tlio Chilkats
had a rather hatterod and leaky canoe which tli.'y had
found stranded among the rank willows hy the water's
edge, and in this shaky little craft the goods and passen-
gers were conveyed across the mniow arm of the stream
separating the island from the south shore.

On the morning of the SL.enteenth day of the month,
the whole company were seat<^d r)ntside their tents, on
the high, ahrupt bai^.k of the river; not, however, over
ten feet above the surface of the water.

As usual, their conversation turned on the conjectural
whereabouts of their friends, and the length of time which
they should wait before giving up the undertaking and
floating down the Yukon to the sea,

Richard declared positively that he would not stir a stop
toward the mountain until he had his brother by his side.

" It seems to me," said Flossie, in her sweet voice, thit
now had a little weary inflection, " that I see somethino;
on the river, away up."

They all shaded their eyes with their hands, and gazed
eagerly. The view from this point covered at least two
miles.

" A raft, a raft ! " cried Richard, capering about like a
boy, after a single glance at the approaching object
through his field-glass.

The color rushed to Flossie's pale cheeks.

" Oh, is it papa ! and Rob and Hugh and dear little
Nat ! It can't be ! Oh, I feel better already ! "

III

202

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

:t ■i]i

Richard instantly discharged his rifle into the air as a
signal, but, before anything more could be said, the Fox
came hurrying up the river bank.

'• Bad Injuns comin';' he panted. " Woods all full both
sid< s river. Come to kill white folks. No stay here ! "

"To the canoe! To the canoe!" cried Richard, for-
getting the reenforcements at hand, in his fear of the new
danger. " Quick ! the island is our only chance. Jump
in, Flossie and Ella. Peeschee, paddle for your life ! "

" Get into the willows, girls ! " he shouted, as the
canoe, driven by Peeschee' s powerful strokes, foamed
through the water.

In an incredibly short space of time he was back again,
and off once mere with Chloe and the lieutenant.

As yet not an Indian liad been seen. The Chilkats
plunged into the water, and swam across to the island.

The tents and the few remaining goods were hurriedly
bundled into the canoe, and carried to the raft. Peeschee
pulled the canoe upon its stout logs, and dove for the
willows.

Still no sign of the savages. Richard began to hope
the Fox had for once mistaken a passing band of hunters
for a war party.

'• Perhaps we can get away quietly, and dodge the
whole crowd," he said to Peeschee, in low tones.

Then, after a careful survey of both banks, he called
the women out on the raft. The Chilkats stood ready
with their poles. Peeschee held the painter in his hand.

A REUNION.

203

"Cast off the moment the otlier raft comes in sicht
around the end of the ishmd," commanded Dick. " They'll
follow us " —

His confident remarks were cut short by a loud report
from the shore, and a musket ball imbedded itself in one
of the logs, just grazing the bare leg of the foremost
Chilkat. In an instant, as if by magic, the woods on
either bank fairly swarmed with dark forms.

The lieutenant, who had served through all the late
war, tossed his head up like a war-horse. Seizing his
Winchester, he sighted carefully on the nearest of the
enemies, who was just preparing to swim out from their
late camping-ground, and pulled trigger. The Indian
clapped his hand to his left arm, and howled with terror
and pain. At the same moment Peeschee picked off an
especially prominent assailant on the opposite shore.

And now a splendid volley, from three pieces, roared
out like an echo, as Raft No. 2 swept around the end of
the island.

" To the rescue ! " shouted the boys, waving their hats.

"Hurrah!" returned the lieutenant, rai.sing his piece
for another shot. But where were the living targets that
had thronged the shores but a moment before ?

Gone ! The forest was apparently as lonely and quiet
as it had been for weeks before. The cowardly foe had
melted away into its depths at the first fire. Even tli(>
man hit by Teeschee had picked liimself up and limped
off, with apparently only a flesh-wound.

204

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

I i ■'

Thankful that no lives were lost on either side, in the
little skirmish, Richard turned to greet the new-comers.

Down came the raft, the boys clustering eagerly in its
clumsy bows, and preparing for a jump.

The two unwieldy crafts bump and swing round. There
is a confused laughing and crying and kissing, all of
which the Chilkats look upon stoically, as they hold the
second raft in place with their poles. Carlo barks his
loudest, and "wags his tail all over," as Nat expresses it.
Even Chloe and Teddy are discovered in a wild embrace.

'• And now," calls Mr. Button, in his hearty voice, '' as
we are all united, through the mercy of Him who has
cared for us, — now we are ready to complete our trip I "

"Onward, then!" cries Uncle Dick, catching the
infection of enthusiasm.

"Hurrah for the Red Mountain!" cry the boys, in
unison, while Flossie waves her little hand and Chloe her
red bandanna.

" Cast off, Peeschee, but keep the other raft in tow ! "
orders Mr. Dutton, assuming command of the expedition.

The timbers tremble under the powerful thrusts of the
Cliilkat poles and the impulse of the river current as the
flotilla sweeps down-stream.

" Onward, to the Red Mountain ! "

CHAPTER XVIII.

A LESSON IN BRIDGE-MAKING.

HITS far we have followed the fortunes of the
Dutton party almost step by step. But. I hear
you say, what has become of Solomon, the
Yankee hunter and backwoods philosopher? It seems
to us that you have left him out entirely.

Not so, boy and girl readers ; Solomon has left himself
out. During the adventure at Fort Selkirk he was recon-
noitring the vicinity of the peninsula, regardless of rain
or lightning. He accompanied the lieutenant's party as
far as the White River camp, and, learning that they
had decided to wait there several days, petitioned for a
leave of absence. Solomon, like most of his countrymen,
was an uneasy mortal. He wanted to prospect a little,
he said, on his own account, nearer the mountains. He
agreed to meet them at Fort Yukon.

The long-limbed hunter was better than his word. He
joined the united party at their first camp below the
White River, and now the expedition was complete in its
quota of members.

The raft swept bravely down-stream without further
molestation from the Indians, who seemed to have been

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206

THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

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pretty thoroughly frightened. One or two viHages were
passed, but the inhabitants were all so busy with their
salmon-fishery that they paid but little attention to the
whites, probably thinking them a party of fur-traders
going out from the interior. The size of the company on
the raft was now such as to intimidate any ordinary band
of natives, no matter how warlike their inclinations.

On about tlie fifth day they knew they must be cross-
ing the boundary of Alaska ; in other words, the one hun-
dred and forty-first meridian west from Greenwich.
They were now fairly in Alaskan territory, and felt that
they were nearing their goal. Every night the larger
raft was moored to the lower end of an island, with its
more fragile consort, that of Mr. Button and the boys,
close at hand. The whole party slept on board, going
ashore only to cook, eat, and hunt.

The broad and dreary "' Yukon Flat Lands " were
now reached, where the river spreads out in a perfect
network of shallow, swift streams, cutting off hundreds
of islands, and measuring ten miles in width from bank
to bank. The greatest care was necessary, lest they
should take the wrong channel, and be obliged to abandon
the raft. Indeed, this very accident occurred to the
smaller craft, which got swept into a narrow passageway
between two sandbars, and presently grounded, sticking
so fast that it was useless to try to get it off before the
next freshet. Three of the remaining Chilkat packers
were now paid up and discharged.

A LESSON IN BRIDGE-MAKING.

207

They immediately started up-stream, to return on foot
over the Chilkoot pass. This left the following member-
ship on the large raft : Mr. Button, Mrs. But on. Lieu-
tenant Button, Robert, Florence, Hugh, Nathaniel, Chloe,
Teddy, Solomon, Joe and Jim; two Chilkats, of whom
one was a good interpreter ; Peeschee, and Carlo.

On the afternoon of the seventeenth day from White
River, the whole party said good-by to the old raft, and
landed with all their stores on the left bank of the Yukon.
They were now exactly on the Arctic Circle, wliich
runs through Fort Yukon at the extreme northern point
of the " Great Arctic Bend " of the Yukon River. They
did not visit the rough-looking buildings which consti-
tuted the trading-post, but struck directly into the
interior, heading due south. As they were now to travel
entirely by Peeschee's map, it will do no harm to take a
fresh look at it, that we may follow them intelligently
during their wanderings in the trackless wilderness, —
the chosen home of the moose, the caribou, the wolf, of
countless numbers of bears, and, as the native Alaskan
devoutly believes, of spirits, who guard the higher moun-
tain peaks against intrusion.

The map was arranged with the north and south points
exactly reversed : that is, the bottom of the map is north,
and the top south ; of course, east and west change places
accordingly. This must be carefully borne in mind in
tracing the journey.

Starting from the lower left-hand (or northeast) corner,

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THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

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at which point the rude representation of a wigwam, with
smoke ascending, stood for Fort Yukon, the party took
the east bank of a little stream for a mile or two, then
struck off to the right, where a natural ravine, probably

A— ii--"-) «!

the path of an ancient glacier, plainly corresponded to
the route traced on the chart. Peeschee indicated to the
lieutenant as well as he could that, from what his father
had told him, the whole distance marked out was not far
from three hundred and fifty miles. Of this there was
one section where over a hundred miles could be made in

A LESSON IN BRIDGE-MAKING.

209

twenty-four hours, by rafting down a swift and deep
river. The lieutenant made a rough guess at proportions,

and marked a scale of miles on the margin of his map

as the reader can do if he likes. On Richard's map he
allowed about forty miles to an inch.

The second day passed without special incident. Al-
though there was no defined trail, the walking was far
easier than Mr. Button had found it along the Pelly.
Peeschee seemed to choose by instinct the exact route by
which the original draughtsman of the strange map had
found his way to the great peak of cinnabar.

In the forenoon of the third day, a new sound fell
upon their ears. It was a dull roar, like that of a pass-
ing railway train.

Solomon was the first to notice it.

The party halted and listened.

" Ef I was in any kind of a decent country," remarked
the hunter, after a momentary silence, '' I should guess
we were comin' to a waterfall, an' a mighty big one at
that."

Peeschee nodded several times intelligently, and pointed
to the vertical marks crossing the trail on the lieutenant's
map. He then scrambled on ahead with the utmost
agility, much pleased at striking the first landmark cor-
rectly.

The thunder of the waters grew deeper as they ad-
vanced, until the ground itself seemed fairly to shake
beneath their feet. Soon a mist was seen rising above

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210

THE USD MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

fji

the tree-tops. And half an hour later the travellers were
assembled on the bank of a swift, deep stream, looking
up with delight and awe at the mighty cataract which
came tumbling over the rocks above with a sheer fall of
sixty feet or more.

One feature of the scene lent an almost grotesque
aspect to the falling river : the water was nearly wliite.
with its sediment of glacial mud, so that it was as if the
spectators were looking upon a veritable cataract of milk.

••But how to cross it?" asked the leader, turning to
the guides.

The Indians seemed somewhat at a loss. Solomon,
however, cast a critical eye up and down the stream.

'• I guess we c'n fix it somehaow," said he. " You jest
sit daown here 'n' rest 'n' git dinner. You come along
with me," motioning to Joe, Jim, and Peeschee.

'•Can't I go, too, ^;/case .^ " asked Flossie, jumping up,
and placing herself at Solomon's side.

•' Wal, ef ye won't git into no mischief," said the
hunter, with a kindly look down into the girl's pale face.
" I 'low I do like to hev ye raound."

'' And me ! " called Nat, eagerly, running after them.

" And me ! And me ! " shouted the boys, joining the
pioneering party.

Solomon laughed, and shrugged his shoulders; but, as
he made no serious objections, they all set off together,
toward a point two or three hundred yards below the
camping-ground.

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lUHLDI.Vfi TIIK UHlIXiK.

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ii;

A LESSON IN BIlIDGE-MAh'ING.

213

The boys followed the backwooflsnican patiently, cHmb-
ing over logs and boulders, sinking knee-deep in moss,
and helping their sister over the roughest places. They
longed to inquire how Solomon proposed to cross the
stream, but they knew better than to ask questions.
Solomon was as averse as a brigadier-general to explain-
ing his plans beforehand.

He paused at length at a point where the river nar-
rowed in to a width of about sixty feet, having a depth
of fifteen or twenty in the centre of the channel. The
shores were thickly wooded with evergreens, rising to a
great height. Prominent among these was a huge old
hemlock close to the water's edge, towering to the height
of at least one hundred feet. Solomon measured it with
his eye, and gripped his axe firmly. He had found what
he wanted.

Clip ! clip ! went the keen edge of the axe into the
tough fibres of the tree. Chips flew in every direction.
As the trunk was at least thirty inches in diameter, it
was no light job to reach its core, on the side toward the
stream. After ten minut'is' steady work, the white man
handed over his axe to Pe schee and the Chilkats, all of
whom were accomplished choppers.

The young people looked on as the pile of yellow, fra-
grant chips grew ; applauding every particularly large
piece that was successfully detached. Hugh became tired
of inaction at length, and strolled off with his fishing-
tackle.

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214

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

And now, after tliree-quartors of an hour's pretty con-
tinuous chopping, Solomon pronounced the cleft sufli-
ciently deep, and, taking the axe again into his own
hands, attacked the rugged bark on the opposite side of
the tree.

Presently the great henilod^ began to shiver; every
blow was felt throughout its broad Hmbs and masses of
tiny-needled foliage.

*' Look out ! " shouted the backwoodsman to the
Indians, who were stretched out on the moss, danger-
ously near.

Slowly at first, then gathering speed and momentum,
the enormous tree swept downward with a mighty crash,
which for the time drowned even the voice of the
cataract.

" Hurrah ! " cried Robert, leaping upon the prostrate
trunk, and waving his hat. " The bridge is built ! "

The hemlock had fallen just as Solomon had intended
it should. Its top rested well up on the opposite bank of
the river, with a good forty feet to spare.

He now proceeded to mount the trunk himself, and
with his axe clear away half a dozen boughs that blocked
the way across. Flossie then walked over the bridge,
and pronounced it " perfectly splendid."

As soon as dinner was over, the march was resumed
across the new hemlock bridge. Both Chloe and Carlo
showed considerable reluctance at going over, but with
persuasion and assistance the feat was accomplished.

i .

A f./J.S.SO.V TN lUUDaK-MAKING.

21 f)

"Tliar!" Scaid Solomon, as, with his rillo thrown across
liis siionlder, he paused and ghmcud hack at tlie fallen
hemlock, '' the h'ars ought tew pass a vote o' thanks to
me at their next taown-meetin'. They'll use that ai-
hridge o' mine for the next forty year, and not pay no
toll, nuther ! "

CHAPTER XIX.

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: 1

CAPTURED BY BROWN BEARS.

|T must be confessed that even Mr. Dutton and
the lieutenant looked forward with considerable
I anxiety to the next object, in the line of their
route, which the old medicine-man had thought worthy of
noting down on his map. If Solomon had any misgivings,
he kept them to himself.

Peeschee admitted that he had no idea of the meaning
of the design, though it seemed intended to indicate some
animal. From the fact that it had no tail, he was in-
clined to think it represented a bear; but that was a mere
guess.

After leaving the stream which Solomon bridged so
neatly, they found that the trail led up the course of one
of the numerous little streams that threaded the hillsides.
Mr. Dutton paused from time to time to adjust their route
by the compass ; but there was now not mucli danger of
missing the path, which had clearly been traversed many
tinies since it was first made. The lieutenant was of the
opinion that its origin was due to bears, whose tracks
were plain enough beside every nuiddy pool they passed.
Peeschee, on the other hand, maintained tliat the trail

2U]

CAPTURED BY BROWN BEARS.

217

had been "bushed out" in the first place by man.
Whichever theory was correct, the path was a good one ;
otherwise, it would have been impossible for the women
to penetrate the thick underbrush which covered the
whole district through which they were passing.

A day went by, and nothing was seen to indicate any
especially novel feature. The direction was still steadily
southwest.

Toward nightfall they came in sight of a range of low
hills, differing from any they had yet passed, in that they
were entirely bare of vegetation, save a coating, here and
there, of crinkled black lichens. Their aspect was dreary
in the extreme.

The Buttons camped for the night beside the brook
they had been following, and in the morning pushed on.

"Let me go on ahead with Solomon!" begged Hugh;
and the two were allowed to precede the rest of the party.

They were hardly out of sight when Richard called his
brother's attention to a singular black cloud, creeping
up over the northern sky.

Piling huge heaps of shadowy vapor on high, it spread
rapidly, until the sun disappeared, and every oljject wore
a lifeless, gray aspect. It was clear that a severe storm
was lit hand.

Immediate preparations were made to meet it. Tents
were spread, and secured with double pegs. Everything
was got under cover as fast as possible; and none too
soon, for the men Iuk] barely time to dive into the tents.

218

THE liEl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

nnd dosG the fl;ips, before the rain came down in torrents,
tl.nnder boomed and rattled like a park of artillery, and
the liglitning glittered almost incessantly.
^ Mr. Dntton was not much worried about Hugh, for
Solomon was a host in himself, and would doubtless find
shelter for himself and the boy somewhere. At the
worst, only a thorough ducking could result.

The storm lasted all the forenoon, and left both ground
and bushes so wet that it was decided to be impracticable
to go on before the next day. A musket was discharged
three times, therefore, to recall the wanderers. As they
did not come in at once, the signal was repeated. By six
o'clock the party began to worry a little, and Peeschee,
with Carlo, was sent on to hunt up the two absentees'
At ten o'clock, just after sunset, he returned with news
of grave import.

He had followed the trail for fully three miles, when he
came on a collection of Indian huts, from which smoke
was ascending, showing that some members of the tribe
at least were at home. He saw nothing of them, how-
ever, nor of the missing ones. Whether the natives were
hostile or not, he could not tell. The huts or wigwams,
he said, looked something like the work of coast Indians.'
but had this peculiarity, that they were covered with
skins of the brown bear, instead of the more ordinary hides.

At this the Chilkats pricked up their ears.

'•' Well, what is it, man ? Speak out ! " said Dick to
the nearest, slapping the stock of his rifle impatiently.

CAPTURED BV UliOWy HEARS.

219

" Yon say liim tent have bear skin ?"

" Yes."

" P'r'aps liim Brown Bear Chilkat."

" What does he mean ? " asked Dick, appealing to
Peeschee.

'' Biggest tribe of Chilkats called ' Brown Bears,' "
answered the Fox, laconically.

" And you think there may be a detachment of them
in this out-of-the-way place ?"

Peeschee nodded.

Dick was about to question the packers still further,
when he noticed that the one who had spoken was gazing
eagerly at a little ornament which dangled from the
bracelet on Flossie's wrist.

" What that ? " asked the Chilkat, eagerly.

" Oh," said Floss, '' that's just a little charm for my
bangles. Mamma bought it in Victoria. See — it's a
bear's head, I believe."

The dark faces of the Chilkats bent eagerly over the
flattened bit of copper, and two or three guttural remarks
were exchanged in their own language.

'' Well, what mischief are you up to now ? " demanded
Richard, after he had watched the pantomime long enouo-h.
The Chilkat looked up.

'' You buy boy and great hunter wid dat," pointing to
the charm.

" H'm ! seems to me, I remember now," mused Dick.
" The Brown Bears are the wealthiest and biggest clan of

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220

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

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the Chilkats, and copper is called by them the most pre-
■ Clous metal. Is that so, Fox ? "

Peeschee nodded again.

" Exactly so. And the most valuable trinket you can
offer them is a brown bear carved in copper ! That's the
very thing ! "

'' Who shall take it to the tribe ? " asked Mr. Dutton,
hastily.

" Hadn't these Chilkats better go ? "
But the packers hung back, and Peeschee explained
with a shrug of his shoulders, that they belonged to
another and inferior clan, the Penguins, and d^d not
relish meeting their superiors.

Thereupon Mr. Dutton declared he would go himself
leaving Dick in command of the camp, and takincr Pees-
chee along as guide. Carlo should have been left at
home, but managed to slip of! just as they were startincr*
and only joined them when it was too late to send him
back. The council of war had been held late at night •
the ransom party started early next morning.

As they advanced, Mr. Dutton found "that he was
entering a tract of country strikingly different from any-
thmg he had yet seen. A fire seemed to have swept over
It at some remote period, clearing off all the larger timber.
In the valleys and along the water-courses, vegetation had
sprung up and flourished luxuriantly ; but from the hills
the very soil itself had been washed away by heavy rain,
leaving only the bare ledges. These ^yere composed

i I

CAPTURED BY IiRO]V]Sr HEARS.

221

mostly of limestone, and were full of caves, so that one
huge precipice looked fairly like a bank filled with- swal-
lows' nests.

'• Soft ! soft ! " whispered Peeschee, motioning with
his hand. " Much big lot Chilkat squaw ! "

Peeschee was a little in advance, and had nimbi v
mounted to the top of one of those boulders left by the
ice-drift of the glacial period. The other crept to his
side, and peered over the edge of the boulder.

About a hundred yards beyond them was the Indian
village, in plain sight. The huts were at the base of one
of those high and steep precipices pierced with caves.
They were built of timber and brush, with huge, shaggy
bear-skins thrown over them. In a little open space
between the huts and a small lake which stretched away
to the westw^ard were twenty or thirty hideous-looking
old squaws, wrapped in blankets and seated in a circle
around a man and boy, who were lying, bound hand and
foot, in their midst.

A glance only was necessary to identify the captives as
the two missing members of the expedition, Solomon and
Hugh.

The faces of the two presented a strange contrast.
Solomon glared at his jailors with a look of extreme dis-
favor, that would have made Mr. Dutton shout with
laughter had not the situation been so serious. Hugh, on
the contrar}^ was pale as death, and, while he tried his
best to look amiabhe, kept glancing around for succor.

ooo

THE JiED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

Mr. Diitton and Peeschee, Ijino- on their faces, and
peering through tlie thick houghs of a spruce, could
easily see all this without heing seen.

The squaws now set up an excited jabbering, pointing
at the two whites before them, and di.^;cussing some poin't,
with the utmost vehemence.

Peeschee made out, after a while, that they were in-
difeerent what became of poor Hugh, but that they
wanted Solomon for a husband, several of the ugliest of
the lot claiming him, each to the exclusion of the rest.
Perhaps it was fortunate that the long-limbed hunter
could not understand what they were up to, or he might
have expressed liimself vigorously as to a matrimonial
alliance with any of the fair "Brown Bears" Ijofore
him.

'• Where do you suppose the men are ? " whispered Mr.
Button to his companion.

" Men gone 'way off to fish. All come back in winter.

ive m wigwam now.

''Well, the women won't hurt their prisoners, will
they?"

"Squaws much bad," replied the Fox, sententiously.
'orse than men."

^^^lintever plan might have been matured for a rescue
was now frustrated by a move on Carlo's part. The faith-
ful Newfoundland was as much interested in the scene as
anybody; and when Mr. Button unconsciously loosened
his grip on his collar, the dog freed liimself by a sudden

I COME FKOM TIIK (JUICAT MKIUCINK JVIAX/

'If^

fffll

CAPTURED BY BliOWN HEARS.

22')

jerk, and went crashing down through the bushes toward
his young master.

A perfect Babel of noises ensued. Two or three dozen
lean, sharp-nosed curs, such as the Alaskans use for their
sledges in tlie winter, sprang toward the intruder, yajyplny,
snarling, and howling vociferously. The ring of squaws
started to their feet, and several muskets were produced
from hiding-places. Carlo paid no attention to anv one
until he had given both Hugh and Solomon a plentiful
lapping all over their faces, a caress which they could not
prevent, as their hands were tied behind them.

Immediate action was necessary. Mr. Dutton '..id the
Fox hesitated no longer, but followed in Carlo's tracks.
Peeschee advanced first, holding up his hands in sign of
amity.

The squaws, seeing a man of their own color, lowered
the threatening muzzles of their old Hudson's Bay
nuiskets.

'*I have come from the great white medicine-man."
said Peeschee, rapidly, ii^. his own tongue, '' to visit the
royal clan of the Chilkats, the noble Brown Bears;"

The squaws looked at one another, but made no reply.

" The medicine-man has decided to give to the Brown
Bears, and the women of the Brown Bears, a marvellous
present."

Sensation among the squaws.

" Have you ever seen an image of the terrible, the fierce
bear himself, the dweller in caves, the awful one, eno-raved

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226

TJIE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

in the rich copper of the mountain ? No, you have not !
Here, the groat white medicine-man is ready to give this
to you. See ! " And he held up Flossie's trinket, so that
the sunlight glinted on the bright metal.

Several of the squaws started forward eagerly, when
Peeschee suddenly drew back.

''Wait!" he commanded, waving his hand. "I will
consult the medicine-man once more."

He beckoned, and Mr. Button came forward from the
grove, where he had been awaiting this signal.

Peeschee whispered one or two words to him, and then
turned once more to the Chilkats, whose brows were
beginning to darken.

"He consents to give you the wonderful image on one
condition. That is that you will set free the captives now
lying beside us, the mighty man with the long arm, and
the boy beloved by the black dog ; and, moreover, that
you will do no harm to his tribe, who must shortly pass
through the village of the Brown Bears, on their way to
the mountains of fire."

Peeschee well knew that no Alaskan Indian would ap-
proach within twenty miles of a volcano. The statement
that the white men were to visit those abodes of evil
spirits and magic evidently impressed them, as he had
intended it should.

" The women of the Brown Bears will let the boy go
with the black dog," they announced, after some consulta-
tion among themselves ; and, stooping down, one of them

VAVTUREI) KY HliOWN HKARS.

'2>7

cut the thongs that bound poor Hugh, who staggei'ccl
stiffly to his feet, rubbing his joints, and groaning in spite
of liiniself at the twinges the change of position caused
liim.

" No ! " said Peeschee, firmly. '- Both nmst go free.
And if the Bears should refuse, then will the storm come
upon their village, as it did yesterday, and destroy every
woman in the tribe for the evil done to the whitt>
strangers ! "

Whatever effect Peeschee's speech might have had, Mr.
Button added the last straw by producing a small pocket-
mirror, which he handed to Peeschee. The latter held it
carelessly so as to let the light reflect from it, straight into
the eyes of first one, then another of the delighted squaws.

As with one accord, two or three of them freed their
coveted bridegroom, and again stretched out their hands
for the gifts.

" Not yet," said Peeschee, solemnly. " When the sun
shall touch the trees on yonder hill, and all the tribe of
the great white medicine-man shall have gone their way
toward the land of fire, then shall you have both gifts,
and some of the white man's tea to cheer your hearts.
Farewell ! "

With these words, all four started on the return trip to
the camp, not without misgivings that some squaw might
repent, and select their backs for targets. Instead of this,
however, the women began a strange chant, swaying to
and fro, and waving both arms, until the travellers were

;

228

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

out of siglit. EvL'ii tlion the wailiim' notes, like a dir^e.
could be heard floating after them down the valley.*

With all haste the camp was reached, goods packed,
and the paity put in marching order. By noon they
came once more to the village. To the surprise of all,
not a living being was in sight. The wigwams w^ere
perfectly deserted, and not even a dog was to be seen.
Evidently, the Brown Bears feared a sumnuiry punish-
uient from the mighty medicine-man, or - Shaman," to
use the native term, who bore about upon his august per-
son the image of their savage prototype.

At last Florence descried a dark face peering down
from one of the caves, higli above them ; then another,
and another. The squaws had taken to e^trth, and, while
there, were certain!}- safe.

Peeschee alone stayed behind, and, when he had given
the expedition time enough to gain a lozen miles by hard
walking, he called in low, soft tones io t.ie women. One
by one. they came trooping in.

The Fox pointed silently to the sunlight, just gilding
the topmost boughs of the far-off spruces on the hilly
horizon, as it sank from sight.

Then he drew from his pouch the copper trinket, the
looking-glass, and a half-pound package of tea. These

* If any of my boy readers should think that Peeschee spoke in more lofty
strains than would be possible for a degraded Alaskan Indian to use, let him send
to the proper source for a copy of an address recently made ac Met-lah-Kah-tla by
one of the natives, in which much more stately language was employed than
that employed by Uie humble guide of the Dutton expedition.

cAi'TriiKh iiy liiiow.x liKins.

'2'>\\

iirtic'les liu j)l;i(*('(l on thu ground, waved his liands, as il"
in blessing, over tli(^ village, and departed witli stately
stride.

Once out of siu'lit, his diirnitv dei)artGd. and he sorani-
bled through the woods like a wild-eat, overtaking the
main bodv at a little after midnight.

The hieroglyphic on the map was clear. Th(» lirown
Bears dwelling in the caves, — any one could see it now.

To avoid the hills, the route on the mo)'row swerved
toward the north. The three peculiar-looking marks,
" like crorpiet hoops," observed Floss, proved to indicate
three rounded mountains, far to the west. The dots,
some eighty miles further on, asserted themselves as
swarms of mosqnitoes in a swampy territory ; while the
three K's, to the east, were nothing more nor less than
flying eagles, of whom an immense number were seen
soaring above the cliffs near the camp on August 20.

On the next day a discovery w^as made, which struck
terror into every heart. It meant privation, danger of a
fearful kind, possibly death to one or all of the party.
It will need but one sentence to explain all. And that
must be the opening sentence of the next chapter.

llttSi

ill

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. CHAPTER XX.

?'h'\

iult!

INTER— a white valley between dark moun-
tain walls reaching up, up, into the cold blue
ice of eternal glaciers, until they lose themselves
in white frost clouds, impenetrable in their clammy folds
— two log huts, or rather shanties, one of them contain-
ing, besides two women, one black and the other white,
a sick girl, tossing feverishly on the pile of fir and cedar
boughs that serve for a bed.

Reader, I told you in the last chapter that you could
read in one sentence the story of the misfortune that had
been threatening the Buttons ever since the miserable
adventure at Fort Selkirk, and which had stared them
plainly in the face ere they had accomplished half the
distance between the river and their fateful goal. Fever
had overtaken our sunny-haired little Flossie. Far from
every physician and every comfort of home, the mother
had seen with agony the symptoms gaining from day to
day.

Why did they not turn and hasten back to the settle-
ments ? you say. Because return iq? the Yukon, against
the swift current, was impossible with the only means of

2:]0

HALT.

231

transportation at their command ; and from Fort Yukon,
where they struck off from the river, to its mouth would
have been a voyage of a clear thousand miles, and that,
too, through the very kind of district most conducive to
the malarial disorder which threatened the girl — to say
nothing of the countless perils of the trip. Even should
they reach the sea in safety, they would be too late to
take the last south-bound ships to the settlements ; and
the small post at St. Michael's, in the midst of a desolate
land of wintry storms, was not an alluring prospect.

Had all gone well, the lieutenant had hoped to pilot
his party, after the Red Mountain was found and roughly
surveyed, to the country lying about the head-waters of
the Copper River, down which they could raft to the coast,
and make the short sea-trip easily in canoes to Sitka.

" Had all gone well ! " But all had not gone well ;
and hire was the expedition snowed in, in the interior of
I .ne oi" the wildest and coldest habitable countries on the
globe, with no prospect of release until the following
Ma}' ; and with a sick girl suffering for want of prope.
nursing and medicine. Truly, all had not gone well !

To understand fully just ho., matters stood, we must
retrace our steps a little.

We left the expedition on the borders of a small and
exquisitely beautiful lake, surrounded by stately red cedars
of ccntiiries' growth. Tills is the first you have heard of
the lake, you say ? Im-n back and look at Peeschee's in-
valuable chart. In the centre, do you see that circle with

2; J 2

rilK RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

souietliiiig like a double-barbed arrow sticking up beside
it? Tliat is tbe lake; the arrow indicated, beyond a
doubt, the lofty trees that mirrored their evergreen
branches in its clear depths along the northern shore.

Beautiful, bevond anvthinjJi; thev had yet seen, was this
broad, placid sheet of water, stretching away .to the south
for nearly twenty miles. But before morning the trav-
ellers wished themselves a thousand leagues from its
dimpling waves and bosky shores.

Little Floss had complained quietly, during the day, of
greater fatigue than usual.

'' It makes my back ache so," she said, " to climb over
these trees ! "

So the Indians made an armchair, as they had in the
pass, and carried her for a while. But she soon tired of
this, and asked to be allowed to walk again.

'•Never mind," said Uncle Dick, cheerfully. ''We're
going straight toward home now. little girl. In not many
days we shall see salt water again, and you shiiJl have
vour cosey old room at Sitka."

Flossie did not reply, but a tear trembled at the end
of her long brown lashes, as she thought of Sheldon
and home. That night, in the camp beside the lake,
she had an unmistakable chill, and the next morninu'
was so feverish and weak that they did not dare to
move on.

During the day, however, and the two that follo-.sed.
she gained rapidly ; so nuich so they started forv^jird

'^^y

A (.OUNCIL Ol-' WAK,

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m iH

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HALT!

23,-)

again on their weary march. About a week later they
found themselves in the rough country indicated on the
map by marks like this, A A A A-

Here the poor girl utterly gave out, and from the twenty-
fifth of August until the tenth of September the expedi-
tion remained in permanent camp, their hopes now raised
by a seeming improvement in her health, now depressed
again by renewed attacks of chills and fever.

The wind began to sweep down savagely from the
heights beyond, and the nights became very cold.

One morning, the ground was found to be white with a
heavy frost. It was plain that something must be done,
and that quickly.

A council was called, and the men all gathered around
the blazing fire in front of the tents.

" It's of no use to try to return to the settlements, that's
certain," began Mr. Button. "We are over three hun-
dred miles from the Yukon, and, if we found the fort
abandoned for the winter, we should have a clear thou-
sand miles of rafting before us, down to St. Michael's, all
the time through low country. Flossie's only safety " —
here the strong man's mustache twitched, but he con-
trolled himself and went on — " is in keeping to the high
grounds."

" And we may just as well give up all idea of going
on," added the lieutenant, gloomily. '' In the first place,
Flossie isn't fit to move, and, secondly, we are a good three
hundred miles from the nearest point on the coast — say

236

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

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somewhere along William's Sound — unless all my calcu-
lations are wrono;."

" And no sign of the Red Mountain yet ! "

It was Robert who spoke last. All eyes were turned
on Peeschee, who felt that his reputation was at stake.

"Red Mountain there! " said the Indian, impressively,
pointing to the southeast.

"Well, for my part," grumbled Solomon, who had thus
far taken no part ii- the discussion, - I'm inclined tew
believe that the Fox, thar, dreamed the whole Inisiness !
Thar ain't no Red Maounting, and thar never was." He
struck the but of his rifle on the ground, to emphasize
his words. '' And never was ! " he repeated, angrily.

Peeschee drew himself up to his full height^ He re-
garded the hunter one moment in silence. Then said
slowly : —

'•Red Mountain there. Peeschee no lie. He go brino^
back red rock. Come back in one moon," nmking a
circular sweep with his hand.

Before any one could stop him, or realize what he was
doing, the Fox turned his back on the little group by the
Are, and strode oif toward the woods.

" By George, that's rough ! " exclaimed Richard, spring-
ing to his feet.

Solomon grasped his rifle angrily, and glared after the
retreating Indian.

" I swan, he's up tew some rascally trick ! " shouted the
sinewy backwoodsman. "Come back here, you .sneak-

UALT!

2:Vi

ing Fox! Come back, or I'll stop ye in a way ye
won't like ! "

" Hold on, Solomon." interposed the leader, seeing that
his follower was really in earnest, ''you can't stop him
now\ and if you did he'd make off within twenty -four
hours. The sooner he goes, the sooner he'll get back."

"I tell you he's goin' to get some tribe o' Bears or
Penguins or Catamaounts or some o' his ugly packs daown
on us." said Solomon, still fingering his rifle excitedly.
'•Thar never was an honest Injun yit, an' I don't believe
the line's started with a Fox."

By this time the altercation was needless, for, with a
parting wave of his hand, Peeschee was lost to sight in
the thick '• black growth " that covered the foot-hills of
the lofty range along the horizon.

" Well," resumed Mr. Dutton, with a sigh, '' there's one
less mouth to feed for a month, any way."

"We can't stay in these tents nnich longer," suggested
Hugh, "• or w^e'll freeze to death. I was awfully cold last
night."

It was curious that nobody referred to the map.
There seemed to be a tacit understanding that it should
not be consulted in this emergency. The last time Mr.
Dutton had produced Peeschee's masterpiece, which had
travelled across the continent to Sheldon a year before,
and back again in the wealthy mill-owner's inside vest-
pocket, a strange expression had come into the faces that
were gathered around him, and were looking over his

238

TUE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

I -Tt!

'^1

Shoulder as usual. The route was clearly traced from
the fort on the Yukon to their present camp. There
were the cataract, the caves of the Bears, the Three
Buttes, the insect-infested swamp, the eagles on the wing
the fair lake with its symbol of the magnificent forest
beside it ; yes, and the hill country was plainly enough
defined. Why, then, shudder at the first glance upon
this faithful chart ?

^ Ah, there was one more hieroglyphic, whose fearful
import none could mistake. At the very spot where
they were encamped, and where all possibility of either
retreat or advance wa^ cut oft', was reared the hate-
ful symbol of death, the skull and bone. Could it be,
then, that this was to be the end of their labors ^ The
map was hastily thrust aside - buried deep, at the bottom
of the largest pack of goods, where no careless hand could
reach it and bring it unwittingly to light.

Out of sight _ out of sight - but not one of the party
forgot. *^

M- I

■■■t 1

CHAPTER XXI.

WINTER-QUARTERS.

|HE lieutenant was the first to throw ofE liie
gloom which oppressed the little circle around
the fire after Peeschee's departure.

" Well," he cried, cheerily, " there's no use in our mop-
ing here, at all events. I've been in a good deal tighter
place than this, and I don't give up the ship. If we are
to stay here for a while, we must have a place to live in."

'' Flossie is certainly no worse," added Mr. Button,
catching the other's hopeful tone. " Perhaps the winter
air will be the very best thing for her, if we can make a
comfortable shelter for the cold months."

" Oh, good, good ! " cried little Nat, who had just
run out from his sister's tent. " Shall we have a real
log cabin to live in ? Like President Lincoln ? "

Mr. Button laughed. " Who knows, Nat,'' said he,
taking the boy on his knee, " but you will be president
some day ! and people will read about President Nathaniel
Button's early hardships in the wilds of Alaska ! "

" Well, I know 'twould make an awful good book,"
said the boy, decidedly. " I just wish I could read it,

280

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THE UED MOUyTMN OF ALASKA.

K] ;^

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iff

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about somebody else. Won't you tell a man all about
it when we get home, i)apa, and let . him make a book
of it ? "

'•Ami put you in?"

'• Yes, and Carlo, and all ! "

" Illustrated ? "

" Of course, papa."

Solomon set up a great laugh.

" I'd jest like to see a picter o' me drawn into a book,"
said he. '• Haow pooty 'twould be ! Make it sell like
hot buns ! "

" Well, I know you aren't 7'ery nice-looking." said Nat,
frankly, "but you're awfully strong. Solomon, and I
guess you're real good. too. I'd have a picture of you
chopping down that tree for a bridge ! "

Solomon laughed again, as he exchanged his rifle for
an axe, and gave the fire a kick with his heavy boot, to
settle the red brands; and remarked that " ef he wus
goin' to set fer his picter, he guessed he'd l3etter be
buildin' a haouse to den up in, over winter." — a figure
taken from the hibernating habits of his neighbor, Ursus
Arctos, of Alaska.

The men now went to work with a wdll. The sounds
of axes, the rustle of flying chips, the crackling and
crashing of falling trees filled the air with cheery sounds
and delicious woody smells.

" I'm hungry as an ox." said Rob, when dinner-time
came. " Best forenoon's work I ever did yet."

i- : ; 1

]\'INTER-Q UA R TEIiS.

211

Flossie's eyes brightened witli interest, and she listened
eagerly to the plans of the architects.

'' ^Ye shall need two big log huts," said Mr. Button.
" connected l)y a covered passageway. Each ol' them
will be divided into two parts. One of the huts, on a
little higher ground than the other, and a little nearer
the shelter of the woods, shall have bedrooms in it for
you and nie, Ella, and for Flossie and Chloe. as well as
for the three boys. The other half of the building shall
be used as a dining-room and general living-room."

" And wdiere shall we cook ? "

" Tlie kitchen shall be in the other building, and beds
for the rest of the men."

" Teddy shall sleep close by me." declared Hugh, throw-
ing his arm around the boy's shoulder; a demonstration
to which the warm-hearted Ted responded with an affec-
tionate luig. Carlo set up a loud barking, just for fun,
and everybody was in the best of spirits.

'^ There will be a good large fireplace in each hut," Mr.
Button explained further. '' We can -'^t -^^"oe good clay
from the banks of the brook, about half a mile above
here ; and stones are plent}' enough."

• That afternoon all hands were hard at work. Solomon
was in his element, swinging his shining axe, and bring-
ing down tree after tree. Poplars and spruces were
mostly chosen, for their soft wood and long straight
trunks, from one to two feet in diameter. As soon as a
tree came down, it was pounced upon by Richard <ind his

»*

242

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALAiiKA.

! I

brother, who liewed oft" the few boughs that grew from
the lower portion, and cut the logs into uniform lengths
of about forty feet. The large branches were pulled away
by Hugh and Rob, who cut off the smaller green boughs,
which in turn were taken to a point close by the camp,
and piled up, by Teddy and little Nat. The Cbilkats did
not relish the work, and, rather to the relief of the leader,
disappeared at the close of the day ; nor did he ever set
eyes on them again. They probably joined some of their
tribe on the Yukon. Fortunately, the camp was so care-
fully guarded by Soloniou and Carlo, with a view to this
very contingency, that nothing whatever was stolen by
the deserters. l)eyond a small case of canned beef.

Next morning, work went on with more alacrity than
ever, although the assistance of the runaway Chilkats,
poor as it had been, was missed in handlmg the heavy
timbers. Joe and Jim, however, laljored bravely in their
stead.

By the middle of the afternoon. Solomon, who had
quietly assumed direction of the house-building, announced
that he had logs enoug-h to make a stait. In addition to
the longer pieces, he had cut about twenty, shorter by
fifteen feet.

The boys had been emploj'ed i\ levelling off the site as
well as they could, without a shovel. The spot chosen
for the hut which was to he put up first, for the use of
the ladies, was peculiarly favorable to the purpose.

There was a large rock, sloping down gradually on the

WIXTKIi-Q UA R TKRS.

243

side toward the woods, but presenting an abrupt and
vertical face, some six feet high, at its opposite extn^niity.
Solomon resolved that this should form the back of his
fireplace, which was to be midway in the longer wall of
the hut.

Four logs were now laid on the ground, and carefully
levelled by wedging them into place with rocks and turf.
They formed a perfect parallelogram, forty feet by twenty-
five. The rear forty-foot log came within three feet of
the perpendicular face of the boulder just described. Tiiis
log was now cut away in front of the intended fireplace,
which ivas to be six I'eot broad.

The logs were notched deeply at the corners of the hut,
and saddled, as had been done in the raft-making. At
every point a strong upright pole was driven to hold the
ends of the logs which were not supported by saddling on
others. This was necessary at the sides of the fireplace
and the door. The full length of the lowest log was left
across the latter, as Solomon explained that it would make
the whole hut firmer, and they could easily step over it
in going in and out.

The laying of the four foundation timbers, and driving
stakes, occupied the builders until eight o'clock, when
darkness stopped the work. That night the mercury in
Mr. Button's little camp-thermometer fell to 20° Fahren-
heit, and ice formed across puddles and in deep footprints
down by the brook. The sun came out warmly, however ;
and the bracing atmosphere not only added an incentive

mmmm

244

ms BED MOU^^rAIN OF ALASKA.

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I If'

ilti

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to the labors of building, but lightened them. Little
Nat's work was constantly to help Teddy collect green fir
and spruce boughs, and soft, thick moss ; they soon had a
pile of each as large as a good-sized haycock.

Ciiloe absented .herself on this particub^r laorning for a
couple of hours, nnich to Mrs. Button's surprise? She
returned, liowever, bearing a big armful of green and
withered rushes, of wliich a great abundance lined a cove
in a small pond close by. These rushes she dried before
the fire, and, while they were spread out, gathered as many
more, cutting every blade with scissors ! On the morrow
she showed Mrs. Button how to braid the rushes into long
ropes. These she proposed to coil up so as to make mat-
ting, but l)oth string and thread were scarce. What
should she do? She had recourse to Solomon, who
was half-way through the trunk of a seventy-five-foot
poplar.

" Let me see," said the cliopper. leaving his axe buried
in the wood, '' I guess 1 c'n find suthin'' that'll dew ye.
Look here ! "

He pulled up a little spruce, not more than a foot high,
that grew beside the brook. As he shook the dirt oli','
Chloe could see a large number of fine, long rootlets.

"See ef ye c'n break one."

The negro woman found theui tough as stationers-
twine.

" Naow," said Solomon, resuming his axe, "them's what
the Injuns use in sewing their bark canoes. You want to

WIN TEIi-q UA R TER S.

•2i'>

git a lot o' them leetle roots, and bile 'em half a day.
Then they'll hold till the caovvs come home."

Chink! chunk! went the axe, and the poplar chips
began to fly in such a shower that Chloe was glad to
retreat. Hugh helped her to gather the roots, and before
night she had an ample stock of spruce thread. The
mats grew daily after that. Flossie was never tired of
seeing the old nurse braid rushes, and even helped with
her own little thin fingers once in a while.

The hut was floored with long spruce poles, laid
side by side, and hastily levelled. Chloe's mats laid
over these, with a few fir boughs under the hollows
and uneven spots, would make the hut comfortable
under foot.

The walls were raised liigher and higher. Solomon
chopped steadily from morning till night. '• Bein's the
others had I'arned haow to lay the logs," he said, " he'd
better use the axe." No one disputed him, for he could
chop twice as fast as any other person in camp, besides
showing superior judgment in selecting and felling the
trees.

The inside of the hut was roughly partitioned oft' with
light upright poles, covered with bark, to the height of
about sev(-n feet. Above that, interstices were left, for
free circulation of air. Across the ends opening into the
main room, they expected to hang skins, which could
be drawn back most of the time. Two small window-
openings were left in the front wall. When asked how

til n *

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THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

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they were to be "glazed," Solomon chuckled, and ^id
he'd show 'em before lony;.

One morning he announced that no more logs would be
necessary, in his opinion, for either house. There • ";re
enough down to build both. As for hinwelf, he guessed
lie would take a holiday. And, with his peculiar chuckle,
he strolled off, rifle on shoulder.

Late in the afternoon he returned, staggering under a
queer burden. It was a large bundle, apparently wrapped
in dark brown fur.

" Thar ! " said Solomon, still chuckling. " Thar's your
glass fer the winders ! "

Nat would not be satisfied until Solomon explained
himself. The backwoodsman untied the folds of the fur,
which proved to be the skin of a good-sized bear, of the
now familiar brown variety. Inside the skin was a
rather u^^ savory-looking mass of flesh from the animal
himself. This consisted of steaks, skilfully sliced off by
Solomon, and a pile of intestines.

"What on earth did you bring that home for? " asked
Mrs. Dutton, after one look at his booty.

" You'll see, ma'am, before night."

Solomon, with the assistance of the boys, stretched the
hide of the bear on the inside of one end of the hut, now
nearly completed. Having no nails, he was obliged to
drive wooden pegs through the pelt. He then proceeded
to thoroughly clean out and wash the intestines, which
he next cut open, and stretched to their utmost across the

WINTER-q UA R TERS.

247

logs, as he had the larger skin. Within a week they
were hard and dry, and, on being fastened across the rude
window frames, served excellently the purpose of glass.
This he had learned from the natives of Kamschatka,
across the straits.

Solomon made one or two more hunting expeditions,
and brought home the hides of several black and brown
bears, and one grizzly. The claws of the latter he saved,
and gave to Florence for a necklace ! He secured and
laid up at the same time a plentiful supply of tallow, or
" bear's grease," for the manufacture of candles, and vari-
ous household purposes.

He stretched and dried a dozen or more sheets of intes-
tine, telling Mr. Button they would need to wear them
over their eyes on the intensely bright days of spring,
when the snow was on the ground and the sun high.

Robert took every opportunity to assist in purveying
for the expedition, and was fortunate enough to come
upon a hillside perfectly honeycombed with marmots'
burrows. He managed to snare a dozen or more of
these little animals, and preserve their skins, from which
Solomon promised to show him how to make caps and
gloves. A couple of deer and a large moose fell
victims to Solomon's unerring aim, and their pelts were
added to the stock which was accumulating for use as
coverlets.

The first hut was now roofed over, the rafters being
shingled with long, red-cedar slabs, which were riven out

248

THE liEB MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

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WA
u I

by Solomon with his axe. They gave a delightful fra-
grance to the whole hut.

As soon as the ladies could sleep indoors, which they
did with great delight, their tent was used as a smoke-
room, and dozens of brook trout and grayling, as well as
shces of bear meat and venison, were prepared for winter
consumption. Teddy and Nat now spent all their time
in chinking up the spaces between the logs with moss.
As the eaves of the huts were not over six feet from the
ground, this was easily done, although it was a long and
tedious job. Earth and moss were "banked" against
the walls on the outside to the height of four feet ; while
all round the end of the Dutton hut, where the beds
were, a second wall was made by laying poles up against
the eaves on the outside, and stuffing the space between
with boughs and moss.

The chimneys were Solomon's pride and joy. Usino-
clay from the bed of the brook, he stoned up the sides of
the fireplaces, and laid tolerably smooth hearths. But
the chimneys were built entirely of small, green poplar
sticks, laid crosswise, and plastered inside and out with
all the clay that would stick on.

Mrs. Dutton was positive that her chimney would burn
up, together with the whole hut, when the first fire was
built. Solomon assured her, however, that it would last
throughout the winter unharmed ; and the result showed
that he was right.

A double door was made, with storm entry between.

f«i!

WINTER-QUARTERS.

249

The idea of connecting the two huts was given up, as
liable to let in too much cold through the cracks and
joints. As the buildings were only a rod apart, the
passageway was really not needed. Matches were getting
scarce, and a fire was kept constantly alight on the
hearth.

To understand how these two huts could bo erected in
so short a time, it must be remembered tliat live full-
grown men, three strong, healthy boys (besides Nat, whose
nimble fingers were of great assistance), and two remark-
ably capable women, worked during every available hour
of daylight. Sundays excepted, for five weeks before the
unfurnished, bare walls were completed. Something in
the way of tables and benches had to be provided yet.
These Solomon proposed to make on stormy days.

A good deal of anxiety was felt about Peeschee, wlio
was now two weeks overdue.

On the morning of the tenth of October, the first of the
Buttons who opened the door noticed something like a
white, downy feather float in and disappear. Then an-
other, and another. Before ten o'clock a furious snow-
storm was raging. Flossie was worse that morning, as
we learned at the opening of this chapter; but toward
afternoon she grew brighter, and took a great interest in
the reports of the progress of the storm. She was. not
told of the anxiety felt by all concerning Peeschee, nor
regarding their own future.

Deeper and deeper fell the snow. The day seemed

250

TUE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

hardly three hours long. As night came on, the wind
roared and howled like a pack of wolves about the little
huts ; while the flames danced up the chimney and threw
their red light over the rough bark of the logs, the rush
mattings on the floor, and the faces of the group gathered
around the hearth.

lis

r I

CHAPTER XXII

PEESCHEE S MARVELLOUS STORY.

IHE nights became so cold during the month of
October that the Buttons found they must hiy
in more wood for their winter's supj^ly. Accord-
ingly, Solomon once more shouldered his axe, and started
for the woods. There was one member of the company
who had as yet done no work at all, beyond guarding the
property. His turn had now come, and during the next
week his labors were by no means light. Who was he ?
Come with me this clear, cold November morning, and
take a view of the encampment.

In one of the huts, Mrs. Button is getting breakfast,
with the assistance of Chloe and Ted. Already a dish of
venison is smoking on the table, which is built of slabs
of cedar, rough-hewn with an axe. Benches of the same
manufacture are drawn up in readiness for the men and
boys, who are just now in the otlier hut, putting the last
touches on a sort of sledge, the runners of which are stout
young saplings. The rest of the sledge is of cedar^ ren-
dering it both light and strong. Carlo sits on his haunches,
and regards this new piece of furniture gravely. Well he
may, for it is destined to be drawn by him. Yes, he is the

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THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

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new laborer, and, being in Alaska, he must do an Alaskan
dog's work. All hands are now summoned to breakfast.
Flossie takes lier place with the rest, and begs permission
to pour the tea. Teacups are scarce, yon observe. Tlie
boys have one large tin dipper to pass round.

Mr. Button bows his head and asks a l)lossing, as
gravely as if he were in his own luxurious homo in Sliel-
don. Then the merry hum of voices and laughter begins.

'• Mamma, Teddy is sure ho heard a bear outside, last
night ! "

" Ho ! was it a prickly one, Ted ? "

" Sure, I heard him shniff at the door."

'' What would a b'ar want wid a do', chile ? He come

down de chimbley arter you, 'f ye don' look out! "

" Your sledge done, Solomon ?"

" Sartin it is, ma'am. An' this 'ere black fellow wishes

he'd gone home with them wuthless Chilkats — don't ye
Carlo?"

Thump, thump on the floor, with a shaggy tail.

•' Mother, please give me some more currants — and Nat
would like a little apple sauce."

A strange request, this last, you think ? You do not
know, then, that, before cold w^eather set in, Mrs. Dutton
gathered several quarts of wild currants near the camp,
and l)y great good-luck discovered a little natural planta-
tion of crab-apple trees, such as grow luxuriantly in the
interior of this great territory. The currants sbe dried
for occasional consumption; the apples she stored, and

'• A UlSll UK VKXISON IS SMOKIXG ON TilK TABLli."

■

pit

• Mi

t! ''

III

PEESCHEE'S MARVELLOUS STORY.

255

brought out from time to time, in various appetizing
shapes. In addition to these fruits of the land, she had
collected a large store of wild onions, to serve as anti-
scorbutics during the long winter.

One more article had been gathered, during those two
or three days of uncertainty wiien the party knew not
whether to push on, retreat, or camp. Peescliee himself
had been the harvester, this time. He had brought in a
large armful of a plant with thick, rough leaves, the
under side being covered with a soft, brown, " fuzzy " sub-
stance. When asked what it was, the Fox had replied,
laconically, —
'• Tea."

The others had laughed, and paid no more attention to
Peeschee's harvest, supposing it to be some herb of medi-
cinal qualities, used by the natives. The twigs and leaves
were carefully preserved and dried by their finder, how-
ever, and were now hanging, in several large bunches, to
the rafters of the kitchen.

To return to the Buttons' jolly breakfast table. There
is as yet but little daylight. It is eight o'clock, and the
sun is not above the mountain tops on the east. The little
hut is lighted by two lamps, each made by floating a wick
in a dish of bear's grease. Solomon had been aware, when
he went bear-hunting, that this commodity abounded, in
bears at just that season, before they retired to their dens
and hollow trees for the winter.

A faint, yellowish light was already beginning to show

25(5

Tilt: RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

throuu'li tlic windows, whicli. witli tliuir stretched skins,
looked like s(|uare drnm-lieads. wiien the men arose from
tlie lahle. and. wiiistlin.u^ to Carlo, prepared foi" a day of
work. IJoth Itiehai'd and Solomon had seen too mnch of
liuniit and Msipiiinau life not to nnderstand how to
harness a dou; into a sledge. Carlo had. indeed, been in
trainiiiLi' for several days, nnder the snpervision of Nat.
A harness had been made for the Newfoundland, from
deer-skin thongs, and the dog had already learned to draw
a buiTk'n with tolerable steadiness. Accordingly, he
trotted smartly along over the crisp four or five inches of
snow, toward the woods, Solomon and the rest following
with axes.

xVll that day the sound of chopping rang out. Trees
were felled, out into four-foot lengths, and laid on the
sledire. a dozen sticks at a time. Carlo pulled lustilv, and
kept bravely to the work, encouraged by Nat, who dr.>vp
the sledge, loaded and unloaded it.

Favored by several days of fair weather, this method
of labor was kept up until several cords of firewood woi
piled in the kitchen, and a krge heap left outside
door. It should be added that much of the cooking wa**
now done in Mrs. Button's own establi><liment. It had
been finally decided that Richard. Joe, Jim, Peeschee, and
all the boys except Nat, should occupy the other building,
sleeping there, and doing all their rough work beside their
own fireside.

Early one evening, about November tenth, there was a

PKE/^rnEE'S MARVELLOUS STORY.

•257

sound of footsteps outside the door. Hugh sprang to open
it. and a(hnitted — Peesehee ! Tlie poor fellow was hardly
able to stand from hunger and exhaustion ; but before he
would toueh a morsel of food he drew from his pouch a
handful of rocks, and handed them to Mr. Button, not
deigning to look at Solomon, who had long ago repented
of his hasty words.

They all clustered around the specimens, which sparkled
in the fiivlight with a dull red glow. Beyond a doubt,
they were splendid examples of the ore of cinnabar.

" Hooray for you. Fox ! " shouted Solomon. " You've
found the real stufi', sure. Come up here to the fire, old
fellow." he continued, dragging the shivering Indian to
the hearth, " and get warm before you speak a word. I
swan, ni feed ye mysel' ! " And he did.

Flossie was the only one who caught the gleam of a
tear in the eye of the rough hunter, but all were touched
by the evident attempt of Solomon to make up for his
past harshness and unjust suspicions.

Peesehee gravely Held o.:t his hand, and grasped that
of Baronov, in token of foigiveness ; then applied himself
voraciously to the " pemmican," or smoked and chopped
venison, which was set before him.

After he had eaten ard eaten until Chloe became seri-
ously alarmed for his safety, and stood gazing at himwith
arms akimbo, and the whites of her eyes showing as she
stared, Peesehee sat down on the floor and told his story.
He had travelled straight on, in the line of the trail.

258

THE RED ilOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

,;i

for two days. The^i a light flurry of snov/ had covered
all marks, and he soon found himself lost in a region of
ice and snow. He had struggled on, in what he believed
to be the right direction, until he came to a high cliff,
which completely blocked his way. At the foot of this
precipice he had picked up his specimens of cinnabar.

Almost fainting from cold, exhaustion, and want of
food, he had made his way down to the line of vegetation.
There he managed to knock over a partridge, and ate it
raw. This gave him strength to travel for a day or two
longer, in what direction he knew not. While wandering
about aimlessly, he came upon an enormous track in the
moss, sunk to the depth of several inches, and bigger over
than a barrel.

" Whew ! " whistled Dick, incredulously, under his
breath. " I guess our friend was a little out of his
head ! "

Peeschee paid no attention to the whisper, or the
glances that were exchanged over his head, but continued
gravely.

On the fifth day after leaving the glacial regions, he
averred that he actually caught sight of the creature that
had left the strange tracks. Peeschee heard the animal
crashing through the bushes, and presently there came
into view a gigantic quadruped, covered with long hairs,
with fearful curving tusks of a yellowish, shiny appear-
ance, a mouth big enough to swallow a man at one
gulp. He was laiger than a post-trader's store, said

:•

PEESCIIKE'S MARVELLOUS STORY.

259

Peescliee, and altogether so frightful to behold that he,
the narrator, fled in terror.

Again the boys nudged each other, their eyes twinkling
with fun. To their surprise, however, Solomon looked
grave, and stated that, on the whole, he believed the
Indian's story.

" Let's see haow the critter looked, Peeschee," said he,
handing him a charred stick, and clearing a spot on the
smooth hearthstone.

When Peeschee leaned back again, there was a rough
drawing on the stone.

" Why, that looks like an elephant ! " exclaimed two
or three at once, as all bent eagerly over the drawing.

" That's jest it ! " said Solomon, who had eyed the
drawing closely. "I've heerd fur-hunters tell of an
animil jest like an elephant, somewhars in the interior,
only a good deal bigger, an' covered with long hair.*
They say thar's only two or three in Alaska, an' nowhars
else in the world."

"I know," exclaimed Robert, suddenly. "Whether
it's true or not, the animal the hunters have described,
and Peeschee has drawn, is the Mammoth, or prehistoric
hairy elephant. In 1800 the body of one of them was
found frozen into an iceberg in Siberia, and the bones are
in the Royal Museum now."

" Now you speak of it, I believe I've heard the same
story around Wrangel," said the lieutenant. "But I

• See in recent issue of Alaska Free Press (Sitka) and Boston Journal
Oct. 28, 1887. reports, by natives, of this strange animal.

260

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

I I

It'

filvvays supposed it was only a hunter's yarn. I don t
know why there may not be a few of those big fellows
left, though ! "

The idea of having these gigantic neighbors was not a
pleasant one, and the women were glad when Peeschee
was allowed to resume his narrative.

Shortly after running away from the Mammoth, he
said, he sprained his ankle on a snow-covered root, and
felt that he could go no further. Making one final effort,
and limping painfully along, he was preparing to lie down
and die when he saw smoke arising through the tree-tops.
Pressing on once more, he came upon a small collection
of wigwams, containing two or three dozen natives.
They proved to be Ungaliks, a little known tribe of the
interior, with whom he could only converse with signs.
The Indians were hospitable and kind to him ; had shel-
tered, fed, and nursed him, as the Ayans had his father
in years gone by ; and at the end of three weeks he had
been able to continue his journey, with a pouch full of
dried meat and salmon. After a hard journey of six
days' duration, he had arrived home.

" Home ! " It was a strange word to apply to these
two lonely little huts in the midst of a wilderness of
forest and ice ; but the Buttons felt more thankful than
ever for their cosey shelter, as they heard Peeschee's
story.

''J

CHAPTER XXTII.

CHRISTMAS IN ALASKA.

S the winter wore on, all the members cf the
expedition found that their clothes were becom-
ing decidedly the worse for wear.

" Why not make some more ?" asked Solomon.

"No cloth!"

" Humph ! A whole storeful running araound the
woods on four legs ! "

Solomon accordingly took Joe and Jim, the two Cana-
dian Indians, and started off for a two-days hunt. They
returned heavily laden with pelts. On being laid out, the
furs were found to be long and silky, of a delicate, Mal-
tese blue color.

'' Blue foxes," explained the hunter. '' "We struck a
lot of 'em up towards the maountings. Lucky we've got
plenty o' fish an' meat stored up fer winter," he added,
with a grave shake of his head. '• I've never seed game
so scurce in my life. It's my l)eliof that that 'ere big
critter Peeschee saw has scared 'em all away. IVars is
denned up, and I haven't seen a sign o' deer nor moose
pence we started."

261

I <t

n^\

f. ;

262

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

The fox-skins were stretched and salted, and, as soon as
they were dry enough, were manufactured into garments.
As there were over twenty of these skins, everybody soon
had at least some bit of blue fox about his person — and
a picturesque-looking sight they were. Flossie fairly
screamed with delight when they first met at table, wear-
ing their new clothing of blue, silk\- fur.

It must be confessed that the davs drao-ijed somewhat
wearily along through November and December. The
sun did not rise until about half past nine o'clock ; then
it hung, sulky and red. above the horizon for four or five
hours only, and by tln-ee o'clock in the afternoon it was
dark enough in the ill lighted huts to use lamps again.
They played games, told stories, and even started a
newspaper on birch bark.

The snow kept oft' marvellously, lying on the ground
to the depth of only about ten inches. The l)oys hunted
through the woods neai- Ijy. l)ut, as Solomon had said, game
was so scarce that it hardly paid for the tramp. Many a
time they came home completely empty-handed.

One morning Flossie had an inspiration. Teddy was
the unconscious " first cause."

'' Oh, wirra ! " said he. with his favorite exclamation,
and a comical twist to his face, " do ye remimber the
Christmas we had last year as iver was, at Sheldon ? An'
look at us now ! "

"Why not have Christmas here?" cried Flossie, with
a sudden thought. •* What day is it now, papa ? "

CHRISTMAS IN ALASKA.

2()H

" It is — let ine see — Thursday, December tenth," said
her father, consulting his calendar.

" Then, Christmas is just a fortnight from to-morrow !
We can have a tree, and hang up evergreen, and have a
i^plendid time ! Why not?"

As nobody seemed disposed to come forward with any
reason '• why not," the plan was eagerly taken up by all.
The three Indians had no idea what Christmas meant, and
very gravely and sweetly Flossie undertook to explain to
them about its origin, and liow dear the day was to all
the world.

As she told the story of Bethlehem, reading now
and then from her little Testament, Solomon joined
the group, and listened with bared head and a sober
face.

"Reminds me of when I was a leetle feller," he said,
when Flossie paused at the end of a chapter. " Seems
ter me my father used to road 'baout that once, Init
I've e'ena'most fergotten every word of it. Go on.

miss.

The Alaskans themselves hardly comprehended what it
was all about ; but something of the young girl's devout
spirit must have made itself felt, for they listened eagerly,
and nodded to each other several times, and were evidently
sorry when the lesson was over.

" And now." concluded Floss, closing her book, '' it's
going to be His birthday next week — Chrlstmns. we call
it — and everybody ought to be happy on that day, and

2f)4

THE UFA) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

make everybody else luippy — and we're going to have
just as good a time as we can — there ! "

The girl jumped up, and at once entered into profoundly
secret jilans with her mother and Chloe, relating to ever-
green, candles, ornaments for the tree, and even gifts,
for these last were by no means to be omitted. Each
of the family was occupied in manufacturing some
kind of a surprise for the rest, and the time went
nmch more quickly. On the twenty-fourth, the boys
tramped off into the forest, and gathered armfuls of
green boughs, as well as a lot of long, gray moss with
which the larger trees throughout the woods ^vere
draped. These boughs, which were of fir and cedar,
were tastefully fastened up about the large '-living-
room," and over the fireplace. Peeschee came in a little
after the others, and produced several clusters of scarlet
wild-rose hips, which "came in just right for holly
berries," Flossie said.

Before long the whole room was spicy with the fra-
grance of the boughs, and it began truly to seem like
Christmas. Solomon was trusted with the important duty
of securing the tree, which he fulfilled to a charm, leavino-
it out-of-doors over niirht.

The next day — Christmas — what glorious weather!
It began with the loveliest of rosy skies, slowly growing
to bright gold, until the sun itself peeped over the far-
away mountains of ice. and sent its glad beams dan-
cing down to the little clearing. All hands were up in

CHIUSTMAS IN ALASKA.

265

good season, and dressed in their best blue fox for
the day.

Early in the afternoon, as the sun sank again behind
its fir draperies, the Christmas tree was brought in. and
set up near the fire. The boys and men were now all ban-
ished to their own quarters, while the others decked the
boughs with the little gayeties they had prepared. In
the first place, a dozen tiny candles, " dipped " in bear's
grease, were fastened on with pins. Then, some of Pees-
chee's rose-hips, and streamers of gray moss, were added,
and a lot of Mrs. Button's precious crab-apples hung here
and there, giving a really gala effect to the whole.
A few bits of bright-colored ribbon completed the
adornment of the tree — but not its mission ; for now
the gifts were placed among its branches, carefully
labelled. Flossie clapped her hands, and fairly danced
about it, as the candles were lighted and blazed up
bravely.

'• Call the boys, Chloe. call the boys ! " said Mrs. But-
ton ; and. with a vast deal of stamping and laughing, in
they all came. A splendid fire was blazing on the hearth,
with a huge " Yule Log " on top. sending a glorious sheet
of red flame up the rude chimney. But the object in th •
room was the tree !

How those Indians did stare, to be sure, and glance
apprehensively at tho ceiling, to be sure the whole
building was not on fire ! Never a word they said, how-
ever, and you might have thought, after the first moment,

266

Tin: HKD MOUSTAIN OF ALASKA.

•1 .

that thoj' had been accustomed to Christmas trees from
thi'ir childhood.

Suddenly a strange-looking being came out.from behind
a clump of boughs in the corner. The astonished Mani-
tobans gave one involuntary grunt in chorus, and then
were as silent as before.

It was apparently a little old man, dressed in a bear-
skin, with u cai) of marmot, and a blue-fox tail hanfinu-
down behind. He wore a mask made from material pro-
vided by Solomon's brown bear, and had a long, gray
beard (of moss).

This singular creature now advanced into the firelight,
and announced himself as Santa Glaus. He was a little
late, he said, because his reindeers were a trifle timid
about going through the Chilkoot pass, and had sliied at
a Mammoth a few miles away. However, he had arrived
safely, and was prepared to distribute presents, as usual.

Turning to the tree, he proceeded to take down a
really beautiful little pair of snow-shoes, about one half
the regular size.

" The.se," said Santa Glaus, " are for Miss Florence Dut-
ton. They were manufactured and placed in my hands
for lier by my good friend Solomon. ' May she live long
to wear 'em.' is his wish."

Florence examined the shoes with delight. The frames
were made of young birch, and they were strung with
strong, fine sinews. The sockets and straps were of mar-
mot and deer skin.

CnniSTMAS I.\ ALASKA.

267

"Here is a bow and arrow for Master Nat," oontiniioil
the benevolont .saint. '• Peesclieo, tlie Indian, knows
more about tlio making of thcni tlian T do."

A pair of deer-skin slippcM-s. witli tlic bair on. were
next discovered and announced for Uncle Richard, wlio
tionu'liow did not seem to bi- present. Tliey were laid
aside against the lieutenant's return.

Everybody received something, even Joe and Jim. It
was wonderful bow swiftly and skilfully the nimble
fingers of the women had wrought during these last few
days.

Wlien the last present was given, and the candles had
burned low. Santa. Claus wished all a good night and a
merry Christmas, and went out through the door.
Within two minutes Uncle Dick appeared, demanding,
with a woful face, where the visitor was, — and /lad he
missed seeing him while he was just taking a little stroll
for his health ?

That the device was so transparent only tickled the
fancies of these grown-up people the more, and they
laughed as heartily as children over the lieutenant's
fun.

Chloe. meanwhile, had called into play all her culinary
})owers, and now invited the company to sit down to a
Christmas dinner.

Robert and his uncle had put their heads together, the
evening before, and produced with great solemnity tlie fol-
lowing

i..f

111!

2<^8 i'BS JiED MOrXTAIN OF ALASKA.

BILL OF FAKE.

At Button Lodge about lat. O.r N., Ion. 144° W. from

Greenwich.

CIIKLSTMAS, 1869.

r<)TA(iK.

Rabbit, il I'eaii chaude.

FISH.

►Salmon, /Mwte 0. VAyan. Broiled Smoked Grayling.

FOWL.

Eoast Spruce Tartridjijo, Sauce « ht Chloe.

lii)AST.

Venison, aux Otjnons Saucat/es. Bear, u V Alaska.

KNTK^KS.

Mountain Pemraican. More Rabbit. More Bear.

VKfiETABLES.

Or.ions.

KELI.SUE.S.

Alaskan Currant Sauce. More A. C. Sauce.

I'ASTKV.

Grilled Pilot-Biscuit.

DESSEKT.

North American C'rab-Apples, au naturel.

This inviting bill, which was printed on birch bark,
was received with great applause. Mr. Dution ventured
a mild doubt as to the French rendering of " wild "
onions, but was instantly frowned down by the rest of
the company. The rabbit and grouse had been shot a
week before, and kept frozen for the occasion. The Ind-
ians, nay, Solomon himself, had scoured the woods during
the intervening period, with the hope of procuring more
variety for the grand dinner, but had failed to find h
living creature.

CIIIilsr.]/As /.V ALASKA.

:iGl»

The long evening pa.ssL'd incrrily enough. Hugh began
the fun by reciting a fauiiliar [)a.ssage from Dickens'
"■ Carol," which he had used a a declamation at school;
and little Nat followini!;. •• 'T was the niu'ht before Clirist-

■o*

mas," from beginning to end without a stumble.

The lieutenant was now called on for a story. It was
evident that he had been at some pains at preparing the
narrative that followed ; for, although he pretended to be
weaving its incidents from liis l)rain on the spur of the
moment, he was observed to glance several times at a
small slip of paper, covered will pencilled notes, which
he held in his hand.

'•Let me see," said he. gravely, looking ibout upon the
company, and giving the blazing logs a kick : " I suppose
it must be a Christmas story?"

" Of course."

" Well, I'll call it

"ax echo of the CHRISTMAS CAROL."*

It was at precisely eight o'clock, on the evening of the
twenty-fourth of December, that Mr. Broadstreet yawned,
glanced at the clock, closed the book he had been reading,
and stretched himself out comfortably in his smoking-
chair before the cannel fire which snapped and rustled
cosily in the broad grate. The book was " Christmas
Carol ; " and the reader, familiar as he was with its pages,
had been considerably affected by that portion relating to

* Flossie and lior mother afterward were at some pains to copy the story out
as nearly as they could remember it, so I can give it to you entire.

270

mi': II Kh MOiWTAiy of a la ska.

If I

:«i

'I'iiiy Tim, as well as chuered by the juyiul notes with
wliich the (>arol ends.

For some minutes he sat silently surveying the pattern
on his slippers, and apparently working it out again on
his own brow. Now, Mr. IJroadstreet was not a man to
act upon impulse. A lawyer in large and profitable prac-
tice, and a shrewd man of business as well, he was never
known to do, say, or perhaps even decide, anything with-
out deliberation.

•' Hold on a bit," he would .say to an eager client ;
" softly, softly, my friend, you're too fast for me. Now,
what did you say was done with the property ? " and so
on to the end of the story. If there was any money in
the case, Mr. Broadstreet was pretty sure to draw it out
for the benefit of his clients, and, remotely of course,
himself.

" When I put my hand down" lie was fond of remark-
mg, with significant gesture upon the office desk, " I never
take it up again without something in it."

Tn the course of his long practice, aided by a series of
fortunate speculations, he had amassed such a goodly sum
that his name stood near the head of the list of " Our
Prominent Tax-Payers." He drove a fine span of horses,
and was free enough with his money, in a general way.
That is. when some large philanthropic movement was on
foot, Alonzo M. Broadstreet, Esq., was pretty sure to be
down for a round sum. He paid his share in church and
politics, and annually sent a check to the Board of Foreign

VIIlilSTMAS IN ALASKA.

271

Missions. He made a rule, however, never to cncDuraire
pauperism by promiscuous alms-criving. ami never tried a
case or gave legal advice for love. Poor pe()[)le who
called at his otlice for assistance always found liim unac-
countably busy, and street beggars liad long since learned
to skip his door on their morning basket-visits.

To-night Mr. Broadstreet had picked n[) the"(Jarol"
m a specially complacent mood. lie had spent li!)erally
in Christmas gifts for his wife and children, letting him-
self almost defy his better judgment by purchasing for
the former an expensive pin she had seen and fancied in
a shop window the week before. Just as he had com-
pleted the bargain, a rescript had come down from the
Supreme Court affirming judgment in his favor, on a case
which meant at least a five-thousand dollar fee.

Notwithstanding the memory of this recent good-luck,
he continued, on this particular evening, of all evenings
in the year, to knit hi brows and give unmistakable evi-
dence that some emotion or reflection not altogether
pleasant was stirring him powerfully.

" Nonsense ! " said Mr. Broadstreet, presently, half
aloud, as if he were addressing some one in the centre of
the glowing coals. '• Nonsense ! " he repeated, looking
hard at a grotesque, carved figure that supported the
mantel : " I'm 7iot like Scrooge. I give freely, and I spend
freely. That fire don't look much like the one old Scrooge
warmed his gruel over, does it now ?"

The marble figure making no answer to this appeal,

272

THE llEl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

■^^'

but foiitimiiiiu" his stony ^jaze, Mr. Brojidstroet shifted liis
position auaiii uneasily. "Don't I give away hundreds
ol" dollai's every year tu the societies, and liaven't 1 left
them a lonnd Ten Thuu.sand in my will '.' Won't soniehody
mourn for nif. eli V

lint th<-' cai'ved lijis re])lie(l never a word, only si'eminu'
to eiu'l sliu'litly. as the tireliuht played upon them, thereby
a.ssumiuL^ such an unph'asantly .scornful expression that
Mr. Ih'oailstreet began to feel more uncomfortaljle than
*;ver.

Rising hastilv from his chair, and throwing the book
down u])on tlu* tal)le. he walked on to tlu window. rul)bed
a little place clear upon the frosty pane, and looked out.

The niLilit was Lrloomv enoui'h to make the plainest of
homes seem clieerv bv contrast. Since morning, the skies
had been dully gray ; so that every one who went out wore
arctics and idster. and was provoked because no storm
came. At about the time when the sun might be sup-
posed to be setting, .somewliere behind that dismal wall of
clouds, a few tin v. shiverinir flakes had come floating down
or up. one could hardly tell which, and had mingled with
the dust that, driven by the biting wind, had filled tlu^
air, and piled itself in little ridges along the sidewalk, and
blinded the eyes of men and beasts throughout the dreary
day. Before long, the snow overcame the low-born friend
with whom it had at first treacherously allied itself, laid
it prostrate on the earth, and, calling in all its forces, rioted
yictoriously over the field. The storm now took full posses-

ClflilSTMAs /.V ALASKA.

■27:\

sion of the ritv. wliiteiiiiig roofs and pavements, inullliiii;-
every footfall and wheel-rattle, iillino: the streets np to
their slaty hrims witli whirling mists of sleety snow, and
roaring fnrion/.v through the tree-tops and around eor-
ners. As Mr. iiroadstreet gazed through his frosty looj)-
hole. with mind full of the story iie had just linished. he
fancied he could discern the shadowy forms of old Marlev
and his fellow-ghosts moaning and wringing their hands
as they swept past in trailing white robes.

He turned away with ;i lialf-sliiver. and once more
ensconced himself in his warm easy-chair, taking up the
Carol as he did so. and tui-ning its leaves carelessly until
he came to a picture of the (ihost of Christmas Present.
It was wonderfully well drawn, following the te.\t with
great care, and hitting off the idea of the jovial, holh-
crowned spirit to the very life. An<l then the hea[) of
good tilings that lay in generous piles ahout the room!
Mr. Broadstivet could almost catch a whiff of fragrance
Irom the tin-kiys and gee.se and spicy houghs. Indeed,
so strong was the illusion that he involuntarily glanced
over his shoulder at the marhle-topped table near by. half
expecting to see an annetizing di.sh of eatables at his side.
No one had entered, however, and the table Avas as usual,
with only its albiun and gilt-mounted screen. Ilaid<ed by
a few book.s that were too choice to be hidden away on
the library shelves. When he looked buck at the picture
in the book, he started and rubbed liis eyes. He thought
— but it could not have been possible — that the central

274

TIIK RED MOUyTAIN OF ALASKA.

,Ji!

|i. :

figure on tlie page moved sliglitlv : and he was positive
that one of the Ghost's arms, in tlic engraving, liad been
raised, wliile now l)ot]i were at his side.

Mr. Broadstreet turned l)ack the leaf with some misgiv-
ing, and U)oked carefully behind it. Nothing but blank
white paper.

'• How," nmttered Mr. Broadstreet to himself, " a man's
fancy does play strange tricks witli — ITalloo ! "

lU' was once more glancing at die picture, when the
jolly Ghost gave him an unmistakal)lc wink.

To say that the lawyer started, was astonished, struck
tlumb. — would l)e mild. He sat staring at tlie page, not
wiiolly believing his own eyes, and yet not liking to look
upon such a — to say the least — [)eculiar picture.

Wliile he was in this bewildered state of mind, a rich,
jovial voice was heard, apparently proceeding from a
great distance, and at the same time dirt^ctly froiii the
book he held in his h;ind ; and — yes, no doubt about it
— the Ghost's bearded lips were moving.

••Well?" said the Ghost, still seeming very, very
far oif.

•'• Well, sir ? " stammered Mr. Broadstreet, in return.

•"You see, I'm not dead yet, although some of your
good people on this side of the water pay precious little
attention to me."

■• Why, really." said Mr. Broadstreet, instinctively argu-
ing the opposite side of the question, " as to that, I'm not
so sure. Take Christmas cards, now. Five years ago

CHIilsr.\[A S ly A L . 1 SKA.

27.5

»r

they were luiknowu ; now they're as eommoii us valeu-
tiiies."

'' Oh, yes." replied tlie Gliosl . '• I know. You see, I
have my room pretty well deeoratefl with them."

The lawyer scrutinized the haekground of the picture
more clearly, and. sure enough, the walls were covered
with what at iirst seemed a rich sort of illuminated paper,
but proved to be composed entirely of ('hristmas cards,
many of which he had never seen. Kven in the momen-
tary glance he gave, he observed that those which had
taken prizes, and had been most largely advertised dui'inj'-
the past few winters, were tucked away in obscure cor-
ners, while several which were exceeding! v simple in
design and text occupied the most prominent ])ositions.

" Yes," the Ghost went on, •• the cards are well enough
in their way, and so are tlie other displays and festivities
of the day. But it is ihe spii-it of (^nistmas tiiat you
need. Charity, charity in its good old si-nse : open heai'ts
and kind deeds, with less thought of self-pleasing. While
these dainty little gifts are being mamifacitured. ])ui--
chased, sent, and thrown away, hundreds of peoi)le are at
starvation's door in your own city ; th(jusands of people
know little or nothing of the real meaning of the day
and of its foundei-."

As the Ghost spoke, its voice seemed to come nearer,
and at the same time the book grew so large and heavy
that Mr. l>roadstreet was fain to set it down u])on the
carpet. He no longer feared the Ghost, nor did it

270

Till': RED MOrSTAIN OF ALASKA.

i»

seeiri strange that it should oonverso witli him in this
luannei'.

" Wlicroin are we deficient ? " he asked, eao-erlv. " Or
what more can we do? The cliaritable institutions of
Boston are among the best in the world, the sky is full of
her church-steeples, her polic(! and missionary forces are
vigilant and effective in their work."

The Ghost of Christmas Present gave a toss to his Ions
hair and beard.

" Tlow nnich have you done to carry the spirit of
Christmas-tide beyond your own threshold? Who in
this great city will cherish the day and love it more
dearl}^ for your warm human friendship and kindly act,
until it symbolizes to them whatever is purest and merri-
est and holiest in life ?"

Tlie (J host's voice, now grown very near, was rather
sad than stern, and its eyes were fixed intently upon Mr.
Broadstreet's face.

Mr. Broadstreet hesitated. With ci'oss-examination he
was familiar enough, but he did not relish the part of wit-
ness. So confused was he that he hardly noticed that
book and picture were r.ow so large that they quite filled
the eiid of the room in which he was sitting, and seemed
like another apartment opening out of his own.

"I — I — hardly know." he stannuered. " Really, I've
spent a good deal of money ; my Christmas bills are
always tremendous, but I suppose it's mostly in the
family."

en HIS TMA S I.\ ALA SKA.

277

''Mind," mternii)te(l tlie (Ihost, almost sliarply, '• I
don't say anything against the good cliciM' and nu'rriincnt
at home. But tliere are many homes witliiii a stone's
throw of yonr chair wliere there will he no line dinner,
no presents, no meeting of friends, no tree. — nothing hut
anxiety and doulit and despair. Your dressing-gown
would provide for several of them."

Ml". Hroadstreet looked meekly at the emhroidery upon
his sleeves.

'• What would vou have me do?" he asked.

-' Do you desire to perform ^'our part toward making
the morrow hright for some one who otherwise woiUd lind
it all clouds ? Do you wish to jilant seeds of love and
merey and tenderness in some heart that has heretofore
borne only thistles? To bring a smih; to some wtsiry
face, warmth to .shivering limbs, light and hope to dreary
lives ? '

" I do ! T do ! " exclaimed the rich man, eagerly start-
ing u]) from his chair.

*• And are vou readv to sacriiice your ease and com-
fort, this stormy night, for such as them ? "

Mr. Broadstreet seized his fur cap and ulster from the
ra<^k in the hall. " Try me ! " hu cried. '• I'm reaiiy for
anvthin-j-I "

The (Jhost smiled pleasantly m^-kn hhn, at the s.une
tinje seeming to lift its hand inxoluntarily, as in blessing.
Then he spoke for the last time.

'• Hitherto vou have known only the bridit side of

278

THE lli:i) MOV STAIN OF ALASKA.

i i

f v. r^

Christinas," it s[iid, gently. " It has been full of joy to
you and yours. J>ut there are those among your fellow-
creatures — nav. ainon;'' your very ntiiii'hhors — who dwell
in such continued misery that when Christmas conies it
hut reminds them of their unhappy state, and by its
;'xcess of light upon others deepens the gloom about them-
selves. This is the Shadow of (^hristmas Present, and it
falls heavily upon many a heart and many a household
where the dav. with its uood (theer and blessed associa-
tions, should bring naught but delight." Tlu; kind
Si)irit's voice wavered sliii-htlv. '" 1 mvself can do but
little to dispel this shadow. It grieves me sorely, year by
year, but it remains, and I fear I but make it worse, with
my blutt" ways and keen winter breezes. It is for tho.se
who love me most to carry such light and comfort to
those upon whom it rests that it shall be banished, never
to return. The shadow grows less year bv vear. but it is
still broad, broad."

The Ghost was silent a moment. It beckoned to the
other, and motioned to him to step behind it. •• In my
shadow you shall move to-night," it concluded, in a
firmer voice. '' It shall accompany you wherevei- you
go. and vourwork shall l)e to turn it awa\- with whatever
kind deeds your hand shall liud to do. or I'heering words
you may \\\x\v. the power to speak."

It said no more. Mr. Broad.street, who when a child
had often longed to ])eep b(>hiud a picture, foinid himself
actually fulfilling his wi.sh. As he drew nearer the

CIlIilSTMAS ly ALASKA.

279

printed i)age, lie lic-n-d a dull roar, like surf boating upon
a rocky coast. IIo advanced farther. j)icking liis way
around the pile of poultry and vegetables and glistening
holly upon which the Ghost sat enthroned. A moment
more and the room vanished in utter blackness of night ;
the roar grew grander and deeper, until it throbbed in
his ears like the diapason of a njighty oigau : a lierce
blast of snow-laden wind struck his bewildered face; the
streeu-lamp upon the corner ilickered feebly in a mist of
Hakes — he was standing before his own door, knee-deep
in a snow-drift, and butfeted above, below, and on every
side by the storm that was abroad that Christmas Eve.

At this point in the lieutenant's story. Mr. Dutton
suddenly raised his hand and turned his head slightly
towards the door.

His face wore an 'expression of keen anxiety.

Everybody was silent, ILstening intently.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE lieutenant's «T(JKY CONCLI'DED.

III FA' Mr. Diitton. the coolest and most self-pos-
>'sse(l Mieniher ol" the party, liad so unexpectedly
intenni)ted his hrother. and assumed a listening
attitude, with an undonhted look of ai)prehension toward
the U)\\ door, the rest could not resist a <:radually increas-
ing sensation of dread. What had their K'ader heard that
causi'd hiiu such uneon<*ealed alarm ?

As the}- listened, the wind, whicli seemed to he risincr.
gave utterance to a long, low. and sad moan around the
corner of the Imt.

Mr. Dutton at once resumed his former easy position,
with a long hreath of relief.

'•1 helieve I'm uetting nervous," said he, with a short
laugh •• ( ;<) on with your story, Dick."

•• I thought I heard somehody calling just now, away
off in tile woods," said Nat ; - hut I guess 'twas ftnly the
wind."

Mr. Dutton glanced sliarply at the hoy and at Solonnm,
ni.M.ting the hitter's eyes for an instant. Neither of them
spoke, however, and the story-telh.M* proceeded with the
strange adventures of Mr. JJroadstreet.

Tin: i.n:rTK.\A.\Ts srouy coscu nuit.

281

As >>()ui) as Mr. Pn'oadstrtrt n'coNci'cil hiiiiM'ir, aiul
cl<'ar('(l liis cyrs iVoiu tlir hliiulinu^ snow, lir saw a licavv,
Ijlack shadow on tlic sidewalk, I'lividopiiii:; liis own pt'isuu
and ivstin*:; upon tliu lij^'uri' oi a man wlio had ('\idt'ntly
just sholtorod hinisclf hcliind tin- liii^di. stono strps. for his
footprints, loading from the street, wert^ still (juiie fresh.
As the man thrashed his arms, and stamped \ iuorously to
start the hlood thronuh his henumlx'd feet, a hri,L:,ht
button or two ^L'ieamed upon his hreast thronjiii the cape
of his great-eoat. Mr. liroadstreet now reeogni/ed him
as the polieeman whos(! heat it was, and whom he had
occasionally favored with a eonde.seending nod as he came
home late at night from the theatre or the elui). lie had
never addi'essed him by .so much as a word; hut now the
Shadow was full upon him. and Mr. liroadstreet lelt that
here was his lirst opportunity.

'• (iood-evening. ollieer I " he shouted, cheerily. thrt)ugli
the storm. '■ Wish you a merry Christmas to-morrow."

'•Thank you, sir; ."^ame to you." replied the other,
with a touch of the cap and a plea.sed glance at
the great man. •• Hard times for the boys to-night,
though."

" It is hard," said Mr. Broadstreet, compassionately.
'•And y(ju"re rather cold. 1 suppose?" he added, awk-
wardly, after a pause.

- Rather!"

"Why. bless mo!" a bright thought striking him,
" wouldn't you like a cup of hot coil'ee, now ?"

•J«2

'////•; 11 hi) MOlMAiy OF ALASKA.

TIm- (.irnMT looked iij) auaiii siirpiised. '• I would that,
^ii\ lirst-r.itc." hi' ;m.>\V('r('(l. heartily.

Mr. IJioadstreet stepped to the side door and pressed
the elect rie -Ivnol).

"(Jive this man a <r(.od euj) of eolTee." he said to the
j^irl wlio answered the hell. -And. oHieer, huv the i'olks
;it home a trille for nie ; Christmas, you know." As he
spokr. he put a hiu; silver dojlai- int(» the astonished
policeman's hand, and at the same time the Siiadow van-
ished, leavin.i; the li^ht from the hriuht. warm hall fallin-r
fairly upon the snow-covered cip and buttons.

A nuillled roll and jin.ulinu' of U-lls made themselves
heard above the wind, and a horse-car came lahorinir
down the street through the heavy drifts. Mr. Jiroad-
street. without a thought as to the destination of the car,
hut impelled by some unseen force. claml)ered upon the
rear jilatform. The conductor was standing like a .snow-
man, covered with white from head to foot, collar up
around his ears, and hands deep in his ])ockets. And
the Shadow was there again. IJroad and gloomy, it .sur-
rounded both conductor and passenger in its bleak folds.

'• Tough night, sir." remarked the former, presently.

" Yes, yes ; it is. indeed." replied Mr. Broadstreet, who
was thiiddng what in the world he could give this man
except money. '' And Chi-istmas Eve. too ! "

" That's a fact." .said the conductor. '• Ju.st the luck
of it. 1 say. Now. to-morrow I get four hours' lay-off in
the afternoon ; and my wife, she was planning to take the

rnK UKriKXAXTs srouv roxci.rinnh

283

cliildicii and jjo to tlic plav. Hut tlicv'rc iioiif ol" Cm
ovor-strong. and t won't do to take "em out in tliks .snow,
liosides, like 's not. 'twill storm all day."

'•Children?" exclaimed Mr. Hroadstreet, seeing away
out of his diinculty ; " how many ? "

'• Two _<:;irls and a hoy, all undei- seven."

" Got any Christmas pre.sents for them ? — don't mind
my asking."

"Well, I'd just 's lief show you what I hare got.
'Tain't nuieh. you know, hut then it's soiin fliiii'."'

He stepped inside the door, laid aside his snowy mit-
tens, and, taking from the eorner of the seat a small,
hrown i)arcel, carefully removed the string and wrap-
pings.

" There ! " he said, with a .sort of pleading i)ride in his
eyes. '* I guess the.se'll please 'em .some. "Tain't nmch,
you know," he added again, glancing at his pa.ssenger's
fur cap. as he displayed the pre.sents on the car-.seat.

A very red-cheeked and hlue-eyed doll, with a placid
countenance quite out of kee])ing with her arms; these
memhers heing .so constructed as to occui)v oidv two
positions, o\u) of which expressed unhounded astonish-
ment, and the other gloomy resignation ; — a transparent
slate, with a dim cow under the glass, and '' 15 cts."
plainly marked in lead-pencil on one corner of thw frame ;
— and a rattle for the girl haby.

As the conductor held up these articles in his stiff, red
fingers, turning the doll about .so as to show her flaxen

IMAGE EVALUATION
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Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

w^..

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2«t

TJIK IlEI) MOryTALX OF ALASKA.

braid to tlie best advantage, and inducing the arms to
take tile positions alluded to, tlie Shadow crept away,
and had well-nigii disappeared. But it returned again,
thicker than ever, when he said, witli a little choke in
his voice, " I did mean to get 'em a little tree, with
candles on it, and a picture-book or two ; but our pay
ain't over-much, and we had sickness, and — and — " he
was very busy doing up the bundle, and very clumsy he
must have been, too, for it was a long time before the
wide-looped, single bow-knot was tied, and the parcel
carefully })ut away again.

Mr. Broadstreet winked hard, and his eyes shone.

" How long before you pass here on the way back ? "
he asked.

" About thirty-five minutes it'll take us to get round,
sir. on account of the snow. It's my last trip."

'• Very well. Now, conductor — ahem ! what did you
say your name was ? "

" Tryson, sir ; David Tryson."

•■ Then, ahem ! Mr. Tryson — just ring your bell when
you reiuih the corner there, on the up trip ; and dodge
into that store where the lights are. You'll find a bun-
dle waiting for you. Good-night, cond — Mr. Tryson,
and a merry Christmas to you and yours ! "

'• Good-night, sir ! God bless you, sir ! Merry — " but
his passenger was gone.

As he reached the sidewalk, Mr. Broadstreet turned
and looked after the car. Whether it was the li^rht from

THE LIKVTENAXVS STORY COXCLV l>i:iK

1^8-)

the street lamp, or the broad Hood of radiance that
poured out from the windows of the toy-sho}) just heyoud.
lie could not tell ; but the rear platforui was illuminated
by a ])ure, steady glow, in the very centre of which stood
the conductor, smiling, and waving his hand. No sign of
a Shadow ; not a bit of it. Mr. liroadstreet looked care-
fully about him, but it was nowhere to be seen. Kvcii
the snow, which all this time continued to fall without
interruption, .seemed to fill the air with tiny lamps of
soft light.

Ah. that toy-shop! Such heaps of blocks, and mar-
bles, and sleds ; such dolls with eyes that would wink
upside down, exactly like a hen's ; such troops of horses
and caravans of teams ; such jangling of toy i)ianos. and
tooting of toy horns, and shrieking of toy whistles (these
instruments being anxiously tested by portly papas and
mammas, apparently to be sure of a good bargain, but
rea.lly for the fun of the thing) ; such crowds of good-
natured people, carryhig canes and drums and hoop-sticks
under their arms, taking and giving thrusts of these arti-
cles, and being constantly pushed and pulled and jammed
and trodden upon with the most delightful good-humor ;
such rows of pretty girls behind the counters, now climl)-
ing to the summits of Ararats, where innumerable Noah'.s-
Arks of all sizes had been stranded, — all the.se girls being
completely used up with the day's work, of course, but
more cheerful and willing than ever, bless them ! such
scamperings to and fro of cash-boys, and diving into the

280

THE liKI) MOlWTAjy OF ALASKA.

l\ l>

iij.

crowd, and emergings in utterly unexpected places, —
were never seen before in this quiet old city.

Mr. Bioad.street embarked on the current, and, with an
unconsciously benevolent smile on his round face, was
l)orne half-way down the store before he could make fast
to a counter.

■• What can I do for you, sir ? " If the girlish voice
was brisk and business-like, it was. at the same time,
undeniably pleasant. Mr. Broad.street started. '' Why,
I want .'^onie presents ; Christmas presents, you know,"
he said, looking down into the merry, l)rown e3"es.

"■ Bov oi' uirl, sir, and how old?" Mr. Broadstreet
was Tairly taken aback by her promptnes.s. His wife
always did the Christmas whopping.

■' Let me see," he began, iiurriedl}' ; " two girls and a
— HO, I mean two boys — why, bless me I " he went on,
in great confusion, as her low laugh rang out among the
woolly .sheep with which she lia])i)ened to be surrounded,
•• I've really forgotten. That ii^ — oh, I see, you needn't
laugh I" and Mr. IJroadstreet's own smile broadened as he
spoke. " They're not mine. I never heard of them until
live minutes ago, and, I declai'c, I don't remember which
is which. At any rate, there are three of them, all under
seven."

•■ How would a lamb do for the oldest ? Real avooI
and natural motion I " In proof of which latter asser-
tion, she .set all their heads nodding in the most violent
manner, until it made her customers quite dizzy to look

\S\ii

THE LIEUTENAyT'S STOliV COXCIA'DKD.

•J.S7

at theni. Mr. Broadstreet picked out the l)ig<;est one.
'•He seems to — ah — bow more vigorously than tliu
rest." lie said, gravely.

The girl then proceeded to display various toys and
gay-colored picture-hooks, Mr. IJroadstreet assenting to
the choice in every instance, until a large, compact bun-
dle hiy on the counter, plainly marked : —

" jUi': ^i-ij&ojL, ^aiidiLciat^, ta lie called few-."

As the lawyer was leaving the store, he remembered
something, and turned back.

" I forgot." he said, " I wanted to buy a tree " —
'■ Just round the corner." interrupted the l»rown-eved
girl, ovei- her shoulder, without looking at him. Sho was
already deep in the confidence of the next customer, who
had told her the early history , of two of her children, and
was now proceeding to the third. Mr. lii'oadstrect but-
toned up his coat collar, and stejjped out once more into
the storm. A few moments' walk l)rought him lo a stand
where the trees were for sale. And what a spicy, fra-
grant, delicious, jolly place it was. to be sure I The side-
walk was flanked right and left with rows upon rows of
spruce, pine, and fir trees, all gayly decked with tufts of
snow ; ever}- doorway, too, was full of these trees, as if
they had huddled in there to get out of the storm. Here
and there were great boxes, overflowing with evergreen
and holly boughs, many of which the dealers had taken
out and stuck into all sorts of crannies and corners of

2»^

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

lii

their stands, so that tlie glossy leaves and scarlet berries
glistened in the flaring light of the lanijjs. Wreaths of
everv size and description — some made of crispy gray
moss, dotted with hriglit amaranths, some of liolly —
were threaded upon sticks like heads, and were beinc-
constantly pulled off and sold to the nuitlled customers,
who poured through the narrow passageway in a continu-
ous stream.

" All brightness," thought Mr. Broadstreet, "= and no
shadow this time."

None '.' What was that black, ugly-looking stain on
the fallen snow, extending from his own feet to one of
the rude wooden stands where traffic was busiest ? Mr.
Broadstreet started, and scrutinized it sharply. He soon
discovered the outline of Chri.stmas Present. Beyond a
doubt, it was the Shadow again.

:ii' I

It must be confessed that for a moment Mr. Broad-
street felt slightly annoyed. Why should that thing be
constantly starting np and darkening his cheerful mood ?
It was bad enough that the Shadow should exist, without
intruding its melancholy length npon people who were
enjoying Christmas Eve. He might have indulged in
still further discontent, when he noticed the head of the
Shadow-figure droop as in sadness. He remembered the
kind ghost's grief, and upbraided himself for his hardness
of heart.

" Forgive me," he said, half aloud. " I was wrong.

'is;
1? 1,

THE I.lF.rTEyAXT'S STORY cnxCLUUET).

289

I forgot. I will, please God, brighten this spot and turn
away the Shadow ! "

Without further delay, he advanced through tiio gloomy
space until he reached the box upon which a large lot of
holly wreaths and crosses were disi)layed. He soon coni-
pleted the purchase of a line, thick fir, and sent it, to-
gether with a roll of evergreens, to the toy-shop, directed,
like the parcel, to the conductor.

The owner of the stand was a jovial, bright-faced young
fellow, and it was evident that to him Christmas meant
only gladness and jollity. But the Shadow still rested
upon Mr. Broadstreet and all the snowy sidewalk about
him. He was thoroughly puzzled to ilnd its oI)ject, and
had almost begun to consider the whole affair a delusion,
when his eyes fell upon an odd little li an, standing in
the shelter of the trees, and visibly shaking Avith the
cold, although his coat was tightly Inittoned about his
meagre form, and his old hat pulled down over his ears.
As he saw the portly lawyer looking at him, he advanced
timidly, and touched his' h:it with a not ungraceful
movement.

" Can I carry a bundle for you, sir ? " he asked, his
teeth chattering as he spoke.

" Why, I'm afraid not." said Mr. Broadstreet. " I've
just sent away all my goods."

The man's face fell. He touched his hat again, and
was humbly turning aw;iy. when the other laid his hand
lightly on his shoulder.

290

TIIK IIKD MOryTMN OF ALASKA.

I ;

*' You seem to be reiilly suffering with tlie c<j1c1, my
friend." he said, in such gentle tones tiiat his " learned
brothers upon the other side " would not have recognized
it ; *' and that's a little too bad for Christmns Eve."

'• Chrifitnias ! Cin-istmas ! " shivered the man. with a
little moan, wri'iging his thin hands, '' what is that to
me! AVhat is that to a man whose wife is dying for
want of tender nursing and wholesome food? — whose
children are growing up to a lilV of misei y and degrada-
tion ? — whose own haj)i)iness is gone, gone so long ago
that he has forgotten tin? feeling of it?"

Mr. Broadstreet patted the shoulder gently. " Come,
come," he said, trying to speak cheerily, "• it isn't so bad
as that, you know. Times are better, and there's plenty
of work."

•'Work!" cried tlie man, liitterly. "Yes, for the
friends of the rich ; for the young and strong ; for the
hopefid, but not for me. I tell you, sir," he continued,
raising his clenched fist until the ragged sleeve fell back
and left his long, gaunt wrist bare in the biting wind.
•• I've walked from end to end of Boston, day after da}-,
answering every advertisement, applying for any kind of
honorable employment ; but not even the city will take
me to shovel snow in the streets, and I'm discouraged,
discouraged."

To ^Ir. Broadstreet's dismay, the poor fellow suddenly
hid his face in his hands, and broke down in a tempest of
sobs.

■I

;

THE LlhrTEXAXT'S HTOHV VOSCLl'DKl). o()i

Ah, how dark tlie Shadow was tlion I 'l'h(! storm had
ceased, but the keen northwest wind still swept the
streets, filling the air with (ine. icy particles of snow, and
driving to their warm homes those who had remained
down town to make their last purchases.

The man shivered and sobbed h\ turns, and was quite
the sport of the wind, which was l)uffeting him with its
soft, cruel paws, when suddenly the world seemed to grow
warmer. He felt something heavy and soft n[)()n bis
back and around his neck. Mcchiinically thrusting his
aruis through the sleeves which opened to meet theui. and
looking np in amazement, he belu^ld his new friend stand-
ing upon the sidewalk in his (Iressing-gown. a genial
smile upon his beaming face, and his hand outstretched.
The lawyer laughed gleefully at his consternation.

•' It's all right," he said, as the discouraged man tried
to pull off the ulster and return it to its owner. '"I'm
warmer than ever. Come on, let's go home and see ^our
wife and children. Don"t stop to talk ! " And seizing
the other by the hand, or rather the cuff of his sleeve,
which was much too long for him. he hurried him off,
snatching a couple of wreaths from the stand as he went
by, and dropping a half-dollar in their place.

It was a strange experience for the proud lawj-er, that
walk through the dark streets, floundering among snow-
drifts, slipping, tumbling, scrambling along over icy side-
walks and buried crossings, the long-skirted gown flapping
about his heels in the niost ridiculous way. lie ke])t his

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TIIK UKl) MOUSTAiy OF ALASKA.

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III.

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oyt'S .steadily lixed on the Shadow, which was always
bt'l'ore him, now turning down a side street, now doubling
on itself, ever growhig more and more distinct, and draw-
ing its two followers further and further into the lowest
(juarter of the city. The stars weri' out now. and
j<eenied to ilicker in the fierce wind like the gas lights
ujion the street corners. Mr. Broadsti'eet felt curiously
warm without his ulster, and as light-hearted as a
boy.

As they passed through the most brilliantly lighted
streets, however, he saw mucii that hlled him for the
moment with sadness. For the Shadow now grew enor-
mously large, and rested upon many places. It brooded
darkly over the brilliant saloons that lined the wa}', and
that clothed them.selves in the very garments of Christ-
mas to attract the innocent and foolish, so that, drawn
by the sheen of holly and evergreen, and the show of
festivities and good cheer, they might enter and (ind their
own destruction. Oftentimes, too, the Shadow tlitted
along the street in company with some man or woman
who to all outward appearance was calm and content
with life ; perhaps even happy, one would have said. In
the black folds of the Shadow, brutal-faced ruffians hid
their bleared eyes ; houses were draped as in some time of
national mourning ; once the slight, pretty figure of a
yomig girl came np, wearing the Shadow flauntingly about
her neck, like a scarf ; she stopped, and seemed about to
address Mr. Broadstreet with bold words.

■

THE Ln:rrr:\.\yT-s sroiir coxcli-dei,.

2J);5

As slic met liis kind. i)it\ iiin' ^-laiici'. liDUfvi'. Iht dwii
eyes fell, her lips (niivciv.l. she divw tlu' Shadow about,
her face and lied. Alas! they could do nothing for such

as her, unless that gentle, fatherly face should ( m

before her again in her solitude, and by its silent elo-
quence lead her to better things, and to the Founder of
Christmas.

While Mr. Broadstreet was peering about for the
Shadow, and tailing into his heart th(f lessons it taught,
he had not been idle, giving a kind woi'd. or a bit of
money, or a pleasant glance wherever the chance ol^'ered.

The Shadow now paused before a nari-ow doorwa}- in a
crooked little street, and tlie two — or rather the three, for
the Sliado"' went before them — entered and mounted the
stairway. Mr. Broadstreet stnmlded several times, but
the Discouraged Man Avent up like one who was well used
to the premises. As they reached tlu; third landing, a
voice somewhere near them commenced to sing feebly,
and tliey stopped to listen.

" It's Annette," whispered the Discouraged Man ; "she's
singing for me. It was a way she had when we -were
first married ; and I used to like it, coming home from a
hard day's work, so she tried to keep it up ever since.
Do you hear her. sir ? "

Yes, Mr. Broadstreet heard her. Poor, poor little thin
voice, trembling weakly on the high notes, and avoiding
the low ones altogether. It was more like a child's than
a woman's, and so tired — so tired ! He fumbled in his

294

r///v i!Hi> MorxTAfx or .i/.,i.s7»m.

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(Irossing-^owii |UM'l<(!t. aiid tinned his head Jiway — quite
lU'cdU'ssly. to!' it was vcrv dark.

Tiio two men reiiiaine(l sil(!iit for a inoinont, listening
to tlie ecJio of the ^L-av voung voice with wliich the littli;
hride used to groet lier husi)and ; she so tender, and lov-
inu'. and true ; he so strong, and hrave. and ho|>efnl for
tlie future! And. as they listened, tiiey cauglit the
words : —

"CliriHt wns borii on Cliristnias Dny,

Wn'iili.c till' iiiilly. luinc the Iniy ;

C'ui'itl, (J'hristiaiis, joyt'ullv

The r.iihf, till' Soil, tlic \\o\y One of Mury."

" That's a new one," whisjjered tlie Discouraged Man
again, delightedly. " She; never sung it before. She
nnist have learned it on purpose for to-night ! "

There was a weary little pause within the room. She
Avas wondering, perhaps, why he did'' come. Presently
she began again, and her voice had grown strangely
weal<. so that they eordd hardly hear it in the rush of the
wind outside the building.

" Let the briglit red berries ,y;lo\v
Everywhere — in goodly show " —

It died away into a mere whisper, and then ceased
entirely.

Mr. Broadstreet hesitated no longer, but touched his
companion's arm. and they both entered.

She was lying on a rude bed in the corner of the room,
her eyes closed, and her hands folded upon her breast.

;

TUK /Jf.T/A.V.I V'.'"S STOIIY CO.SCI.r l>KI).

'^K)

All ;i]j;niiy swept across the face uf lici liiisliaiul as lie
kut'lt Ix't^iilc liiT. takiuij,' lirr cold liumls — ali. so tlii:i 1 —
ill liis own. clialiiiiLf ami kissing ilicni li\- I'lrns.

Above his head, on the white-washes -vail, was the
word ••.lOIIX." in hu'ge. h)'iL;ht. letters, ll was his name ;
she had crejit i'roni her lied and tra i it upon tli frosty
Avindow-iiane, so that the light I'roni a far-wlT street-laiii|)
slioiie throagh the clear lines, and thu i' [iroducod them
ii])on tile opposite wall. Just lu'inalli was •• .l/ivv//
f'/irintiHcis." She thought it would please him. and seem
like a sort of decorarion hung there ahove her bed. And
now he was kneeling by her side, and holding her thin
hands. Perhaps lie was more; di.scuuraged than evi'r just
then. Oh. Shadow, Shadow, could you not have sjiared
him this !

Mr. Hroadstreet hung the wrontli he had bought upon
the bedpost, and waited helplessly. A mist gathered in
his eyes, so that he could not see : the walls of the little
dismal chamber wavered to and fro; the Shadow grew
more and more dense, until it seemed to assume definite
shape, the shape of (Christmas Present, sitting, as before,
enthroned amidst i)lenty and good cheer ; the deep-toned
bells in a neighboring church-tower slowly and solemnly
tolled twelve strokes. ansA-"ired by the silver chime of a
clock; the flames of the open fire rose and fell fitfull\. in
mute an.swer to the blasts of wind that roared about the
chimney top. The Ghost dwindled rapidly, the Discour-
aged Man assumed the proportions and appearance of a

■nHH

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296 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

marble figure under the mantel, and Mr. Broadstreet,
starting up in att'right, found himself standing in his own
warm room, the Christmas Carol (still open at the wonder-
ful picture) in his hand, and his fur cap upon his head.
The air still vibrated with the last echoes of the midnight
bell. It was Christmas morning.

Not many hours later, the glad sun was shining
briyhtlv (jvcr the white-robed city, sprinklim;' the streets
and housetops with diamond-dust, gleamiug upon the
golden si)ires of churches, seeking out every dai'k and un-
wholesome corner with its noiseless step, and dispensing
with open hand its bounty of purity and warmth. Yet
the Shadow was there, even on that fairest of Christmas
Days, — and Mr. Broadstreet knew it.

Throughout the day he was thoughtful and al)stracted,
and during the following weeks he was observed to act in
the most unaccountable manner. On snowy evenings he
would dodge out of the house, without the slighte.st warn-
ing, and return shortly after with damp boots and a dis-
couraged air, until one night he came in with a beaming
face, leading a policeman, upon whom he had apparently
turned tables bv arresting him in his own doorway. lie
only made him sit down, however, and drink hot coffee to
a most alarming extent, following it up with an invita-
tion to drop in any cold evening and warm himself.

Upon the horse-cars Mr. Broadstreet became famous
that winter for his obliging manners and pleasant ways
with the employes. Indeed, he more than once per-

lil;

THE LIEUTENANT'S STORY CONCLrDED.

297

sisted in remaining on the platform with the condnetor or
driver, at the imminent rislv of freezing his ears and nose,
until he was fandy driven within-doors.

Down town he behaved still more qneerl}-, leaving tlie
office long before dark, and being discovered in the oddest
places imaginable; now diving into narrow eoui'ts and
np steep staircases, now plnnging into alleyways and no
thoroughfares ; and returning home late to dinner, greatly
exhausted, with little or no money in his jux-kets. In
these days, too, he began to talk about the sufferings of
the poor, the abuses of the licpior law. the nei'd of strong,
pure women to go among the outcasts of our great, ti'ou-
bled city and perform Christ-like deeds.

One bitter cold night he was much later than usual.
It had been snowing heavily, and his wife had begun to
worry a little over the absence of her hus])and. when she
heard the click of his key in the front door. When Mr.
Broadstreet entered, sprinkled Avith snow from head to
foot, what was her amazement to .see him standing there
with fur cap and gloves, and a glowing faci-. l)ut no
ulster!

"Alonzo! Alonzo ! " she cried, from the head of the
stairs, '' what will you forget next ? Where have you
left it ? "

•• Why," said he, simply, " I've found the Discouraged
Man. And the doctor says she'll get well."

If'- \

CHAPTER XXV.

SXOAVEI) UP.

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|HEN the applause which followed the lieutenant's
story had died away. Mrs. Dutton announced
that it was ten o'clock, and time for the young
folks to be abed.

There was a general outcry at this, and Mr. Dutton
good-naturedly consented to tell one more story, to wind
up the evening.

•• 1 can't pretend to make it up," said he. "It's one I
read in the C/wistnuts Tmoeller in Boston a year or two
ago. Howe^•er, here goes 1 I'll give it to you as nearly
as I can, the way it came out in print."

The story Avhich Mr. Dutton told, he announced as

CHRISTMAS ox WIIKKLS.

A railroad station in a large city is hardly an inviting
spot, at its best. But at the close of a cheerless, blustering
December day, when biting draughts of wind come scurry-
ing in at every open door, filling the air with a gray com-
pound of dust and fine snow : when passengers tramp up
and down the long platform, waiting impatiently for their
trains ; when newsboys wander about with disconsolate,

2i/8

SNOiVEi) rr.

291)

red faces, hands in pockets, and hiUKHtvs of unsold pajtcrs
mider their ra";u;ed and shiverinu; anus; wiion. in u;('neral.
human-kind presents itself as altogether a frozen, forlorn,
discouraged, ;ukI hopeless race, condemned to he swept
ahout on the nipping, dusty wind, like Francesca and her
lover, at the rate of thirty miles an hour. — then the
station becomes positively unendurable.

So thought Bob Estii])rook. ms he paced to and fro in
the Boston & Alliany depot, travelling-lj«ig in hand, on
just such a night as I have described. Beside him. loco-
motive^i puffed and plunged and backed on the shining
rails, as if they, too, felt compelled to trot up and down
to keep themselves warm, and in even tolerably good
humor.

"Just my luck!" growled Bol). witli a misanthropic
glare at a loud-voiced family who were passing. '• Christ-
mas coming, two jolly Brighton parties and an oratorio
thrown up. and here am T, fired off to San Francisco. So
much for Ijelng junior member of a law firm. Wonder
what " —

Here tlie rufllled current of his meditations ran plnnip
against a rock, and as .suddenly diverged from their former
course. The rock was no less than a yonng person who
at that moment approached, with a gray-haired man, and
inquired the way to the ticket oHice.

Bol) politely gave them the desired information, and
Avatched them with growing interest as thev followed his
directions and stood before the lighted window. The

300

77//; RED MOUyTAiy OF ALASKA.

I ,

III

two silhouettes were decidedly out of the couiinon. The
voice, whose delicate tones still lingered pleasantly about
Mr. Kohert Estabrook's fastidious ears, was an individual
voice, as distinguishable from any other he remembered
as was the owner's bright face, the little fur collar beneath
it, the daintily gloved hands, and the pretty brown travel-
ling-suit.

"Dignified old fellow!" mused Bob, irrelevantly, as
the couple moved toward the train-gates. '' Probably her
father. Perhaps — hallo, by George! they're going on
my car ! "

With which breath of summer in his Avinter of discon-
tent, the young man proceeded to linish his cigar, consult
his watch, and, as the last warning l)ell rang, step upon
the platform of the already moving Pullman. It nmst be
admitted that as he entered he gave an expectant glance
down the aisle of the car; but the sombre curtains hang-
ing from ceiling to iloor told no tales. Too sleepy to
speculate, and too learned in the marvellous acoustic
properties of a sleei)ing-car to engage the porter in con-
versation on the subject, he found his berth, arranged
himself for the night with the nonchalance of an old
traveller, and, laying his head upon his vibrating atom of
a i)illow, was soon plunged into a dream at least fifty
miles long.

It was snowing, and snowing hard. Moreover, it had
been snowing all niglit and all the afternoon before. The

Ciij

SyOUKI) T'P.

801

wind rioted furiously over the broad Missouri plains,
alternately building up huge castles of snow and throwing
them down again, like a fretful child ; overtaking the
belated teamster on his homeward journey, clutching him
with its icy hand, and leaving him buried in a tomb uiore
spotless than the fairest mar])le ; howling, shrieking,
racing madly to and fro, never out of breath, always the
same tireless, pitiless, awful power. Rocks, fields, some-
times even forests, were blotted out of the landscape. A
mere hyphen upon the broad, white page lay the Western-
bound train. The fires in the locomotives (there were
two of them) had been suffered to go out. and the great
creatures waited silently together, while the snow drifted
higher and higher upon their patient backs.

When Bob had waked that morning, to find the tem-
pest more furious than ever, and the train stuck fast in a
hug;e snow-l)ank. his fir.'^t thought was of dismay at the
possible detention in the narrow limits of the Pullman,
which seemed much colder than it had before ; his next
was to wonder how the change of fortune would affect
Gertrude Raymond. Of course, he had long ago become
acquainted with the l)rown travelling-suit and fur (dollar.
Of course, there had been numberless little services for
him to perform for her and the old gentleman, who had
indeed proved to be her father.

Once more he became misanthropic. " There's Miss
Raymond, now," he growled to himself, knocking his
head savagely against the upper berth in his attempt to

immm

302

rilE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

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li.

look out through the frosty pane, " sitthig over across the
aisle day after day, with her kid gloves and all that.
Nice enough, of course," recalling one or two spirited con-
versations where hours had slipped by like minutes, " but
confoundedly useless, like the rest of 'em. If she were like
mother, now, there'd bo no trouble. She'd take care of
her.self. But, as it is, the whole car will be tiu'ned upside
down for heir to-day, for fear she'll freeze, or starve, or
spoil her complexion, or something. '

Here Bob turned an extremely cold shoulder on the
window, and, having performed a sort of horizontal toilet,
emerged from his berth, his hair on end. and his face
expressive of utter dehance to the world in general, and
contempt of fashionable young ladies in particular.

At that moment. Miss Raymond appeared in the aisle,
sweet and rosy as a June morning, her cheeks glowing,
and her eyes sparkling with fun.

" Good-morning, Mr. Estabrook," she said, demurely,
settling the fur collar about her neck.

Bob endeavored to look dignified, and was conscious of
failure.

'' Good-mo-morning," he replied, with some stiffness,
and a shiver which took him by surprise. It was cold,
jumping out of that warm berth.

'' I understand we must stav — but don't let me detain
you," she added, with a sly glance at his hair.

Bob turned and marched off solenmly to the masculine
end of t>e car, washed in ice-water, completed his toilet,

■I

SNOWKU UP.

30;5

and came back refreshed. Breakfast was formally served
as usual, and then a council of war was held. Conductor,
engineers, and brakemen being consulted, and inventories
taken, it was found that, while food was abundant, tlie
stock of wood in the bins would not last till noon. There
were twelve railroad men and thirty-five passengers on
board, some twenty of the latter being emigrants in a
second-class, behind the two Pullmans.

The little company gathered in the snow-bound car
looked blankly at each other, soir.e of them instinctively
drawing their wraps more tightly about their shoulders,
as if they already felt the approaching chill.

It was miles to the nearest station in either direction.
Above, below, on all sides, was the white blur of tunuiltu-
ous, wind-lashed snow.

The silence was broken pleasantly. Once moiv Bob
felt the power of those clear, sweet tones.

'' The men nnist make up a party to hunt for wood."
she said. '• "While you're gone, we women will do what
we can for those who are left."

The necessity for immediate action was evident ; and
without further words the council broke up, to obey her
suggestion.

A dozen men, looking like amateur Esquimaux, and
floundering up to their armpits at the first step, started
ot¥ through the drifts. Bob thought he recognized a face
pressed close to the pane, and watching them anxiously ;
but he could not be sure.

-5*

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804

riiK iiici) MorNTArs 01^ Alaska.

Two hours later, the men appeared once more, some
staggering!; untler huge logs, some with axes, some ^vith
bundles of ligliter houghs for kindling. In another five
minutes, smoke was going up cheerily from the whole line
of ears.

When Boh Estahrook stamped into his own car, hug-
ging up a l)ig armful of wood, he was a different-looking
fellow from the trim, young lawyer who was wont to
stand hefore the jury scats in the Boston court-house.
He had on a pair of immense hlue-yarn mittens loaned by
a kindly hi-akeman. his face was scratched with refractory
twigs, his eyebrows were frosted, his mustache an icy
caret, two finger-tips frozen, and, with all this, he looked
and felt more manly than ever before in his life.

His eye roved through the length of the car, as it had
that first night in the depot. She was not there. He
was as anxious as a boy for her pi'aise.

''' Guess I'll take it into the next car," he said, apolo-
getically, to the nearest passenger ; " there's more coming,
just behind."

She was not in the second Pullman. Of course, she
w^asn't in the baggage-car. Was it possible — ? He en-
tered the third and last car, recoiling just a bit at the
odor of crowded and unclean poverty which met him at
the door.

Sure enough, there she sat — his idle, fashionable t3'pe
of inutility — with one frowzy child upon the seat beside
her. two very rumpled-looking boys in front, and in her

SNOn-RD UP. o,,-

tn I,)

arms a baby with tcrra-cotta hair. Somehow, tlio bal)3"s
hair against tlie fur colliir didn't look so h.idly as you
would expect, either. She seemed to l)e singing it to
sleep, and kept on with lier soft crooning as slie glanced
up over its tangled red locks at snowy liob and liis arm-
fnl of wood, with a look in her eyes that would have sent
him cheerfully to Alaska for more, had there been need.

With the comfortable heat of the fires, tlie kind otUces
of nearly all the well dressed people to the poorer ones. —
for they were not slow, these kid-gloved Pullman pas.sen-
gers, to follow Miss Raymond's example, — the day wore
on quietly and not unpleasantly toward its close. Then
some one suddenly remembered that it was Christmas
Eve.

" Dear me ! " cried Miss Raymond, deliglitedly, reach-
ing round the baby to clap her hands; ''let's^ have a
Christmas party ! "

A few sighed and shook their heads, as they thought of
their own home firesides ; one or two smiled indulgently on
the small enthusiast ; several chimed in at once. Conduc-
tor and baggage-master were consulted, and the spacious
baggage car " specially engaged for the occasion," the
originator of the scheme triumphantly announced. Pi-ep-
arations commenced without delay. All the young people
put their heads together in one corner, and many were
the explosions of laughter as the programme grew.
Trunks were visited by their owners, and small articles

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306

THE UED MOUyTAIN OF ALASKA.

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abstracted therefrom to serve as gifts for tlie emigrants
and train-men, to whose particular entertainment the
evening was by common consent to be devoted.

Just as the lamps were lighted in the train, our hero,
who had disappeared early in the afternoon, returned,
dragging after him a small, stunted pine tree, which
sooinod to have strayed away from its native forest on
purpose for the celebration. On being admitted to the
grand hall. Bob further added to the decorations a few
strings of a queer, mossy sort of evergreen. Hereupon
a very young man with light eyebrows, who had hitherto
been incoi picuous. suddenly appeared from the deptiis
of a battered trunk, over the edge o' which he had for
some time been bent like a siphon, and with a beaming
face produced a box of veritable, tiny wax candles' lie
was"-on the road," he explained, for a large wholesale
toy shop, and these were samples. He guessed he could
make it all right with the firm.

Of course, the affair was a great success. I have no
space to tell of the sheltered walk that Bob constructed,
of rugs, from car to car ; of the beautified interior of the
old baggage-car, draped with shawls and brightened with
bits of ribbon ; of the mute wonder of the poor emigrants,
a number of whom had but just arrived from Germany,
and could not speak a word of English ; of their un-
bounded delight when the glistening tree was disclosed,
and the cries of '• Weihnaclitshaum ! Wclhiiachtshaumf"
from their rumpled children, whose faces waked into a

sycivKi) vi\

glow uf hlisst'nl nrill jtion at the sight. Ah! if you
could have ,swu t:he pretty gifts, the brave little pine
(which all the mai'ugers agreed couldn't possibly have
been used had it Leeu an inch taller); the inii)roviscd
tableaux, wherein Bol> successively personated an ornan-
grinder, a i)ug dog. and Hamlet, amid thunders of ap-
plause from the brakemen and engineers! Then the
passengers sang a simi)l(! Christmas earol. Miss llaymond
leading witii her pure s(jprano, and Bob chiming in like
the diapa,son of an oriran.

Just as the last words died away, a sudden hush came
over the audienw;. Could it be an illusion, or did thev
hear the mufUed but sweet notes of a church liell faint 1\-
soundhig wdthout? Tears came into the eyes of some of
the roughest of the emigrants as they listened, and
thought of a wee belfry somewhere in the Fatherland,
where the Christmas Ijells were calling to prayers that
night. The sound of the bells ceased, and the merriment
went on. w^liile tlie young man. with eyebrows lighter than
ever, but with radiant face, let himself quietly into the
car unnoticed. Tt had been his own thought to creep out
into the .storm, clear away the snow from the nearer loco-
motive bell, and ring it while the gayety was at its height.
All this indeed there wtts, and more ; lut to Bob the
joy and sweetness of the evening centred in one bright
face. What mattered it if the wind roared and moaned
about the lonely, snow-drifted train, while he could look
into those brown eyes, and listen to that voice for whose

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30.S

////•; iii:j) MoiMAiy of Alaska.

c'vei'V tone he was fust k'iirniiig to watch ? Truly, it was
a wuiidcrl'iil cvcuiiig altcjgcthcr.

Well, the blockade was raised, and the long railroad
trip (inished at last. IJiit two of its passengers, at least,
have agreed to enter upon a still longer journe}'.

She sa\s it all began when he eanio staggerinu; in with
his armful of wood and his l)lue mittens; and he? he
doesn't care at all when it began. Me only realizes the
joy that has come to him. and believes that after a certain
day next May it will be Christmas for him all the year
round.

The story was voted a success, and with many •• good-
nights" the company broke up to lie down and dream of
the dear old Christmas Day of old, — and of home.

At about midnight. Mrs. Dulton was arou.sed by a hand
placed on her shoulder.

•■ Lor. Mis' Dutton ! " chattered Chloe, who had awakened
her. •• I's mos' scaret to death. I am ! "

'•Why. what's the matter. Chloe?"

" Je.s' 30U hark, ma'am ! — Dar — hear dat ? "

Mrs. Dutton did hear it. ;ind it made her flesh creep.
It was a long, mournful howl, as sad and penetrating in
its drawn-out notes as the wail of a lost soul. Another,
and another, nearer than before.

Carlo, who was spending the night in their hut. now
began to growl. Looking out, they found him standing
in the firelight, his hair bristling, and his teeth showing.

WITIIIX A li(II) OK THK irUT WKKK A UDZKX SHAUOWV FOKM8.

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SNOWED UP.

311

" He's

"Look at his tail, missus!" whispered Cliloe.
as scaret as I am. Oli, Lor ! what shell we do ! "

She was right. The big Newfoundlund's tail was be-
tween his legs, and he was trembling from head to foot.

" Wake up, wake up, John ! " cried Mrs. Dutton, arous-
ing her sleepy husband. "■ There's something outside the
hut. Look at the dog I "

By this thne little Nat and Flossie were beside their
mother.

Again that fearful howl, eo nuich nearer, and repeated
in such prolonged chorus, that every one started. The
women shook with fear.

'•Let's go out and see what it is," said Nat, calmly,
stepping toward the door and opening it.

Mr. Dutton sprang forward, dragged the boy back, and
slammed the door again ; none too soon, for within a rod
of the hut were a dozen dark, shadowy forms, with fiery
eyes and snarling mouths. Even as Mr. Dutton closed
the door two or three of chem sprang forward.

A renewed howl arose at their disappointment.

'• Wolves," .said Mr. Dutton, calmly, turning to his wife.
*' As long as we keep indoors we are safe."

Mrs. Dutton shuddered, as she thought of the freedom
with which they had all strayed away from the hut during
the past week.

" They have found game scarce, just as we have,"
added Mr. Dutton, "and that makes them ugly and
bold" —

mi:

I'm

tut;
B'li i

812

THE llEI) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

He tvas interrupted by a reruwed liowling and snarling
outside, accompanied by a scratching and ripping sound.

Then came a riflo sliot, close by, a sliin'[i yelp, and a
tremendous scampering of feet. The door opened, admit-
ting the welcome form of Solomon, rifle in hand.

" The pesky critters have got into our stores." said he,
ha.stily. '' Come out here quick, an" bring your rifle to
keep 'em off, while I see haow nnich mischief they've
done."

Mr. Dutton turned pale, but did as he was bid. Al-
ready the fierce creatures were gathering for another
onslaught. A well aimed ball scattered them again, and
a hasty examination was made of the storage tent.

"When the hunter and Mr. Dutton reentered the hut
they were silent. Each bore in his arms a few pieces of
meat and fl.sh. As the}' laid these fragments on the table
at which they had so recently sat with shouts of merri-
ment. Mr. Dutton turned his face away from his wife's
inquiring look.

" Is — is — that all that is left, John ? "

"All!"

The wolv(^s had made an almost clean sweep of the
larder. Not four days' provisions were left. There was
no game to l)e found within fifty miles, so far as the
besieged party knew, and the fierce pack constituted a
new peril to hunters. Four long months of cold weather
to come before they could think of resuming their journey.
Was Peeschee's map right, then, after all ? Was a new

SNOWED rp.

31 ;i

enemy — sfarration — to accomplisli what neither cold
nor wild beasts nor disease had elit'ected ? Was it to be.
to this brave little company, a Valley of Deatli ?

Monrnfully, on the night wind, came the howl of the
Avolves outside, like an answer to the question.

^^^^^^&^

in -fimfi'm^ w«*^' ji^^ ^^-

CHAPTER XXVI.

PEESCIIKK S MAP AGAIN.

jIAPA. we've just been having Christmas, you
know. Won't lie take care of ns. and give us
plenty to eat ? He did once, didn't He, with
onlv iust a few loaves and fishes ? "

The men had remained silently standing, before the fire.
Mr. Button's head was bowed, and his face was covered
with his hands.

At little Nat's words, wliich sliowed never a doubt of
his heavenly Father's care over his children. Mrs. Dutton
came to her husband's side, and laid her hand gently on
his shoulder.

" Nat is right," she said, softly. '• Let ns be brave, John.
God has not deserted us yet, and he will not now."
'' But what can we do, Ella ? "

" T wus thinkin'," broke in Solomon, who had been
standing at a little distance, leaning on his rifle, "the
only way will be fer me and your two Injuns to start off
to-morrow morning fer a grand hunt."

" Oh, I shall go myself," began Mr. Dutton.
" No. You nnistn't resk anything before you have to.
You've got your wife an' darter and the boys to think of.

■>

PKESCIIEhrS MAP AGAIN.

315

I'm alone in the world. No one will care when I go,
any way ! " — the man faltered a little.

" Oh, Solomon ! " cried Floss, slipping her little hand
into his, '■ you mustn't talk so ! We all love you
dearly ! "

" I know, T know," said Solomon. " an', as fer you, Miss
Floss, I b'lieve I couldn't think more of ye ef you wus
my very own darter. But, however that may be, I'm the
fust man to go on that hunt. The Injuns .shall go too, ef
they will. They're lonesome, roamin' critters Hive me,
and mout's well be oft" in the woods as sozzlin' over the
fire here 't home."

" Wlien shall you start?" asked Mrs. Dutton. "Oh,
those wolves ! " she added, nervously. '' I do wish they'd
stop that dreadful howling! "

" Can't afford to waste lead on 'em, or I'd drive 'em
off fer a while. I shall start as soon as it's light enough
to see."

'* Papa," said Nat, holding \\\) a piece of paper, *• what
is this? It was sticking on to that largest piece of meat
you brought in."

Mr. Dutton glanced at it carelessly, as he took it.

"It's Peeschee's map," he said. ''Would to God he
had never made it ! " he added, bitterly.

Solomon too had observed the map, as the little fellow
held it.

A sudden thought, or remembrance, seemed to strike
him.

.'~"V' «WM«»»i»-»!<>iitaj^»l.~-J -..»«,;

810

rilE RED Mf-ONTAiy OF ALASKA.

m ■

"Let me look at that ar map one mimite, will ye?'*
he said.

He held it down to the firelight and examined it atten-
tively ; then ruhhed his hand through his grizzled locks
in a puzzled way.

" What is it, Solomon ? "

" I want to see Peeschee," said the hunter, reflectively,
without vouchsafing an answer.

He rose to go out, but the Alaskan siixed him the
trouble by entering the hut at that moment. It was evi-
dent from his blank face that he knew what had happened,
and realized the danger that stared them in the face.

'•Look here, old fellow," said Solomon, -'here's some-
thing I don't understand."

He pointed to the hieroglyph, on the map, which looked
like a saw-horse with an X on one end.

"We've faound everything else, so far," continued
Solomon, '• except that critter. As fer that skull in tlie
corner, I believe the old medicine-man, or whoever first
made the map, jest put it in 1o scare people away, in case
thev got so near the maounting as this."

The two men crouched by the fire, and bent closely over
the tracing.

Presently P^^schee straightened himself up, and an-
nounced his verdict in one word :

" Caribou."

" Hooray ! " shouted Solomon, starting to his feet.
"You've got it, sure. I've seen an Injun draw a caribou,

PEESCIIKirs MAP AG A IX.

317

an' that's jest the way he figgers it aout. Ft)ur legs and
two big horns."

" Well, well," said Mr. Button, impatiently, *• what
does it mean ? We haven't seen any caribou signs near
the trail."

'• That's exactly the- p'int. Ef we had, and hadn't,
come onto a caribou, I should think sartin the game lied
desarted the country and moved thar quarters. But it's
my opinion we hevn't struck the right place for 'em, fust
nor last ! "

'' Where do you think the game is, then ? " Mr. But-
ton's tone, it naist be confessed, was not very hopeful.

''Why. I remember seein' a sort of big gnlcli making
up inter the maountings on the right-hand side o' the
trail, as we come along over that ar awful rough i)ieee o'
travellin'. It looked kind o' gamey then, but we wus all
so full o' gittin' ahead that thar was no chance to try.
It's my opinion that ef I should go back fifteen miles or
so on our trail, and then strike off straight to the west'ard,
by that ar gulch. I'd bring ye in some caribou."

" You never could get it home, if you shot one."

'' Oh, you c'n resk me an' the Injuns fer luggin' it
home, ef we once bring daown a caribou. Anyways,
we'll try it. Good-night ! "

" Good-night, Solomon, and God bless you for your
courage and devotion ! "

They all shook hands with him silently, and he went
out into the night.

'11
I

i 1

«7!|*<i7a3<¥»**;*-'^J'>'» T^V if*W>W-*»n»»^wy»w<r>»~

■T

tuB ii«

i * I

318

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

Long before breakfast, tbe three hunters were off on
their wearisome and perilous undertaking.

That day passed slowly, and the next, and the next,
the wolves returning each night with their dismal
serenade.

The stock of provisions diminished with frightful rapid-
ity. Mr. Dutton prepared to start out himself on the
morrow. More than one look was cast on Carlo, whose
brown eyes were raised piteously to his young master, as
if he understood that, in case of Solomon's failure to
replenish the larder, he must be sacrificed to save the
lives of the rest.

They tried not to think of such a possi])ility. and
caressed the noble Newfoundland with unusual tenderness,
as if to atone for the suggestion which had entered their
minds.

Meanwhile, what of Solomon and the two Canadians ?

CHAPTER XXVU.

FOR LIF-E OR DEATH.

N leaving the camp at about ii'ne o'clock — or
an hour bet'or(> sunrise — on the niornhig after
C'hristmavS, tlie three men had proceeded directly
down the hanks of the hrouk, following the route l)_v which
the party had come. The wolves had withdrawn to the
depths of forest, as is their custom in tlie daytime, and
were nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, the snow on the
ground was still of only moderate depth, and the Ijrook
was open except in the deeper pools. Colder weather
might now be expected at any time, Solomon know, and
the reflection added speed to his powerful stride.

Each man had in his pouch a scanty three-days supply
of pemmican. If no game had been found by that time
— why, Solomon reasoned that they might as well die
in the woods, like Avounded deer, as go back and perish
wdth their friends.

The morning was fair, and the hunters made good
time. Unencumbered by baggage or women, they covered
nearly the whole distance to the ravine of which Solo-
mon had spoken in a single day.

319

w«m

■T,«W ifeww««w*'iSEr»*'«»s*«W-i*^r.i««^^

320

■////■; iii:i> }fou.\TAix OF Alaska.

,1v

i ^.

At night they biiiU a luigo nr(\ and cncaiupetl in tlu>
open ah', near the hrook. All three were terribly cold
before morning. l)ut they ate their penuniean and resumed
their miirch. It was no bov"s-i)liiv in whieh thev were
enuaued. it was lil'e or death to themselves and those
they had left behind.

Hy ten oehjck tluy had reached the gulch, and. with-
out stojjping. turned into it. Their route now lay up-hill,
and w^•ls nuich more ditlicult. They managed to cover
four miles, however, before they stopped to lunch.

While they were silently munching their dried meat, a
twig cracked not far away.

The suddenness with which all three pairs of jaws
ceased to move was almost comical.

Three right hands cautiously grasped the stocks of as
many guns, and the hunters watched the woods like so
many panthers waiting for their prey.

^Yhile they looked, a magnificent animal emerged from
the spruce growth and stood an instant by the Ijrook.
Before a muzzle could be raised, he had caught both scent
and sight of the strangers, and bounded forward into the
cover like an arrow. Tt was a full-sized buck caribou.

The men looked at each other for a moment in blank
silence.

Then Solomon issued his orders.

" You creep raound that way," said he to Joe, indi-
cating the circuitous route he wished him to take, " and
you, Jim, go raound the other side of the valley. I'll

'.'"'

FOR LIFE OR DEATH.

321

foller the brook stniiyht up. We'll meet, say, two mile
above here. See ? "

The two nodded intelligently, examined the locks of
their pieces, and disappeared almost as quickly as had the
startled caribou.

With Ijeating heart in spite of his long experience in
the woods, Solomon started up the bed of the brook. It
was very hard walking indeed. The stones of the stream
were coated with ice, which in its turn was covered with
a thin layer of snow. Again and again the hunter slipped
and stumbled, bruising his hands and limbs, and ureiu'h-
ing his ankles. Before long he .struck abundant '• sign "
of caribou. The snow was fairly trampled hard in some
places, where the water was open, and the animals had
often come to drink.

Creeping cautiously along, he worked his way upward,
now crouching beneath snow-laden fir-boughs, now walk-
ing upright for a few steps, now crawling on his hands
and knees. After about a mile of this sort of work, the
ground became moi'e level. The brook Avas frozen solid,
and formed an admirable highway, of which the stags had
evidently availed themselves.

A sudden turn of the banks brought the hunter out
upon the margin of a small pond or lake, perhaps three-
quarters of a mile long by an eighth wide. The hills rose
precipitously from its shores on either side, giving it
almost the appearance of a broad canon, and forming a
scene of striking grandeur.

"'^tr'^'"* •«■«*■'»"''■'""! lJ"l^'X.m»'^m£'~^-y'^^ «wiwi«ii»*s®wi«w!ww..:4:»JS,.a(B»s?fl^^ ^■M:,m''i^iji^^.-tim'mm'm::'^<^-

322

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

W I 'iV

But Soloiuon gave not a tliouglit to the picturesque
qualities of tiie landscape. He had dropped (lat upon his
stomach beneath a clunii) of half-grown willows, and was
peering eagerly out through their stems at some object or
objects at the further end of the opening.

At first he thought he saw Joe and Jim, and his heart
sank. An instant later he dii>«covered the true character
of the moving creatures just in the edge of the woods at
the head of the pond. They had four legs apiece, and
spi'eading antlers. They were of a grayish brown color
— about as large as goud-sized ponies — and had each a
light-colored mass of long hair depending from the neck.
The moment Solomon got a good look at them, he recog-
nized the animals. Beyond a doubt, they were caribou, a
fine herd of at least a dozen individuals. They had as
yet taken no alarm, but were feeding in leisurely enough
fashion on dried grasses, projecting from the snow, and
the tender bark of willow shooL;

Solomon determined to wait until the Indians should
surround them, rather than nuke the attempt at stalking.
By good luck the light wind was in his favor, blowing
directly from the game.

Assuming as easy a position as was consistent with con-
cealment, the backwoodsman set himself to wait patiently
for some action on the part of his allies. He was spared
a long delay, however, by a new crowd of actors in the
scene.

Solomon at first did not understand the movements of

FOli LIFE on DKATIl.

823

the caribou. They tossed their lieuds, and made little
starts to and fro as il' in oveat alarm, it coidd not l)o
from any j)roximity of the Indians, for it was simply
inipossibli' for thoni to have surmounted thos(^ steep hills.
and reached the end of the canon, in so short a time.

Suddenly a sound broke the stillness of the Alaskan
solitude. Il was a dismal noise, a .succession of lonL!,'.,
uncanny howls, like those of a dog in distress.

Solomon knew well enou''h now what was th(> matter;
and indeed his doubts, had any reuiained, would have
been solved a moment later, when at least thirty dark
gray animals were seen leaping out of the woods, and
dashing around the terrified caribou. It was an uncom-
monly large pack of wolves, .such as had fattened them-
selves on Mr. Button's store of pennnican, and sent
Solomon ott" on this expedition. The very best pemuiiean
is made from caribou nieat ; this pack was more particular
than the first, and preferred their meat fresh.

Do not suppose they intended to attack the whole hei-d.
or any member of it, so long as it remained compact.
They were far too wary and too cowardly for any such
procedure. With red tongues hanging out, ami with
yelps and howls, they made feints of charging at the
youngest and feeblest does, while others of the pack kept
galloping around them, to keep them from taking to the
woods.

At last the crisis came. A fine doe and two fawns,
nearly full-grown, retreated a few paces before a furious

■:y«svii iii iw M iiN w i, ii ." "."j ^r^.m'T^g^srr.:!^^ mmamm>^!^gm*>smmi-m&mi!(mmi'«' vimmmm mmo'^frnwH.-'

r ^ T

324

ririC IIKD MOUNT AI\ OF ALASKA.

1 La

onslaught from their assailants. Instantly half a dozen
gaunt fellows leaped into the gap, and cut them off from
the rest of the herd. The three helpless creatures ran off
a few steps, looked in vain for help fnjm their trembling
•companions, then made a sudden break, and started at
full speed down the lake.

This was exactly what the wolves wanted. In full cry
they started after their prey, over the ice.

Solomon rose to his feet, as he saw this denouement of
the little drama at the head of the valley, and. stepping
boldly out into open ground, prepared to take part in it
himself. Neither pursued nor pursuers caught sight of
him until within less than sixty rods. The doe tried to
check herself, and threw herself fairly down on her
haunches, her two fawns following her example, but
the momentum of all three carried them over the ice
to within easy range of a riHe .that had rarely missed
its aim.

Just as the largest caribou scrambled to her feet, and
headed for the side of the pond, there was a sharp report,
and, with one leap, she fell almost in her tracks. The
youngest one paused an instant irresolutely, when half a
dozen wolves were upon it. and dragged it to the ice ;
again the report of the gun. and the third of the trio fell,
while the cowardl}' wolves scattered, snarling and yelping,
as Solomon came running- toward them, shouting and
waving his arms.

All this had occurred within the space of half a niin-

TIIKU'C -\VAS A SIIAKl' liKI'OUr, ANI- WITH UNK LKAl' SHE FELL.

a nun-

:«.r»'^*»r^T:i.'V

*?irg

FOR LIFE OR DEATH.

327

lite ; in fifteen seconds more, all three of the caribou were
put out of their suffering.

Solomon replaced his knife in its sheath, and looked
around for Joe and Jim. Here was meat enough to last
for weeks to come ; but could it be carried to the camp,
with twenty miles of rough ground and two indei)endent
packs of half-starved wolves between ? This was the
question which passed through Baronov's niind as he stood
there on the ice, in the midst of his booty.

•mrt^ 8»a«yyijgT«(ry^%f. ! i i ii y ii yy > ^ ^

CHAPTER XXVIII.

! i

r,s

WOLF AGAINST MAN.

IHE wolves were evidently thoroughly frightened
by tlie presence of the hunter and the reports of
his gun. Besides, they refreslied themselves
with a light lunch as soon as they gained the shelter of
the woods. Wlien Solomon heard a fresh series of wolf-
ish howls, he knew what they were about.

The six members of the pack who had leaped upon the
fawn and torn it had smeared themselves with blood in
the process. Thofe red patches were the seals of their
death-warrants. All six of them were sure to fall be-
neath the fangs of their famished connvides.

The hunter lost no time in preparing the carcasses of
the caribou for transportation. He had already carved
off the hind-quarters of the largest, together with a few
choice slices from the ribs, when Joe and Jim put in their
appearance, running down the pond at the top of their
speed. When they saw the three carcasses stretched out
on the ice, they made no connnent whatever, Init imme-
diately set to work on the two as yet untouched. As they
labored, they paused occasionally to suck the marrow of
the larger bones, which is very sweet and palatable, and

.•528

WOLF AGAINST MAy.

32i)

almost invariably eaten raw by tho natives. They also
removed from under the skin of the l)ack and croup of
the two fawns, both of which were males, a fatty deposit,
some three inches thick, called by French Canadian hunt-
ers depouille.

This, Solomon knew, was an essential element in well
prepared pennnican, being pounded in with the dried ilesh
of the animal.

Just as they were making ready to start, heavily
loaded, the down-easter was observed to stoo}) and sever
the bladder from each of the remains before him. Tiiese
he tied on to the rest of his load — for what purpose we
shall soon see.

'' And naow, boys," said Solomon, as the three started
off in high spirits, " we want to jest pull fer home in good
style."

'• Pull " they did, although, encumbered as they were
with their heavy loads, they could not move as fast as
during the morniiig. Still, by dint of perseverance and
steady work, they managed to reach their last night's
camping-ground before stopping to rest.

The tirst thing Solomon did was to pull open the ashes
with which he had prudently covered the live coals of the
fire that morning, thus saving an extra match. Next, he
hung each of the bladders he had saved to the swaying
end of an alder withe, which he stuck into the ground a
few feet aw^ay from the camp. Neither of his companions
needed to ask the reason for these singular objects ; they

M mimmmiiwmm. .. I i i mi '^m:

. .^!sy^i?K^^^MiWPS^^

830

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

\U:

M!v„,

had often protected themselves for a niglit in the »voods
by a " scare-wolf " of the same sort. Fierce and vora-
cious as is this ugly animal, he shares with the New
England crow its terror of any novel or unusual contri-
vance, such as a bit of fluttering ribbon, a trailing string,
or a Ijladder bobbing about at the end of a rod.

Their hungry neighbor.'> howled about the three
sleepers l)y the hour that night, aggravated by the smell
of fr-'sh meat, but kep*. at a respectful distance.

Early in the morning, the hunters were on the move
again, after a hasty breakfast from their original supply
of pemmican. During the day they made ten miles, up-
hill, over rough chantry. Each of them carried upwards
of eighty pounds of meat, in addition to his rifle and
ammunition. They camped that night within five miles
of the huts.

Soon after midnight, snow began to fall, and, by the
time the}' could see to wvilk, the storm was raging furi-
ously, doubling the labor and the dangers of the journey.
Once or twice they heard the distant howl of a wolf, but
were unmolested until within half a mile of camp.

'"Here they come — the .same pack o' varmints that
carried off the meat." cried Solomon, as a dozen great
doggish forms came pouring over a high bank just ahead.
'• They've been hanging raound here ever sence, I 'low."

The wolves fairly filled the bed of the brook in front,
and showed no disposition to yield at the approach of the
men.

fVOLF AG A I. \ SI MA.\.

331

''- Let me have half your load, and give Jim the otlier
half," said Solomon to the foremost Indian, shaking his
head as he saw the stubborn stand taken by the (.-nemy.
'• Naow, Joe, you let drive right into 'em, and see if you
can't scare 'em a bit."

Joe fired and rushed at the paek Avitli hideous whoops
and frantic gestures. One of the wolves fell mortally
wounded, and the rest leaped up to the top of the bank,
where they paused and eyed the men hungrily, as they
staggered along under their increased burdens.

" Impudent critters! " growled Solomon. " I'd like to
wring their necks, every one of 'em ! "

The moment the travellers were jiast, the pack fell
upon their wounded brother, and speedily ati; him up.
Then they clo.sed in upon the men, as before, except that
they were behind instead of in front.

The same manoeuvre was repeated by Joe, with le.ss
satisfactory result than at first. They hardly gained a
dozen steps before the pack were close at their heels. At
any moment a rush might be made, and all the precious
supplies lost, if not human life.

Just as the situation was beginning to assume a de-
cidedly serious aspect, a rattling volley of musketry wa.s
heard, followed by joyous shouts from the front. Three
wolves fell in their tracks, and, while the cannibal pack
were making a meal of them, the relief party, consisting
of Mr. Dutton, Riehard. Robert, and Peeschee, came
rushing down the trail to meet them.

WT:tiSi'\

Ti:

PWi

332

THE RED MOFNTAIN OF ALASKA.

i'fffli *

" We heard the reports of 3'our gun," they explained, as
they hastily divided the loads of the two nearly exhausted
men among themselves ; " and we were prepared to start
oil on a trip of our own. any way, as a last hope. What
a glorious supply — two hundred pounds, at the very least I
Where did you get them ? Are you completehj used up ?
Here, Jim, let me take your rifle, poor fellow. Oh, Carlo,
you're safe, my hoy I "

And Rohert fairly cried like a bahy, as he stooped and
hugged the faithful dog, who had come, with the rest, to
the rescue of the rescuers.

For the next two days the camp was a scene of joyous
activity. Outside, the wind roared, and the snow fi'll
steadily, drifting deep around the two huts, and making
them warmer than they had been at any time during the
winter. The moat was cut into long, thin strips and hung
in one of the chimnevs, where a huge column of smoke
was kept going, night and day. No better manufactiu'er
of penuuican could be found than Solomon, who was now
in his element.

As fast as the meat was ready, it was stored awa}- in a
little cellar hole, which was dug out under the flooring of
the cooler of the two huts. In this way over a hundred
pounds of fine dried meat was preserved for future use.
The vegetables and small fruits had not been harmed by
the wolves.

Chloe announced in woful tones, one morning early in
January, that the tea was all gone ; but Peeschee there-

iroLF ,u;,i/.v.sv' max.

n:\:]

upon pulled down his procio"- bundles of Lahnulor Tea.
from which he showed the negro woman how to eoneoct
a beverage which, if not ecjual to that produced by the
famous Japanese herb, was at least hot and refreshing,
and not at all unpalatable. Peeschee, moreover, went out
for an hour or two, one day, and brought in a big pouch
full of a crinkled, black substance, which Richard, ou
inspecting it, pronounced to be the "edible lichen" of the
Russian fur-hunters. Ou being boiled, this gave a rather
sticky but not ill-tasting dish, somewhat resembling .sago.

Now and tben a rabbit was knocked over, and afforded
a pleasant ''•ariety in the monotonous regime to which our
adventurers had for some time been reduced.

The snow increased in depth, after a week's thaw in
January, and the mercury dropped nntil it marked 40°
below zero, beyond which Mr. Button's piovoking ther-
mometer, like Gilbert White's, would not register.

In March a few puffs of warmer breeze from the south,
and the swelling buds of willow and alder, told that
spring was coming. The wolves no longer troubled them,
having learned at last that too nuich familiarity with
these luunan intruders meant a flash of lightning, a peal
of thunder, and sudden death. Caribou afforded easier
prey, and off streamed the remnant of the pack to some
part of the country where they could obtain better returns
for less labor than around the Button camp.

Game now became plenty, and famine was no longer
feared. The days lengthened, and snow-banks began to

^*m»*i^* m 'T ^ ^s mmm>mm»»mKM^ ^

334

TUB RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

it^ ;

■\ ,

I (

I I

t ■

disappear before the coaxing rays of the sun, which shone
on them for twelve hours together.

In April there was such a freshet in the little brook
near by that the safety of the huts themselves was threat-
ened, and the lire in one of them was actually put out.
one night, by invading rills of melted snow.

On May Day a sound was heard which brought tears to
the eyes of Mrs. Dutton. It was a robin's whistle, half
cheery, half plaintive, reminding her of the old home-
orchard, where she had played in the tall grass, and picked
buttercups, when she was a little girl.

And now it was time to make preparations for an earlj-
start southward. Flossie's weakness had entirely disap-
peared, and she was never in better spirits or health. It
was the same with all the rest.

On the last evening before setting out anew on their
long journey, now nearing its end, the whole party stood
before the door of the little hut. looking wistfully along
the path they were to take on the morrow. There were
the mountains, covered, as they had ever been since last
autumn, with seemingly eternal banks of clouds.

Suddeidy Mr. Dutton seized his wife's arm. His face
was lighted with a strange expression. His hand
trembled.

'• What is it, dear ? "

He pointed, without a word, to the eastern sky.

Oh. wonder of wonders ! Through a rift in the snowy
banks of mist there towered, faintly visible in the rays

WOLF AGAINST MAN.

335

of the setting sun, a single peak, mounting into the blue
sky, one hundred miles away.

It was of the most exquisite rose-color, as fair to look
upon as the blush upon a girl's cheek.

"Can it be?—"

" The Red Mountain ! The Red Mountain of Alaska ! "

CHAPTER XXIX.

OVEU THE ICE.

JELL, I swan ! Vd mther travel tew miles through
the woods than one on this ice. Do you
s'pose 'twill last long, cap'n?"

" I'm sure I can't tell, Solomon. If this glacier is
what is meant bv those wavy cross-lines on the map, we
shall prol)ably get over it in the course of three or four
hours."

Solomon groaned so comically that Flossie laughed out-
right.

" / don't mind it a bit," said she, merrily. " This
reminds me of when I was in Switzerland, Solomon. ^Ye
often walked on a glacier, thougli none of them were as
large as this."

The Buttons, you see. were fairly en route once more.
Not without a feeling of sadness, they bade farewell to
the huts that had sheltered them so long, knowing the
extreme improbability of their ever beholding them again.

In easy stages they had journeyed to the eastward.
After al)out a week of steady ascent, they had come to a
bi'oad river of ice, bordered by immense moraines, or
banks of stone and gravel, pushed up by the glacier. No

.3.36

OVER THE ICE.

OIK! could doubt tliat this was tlio one remaining object
indicated on the niop between them and the lut'ty peak
which was tiieir goah

They had caught several glimpses of the mountain,
which did not appear so red as they drew near to it.

A dark coluuni of smoke hung u\xt it continually, and
now and then rumblings and even sharj) i-eports could be
heard, denoting that it was an active vo' auo.

As this became evident, some new thought could be
plainly seen to ])e working in the lieutenant's mind. lie
made repeated examinations of Peeschee's map. compared
it with a small tiavelling-map of Ahiska carried by his
brother, and covered the backs of both with figures.
Something perplexed and troubled him, but as yet he
held his peace, and the others refrained from disturbing
him with questions.

The journey now became really perilous, as well as
exceedingly laborious. They could only advance five or
six miles a day after they left the glacier, for the ground
was encumbered with underbrush and fallen trees, the
valleys were filled with soft and treacherous nuid, and
thin layers of moss often covered a deep sub-stratum of
slippery ice, on which the negro woman, in particular,
floundered about like a seal.

Besides, the air was steadily growing rarer as well as
more chilly. By his pocket barometer, which formed a
part of the same instrument with the thermometer, Mr.
Button found, on the tenth day from winter-quarters,

i'«i!'

Mil

i u

338

THE RED MOUXTAIN OF ALASKA.

that they had actually reached an altitude of ten thou-
sand feet above the level of the sea. He consulted seri-
ously with his brother and Solomon as to the propriety
and feasil)ility of leaving the women while the rest should
go on, accomplish the necessary prospecting, and return
to them, — the whole expedition then to proceed directly
toward the coast.

Richard agreed tliat this would eventually be a wise
metliod of procedure, and two days later a comfortable
little brush camp was built in accordance with this plan.
Joe and Jim were left with Mrs. Button, Chloe, Flossie,
Nat, and Ted. The other six pushed on toward the
granite peak, which now towered into the clouds directly
before them. At the end of the third day they returned,
their pockets bulging with ore. Rol)ert told the story of
their visit to the great object of the whole trip, as follows.

CHAPTER XXX.

CONCLUSION.

|HEN we left you. mother." lie l)egan. takiiifr a
coinfortable position hcfore tlic fiiv. "we
dropix'd all care l"or any si)e('ial trail, and just

put straight for the Red Mountain itself, right before our

eves.

"' You've noticed that it hasn't seemed so red lately ?
Well we'd all thought of the same thing, but nobody
liked to say anything about it. We crossed a small gla-
cier, about three miles from here, and pretty soon met
another, coming straight down from our mountain.
Peeschee himself did.i't know wIktc he was. for he'd
never been there before. Th<. cliff wlu^r.' he picked up
his rocks la.st fall was round further to the north, he .said.

"We climbed up over the moraine, which was a huge
one, and started straight up the glacier, instead of
across it.

'• ' I've noticed, Dick.' says father, after a while, ' that
Avo don't hear the volcano as plainly as we did. Do you
supp(js(,' it's dying down a little ?'

'• ' I'm afraid not,' says Uncle Richard.

"'Why r//'w/V//'

3:19

- ' »ejiBr«kMw^w-.enia

' '11

■i^i*riilfgiiMi*>*i»i* II

n,J

340

THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

i h

iff

" ' Because — I'll tell you before long, if what I "^m
afraid of turns out to be true.'

•' Uncle looked troubled when he said this, a.. . it wor-
ried us all a little. Somehow, we had a feeling, a pre-
sentiment I suppose you'd call it, that all our trip was to
be for nothing. Still, we kept on.

" That night we camped on the moraine, where we
went to get off the ice. which was chilling us through.
We hadn't a spark of fire, and I didn't know but we'd
freeze to death before morning. Oh. what a long
night I "

Robert spread out his hands to the fire as he sj)oke, and
shivered at the bare recollection.

'• Well, } ou may be sure we were on our way bright
and early the next morning. We left the glacier at about
ten o'clock, and reached the foot of the great peak itself
an hour later. You can imagine how we felt, mother,
hiying our hands on the veritable Red Mountain of
Alaska, that we had l^een travelling a year to reach.

'• x\nd now comes the queerest part of the story."

Mrs. Dutton. Florence, and indeed all who had been
left behind, leaned forward eagerly to listen.

'•When we came to examine the rock, it was — not
cinnaliur at all ! "

The faces of the listeners fell. It was a terrible disap-
pointment to them, as it had been to the men when they
made the discovery.

" Well," said Mrs. Dutton, heaving a deep sigh, as she

CONCLUSIOX.

341

saw her dreams of wealth depart, " I suppose wo ought to
be so thankful to have you back again, and to have
escaped all the fearful dangers of last winter, that we
shouldn't complain when we find it has all been a wild-
goose chase."

"Nevermind," said Flossie, trying to be brave under
the disappointment. '• We've enough left, papa ; and
perhaps it would have made us proud and disagreeable
if we had been awfully rich."

'' I did hopa." began poor Mrs. Dutton. who found it
hard to relinquish all the plans she had made. " I did
hope we might endow an institution, and call it ' Dutton
University,' but there ! — I'll try not to think of it again.
Did you bring money enough to pay our fares home, John,
from Sitka ? "

" There, there, Ella ! don't take on about it," said Mr.
Dutton ; and he actually laughed.

His wife looked up sympathetically at what she thought
his heroic effort to be cheerful ; but there was actually a
twinkle in his eye. It ivas provoking, you know, when
she was trying so hard to bear up mider this culminating
misfortune.

" I really don't see, John," she began, in a Inut tone.
her lips quivering a little, " what you can find anuising in
it. To say nothing of my having dragged myself a thou-
sand miles or more through these woods, and suffering
such torments of anxiety as I have about Floss. I ha re
had my hopes raised about that mountain. I didn't mean

342

THE I! El) MOUy'lAIX OF ALASKA.

i I.

to think of iinything beyond your houlth ; that's why I
came, to take — care — of you — "

Here the poor woman, worn with the final anxiety of
the last few days, actually sobl^ed. The reaction was too
great, and she was unable to go on.

Now, Mr. Button was not one of that sort of men who
think it fun to "tease." He recognized the fact, as
every true, manly boy will, that giving pain to any one
under the name of " teasing " is a disgraceful and cruel
sport.

So he just crossed right over to his wife, sat down on
the l)ig log l^eside her, and drew her head down on his
shoulder.

'' There, there, dear ! " said he, " it isn't quite so bad as
you think. I've been trying to tell you, but you wouldn't
listen to comfort. Who said we were disappointed? "

'• Why, Robert, here ! "

"■ No, indeed. He merely said the mountain was not
one of cinnabar. You stopped him, my dear, before he
could go on to tell you that, although that fairy dream of
a whole mountain of wealth (which I don't believe either
of us really entertained in our serious moments) could not
be realized, we have not been left to spend the remainder
of our lives in abject poverty, nor yet in that condition of
well-to-do-ness which we have enjoyed at Sheldon. I am
not sure that ' Dutton University ' will prove a myth
after all, Ella."

" What do you mean. John ? "

to^■(n■sJo^'.

343

Mrs. Button sat up straight and dried hor tears with
marvellous alacrity.

" Whj . don't yon see, mother," broke in Hugh, takin-
up the story where Rob had left it, " there nii-Wit be
something else there almost as good as a mercury moun-
tam ? Just as we reached the foot of the peak, we heard
the old volcano once more, and the rumbling and all.
The queer look came into Uncle Dick's face again.

" ' Well, what is it ? ' says father. ' Out with it, Dick.
Don't stand there staring like an owl with a bad con-
science.'

'' ' Well, the fact is,' says uncle, ' I've made a discovery.
I wasn't quite sure of it until to-day, but I've figured it
out pretty carefully, and I'm confident I'm right now.'
(You can't hurry uncle a mite, you know, when he chooses
to take his time.) ' Where is north ? ' says he, in a general
kind of a way.

^''^'Over there,' says Solomon, who carried the compass.
"'H'm! Then, the sun rose in the southwest, and is
going to set due east ! '

■'Sure enough, there was the sun, all twisted round on
the wrong side of the sky.

'• ' Well, now for your figures,' father sings out.

'•As for Solomon, there, he just scowled at the sun, and
kept saying, ' I .swan ! ' over and ONer." And Hugh burst
mto an irrepressible laugh at the memory.

" Uncle pulled Peeschee's map out of his pocket," said
Robert, hastening to take the floor while Hugh was in-

^ «*!••-, .^^iWH

4 '

»<iir«iiMlt<|ia—

ll." •

1 1 i -

11 l>

till

m '^

844

rilE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

(lulging in his merriment, " and placed it beside father's
little map of Alaska. ' There,' said he, • now allow two
points variation of the compass back there by the lake-
with-the-tall-trees, swerving more and more as we worked
our way over the last two hundred miles of the trip, till
the needle is nearly at right angles with its true course ;
where would we be on the map of Alaska ? '

"' ' Somewhere about this point,' says father, putting
his finger down on the map.

" ' Exactly so. Now oblige me, John, by looking undei."
your finger.'

•" Mt. Wrangel ! '

" ' And no other ! ' says Uncle Dick, getting rather
excited as he comes out with his discovery. • Your Red
Mountain, Pee.schee, is nothing more nor less than a spur
of Mt. Wrangel, twenty thousand feet high, the loftiest
mountain in America I '

" ' But how about the variation of the compass ? '

" ' Look ! ' .says uncle, pointing up at the jagged rocks
above us. ' Bed Moxintain, eh, John ? This peak is not
composed of solid cinnabar, to be sure, but it is a tolerably
perfect specimen of a mountain of iron ! ' "

" There, mother, there ! " cried Hugh, " the secret's
out!"

" But how can the iron help us, John ? "

" Because, in the first place, that ore, in such rich pro-
portions of the true metal, is extremely valuable. Sec-
ondly, it is almost invariably accompanied by the presence

cayvi.rsioN.

34:)

pro-
Sec-
ence

of other ores of great commercial worth. By a little
diligent prospecting we came across outcrops of one or
two splendid ciunahiir veins, with specimens such as Pees-
chee found on the other side of the mountain, split oil l)y
frost, and asking to be gathered. Then there was every
indication of immense amounts of copper, and, b(!tter still,
a glorious vein of silver-hearing ore. There was ? little
gold to be seen here and there, and a broad streak of
bituminous coal, which will double the vahie of mines,
crushers, and smelting works, by providing the fuel for
the furnaces, as in the Pennsylvania region. Here are
the specimens of every ore found."

Pockets wore emptied, and tl e beautiful, sparkling bits
of rock examined with delight.

'' Peeschee and Solomon will return to the spot," con-
tinued Mr. Dutton, '• as soon as they get us fairly started
on our rafting voyage down the Copper River, which rises
somewhere hereabouts. They will locate and stake out
mines, as required by miners' law, and remain actually on
the spot, with good salaries, to hold the ground until
we have assayed the minerals, and disposed of the
claims."

" Oh, Solomon ! " exclaimed Flossie, " aren't you going
to finish the trip with us ! We shall miss you dread-
fully ! "

'• Can't do it, little gal," said the honest hunter, not
daring to look her in the face. '* The .settlements is no
place fer me. I shall spend my days in the interior, with

. i SI I

;j46

rilE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

the Ungaliks and grizzlies. Mayhap I'll git a shot yet at
the big hairy elephant, and be famous ! " he added, with
a poor attempt at a laugh.

Flossie's eyes filled with tears at the thought of losing
her faithful companion and protector, but she made no
further protest.

Carlo looked up with his grave brown eyes, as if he
had understood all that had been said, and, rising gi'avely,
walked over to the Inuiter, and laid his head upon his
knee. The rest went to their tents, one by one. but Solo-
mon nevjr moved. The dog lay down at his feet and
slept ; and all night the grave, quiet man sat there, his
head leaning on his hand, now closing his eyes with a
quick contraction of the forehead as if with a sudden
pain ; now glancing toward the white tent where the girl
was resting ; now gazing into the glowing coals of the
camp-fire, and reading there, perhaps, the bright story of
— what might have l)een.

So the short hours of the Alaskan night passed away.
The light spread in the eastern sky ; the song-sparrow and
white-throat raised their contented chants from the val-
ley, and a flock of snow-birds, in pretty array cf gray and
white, fluttered through the spruce boughs over the head
of the silent man.

At last he rose stiffly, drew his hand once or twice
across his eyes, threw his rifle over his shoulder, whistled
to Carlo, and started ofif into the forest.

" I guess we'll go an' pick 'em up a leetle suthin' fer

v--«-,....CK..i

toyCLUSION.

347

breakfast," said he, gently, to the ujg. " Like's not they'll
be hungry."

The rest of the story is short. 1 linger over thi; last
few pages of manuscript, dear boys and girls, witii a
pleasure that is touched with pain. Lung as you have
lived in the company of the Duttons, the author has lived
longer with them ; for not only does the writing take far
more time than the reading of a story, but Flossie and
Robert and Solomon and the rest have been my compan-
ions, night and day. since the words Chapter 1. were
written. I hope you have learned to love them as I have,
and that you will feel a little sorry at parting with them.
For part we must at last. There is no need of telling
yon in detail how they jourucyed to the navigable waters
of the Copper River ; how they said good-bye to Solomon
and Peeschee, watching them from the raft until it passed
around a l)end in the river, and they were lost to view;
how the little expedition reached the coast in safety, took
passage in a small fishing smack to Sitka, and thence by
packet -ship to San Francisco.

You will be interested to learn that Mr. Dntton suc-
ceeded so well in convincing half a dozen California capi-
talists of the practical value of his claim that they formed
a stock company for working the mines, allotting him a
share in the enterprise, which he sold out, four years later,
for a trifle over half a million dollars.

Mrs. Dutton is much exercised over a site for an edu-

11^

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Si,

348

TlIK liEl) MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.

cational institution whicii lier lui.shiind proposes to found
next spring, with .i permanent fund.

As to Solomon's history, and the subsequent adventures
of Flossie and the boys, I must tell you at another time.

Good-night !

THE liND.

)und
.ures