Part 23 (1/2)

”Well, we'll try to stand the enemy off until then. Now hurry, and don't waste any time.”

Holfax was an experienced traveler. He fastened on his snowshoes, made himself up a package of food, tea and a pot, put some matches in a safe place, and was ready to start on his long trip to find his friends.

”Keep watch,” was his parting injunction to the four treasure finders.

”No let Indians come too close. Me come back soon as can.”

With that he was off, setting himself a rapid pace, half walk, half trot, that enabled him to cover considerable ground in a day.

”Now to see what sort of progress we can make,” remarked Mr. Baxter when Holfax was out of sight down a hollow between two ice hummocks. ”Boys, help me with the dogs. Johnson, you sort of keep your eyes on the sleds so that none of them upset. We'll see if we can outdistance our pursuers.”

The dogs made much trouble, leaping about here and there, and almost refusing to get properly in line with the traces so they could pull.

Probably they knew that Holfax was not there to punish them. But by dint of hard work Mr. Baxter succeeded in getting them started.

He rode in the foremost sled, with Fred next, then came Jerry, while Johnson brought up the rear. The colored man had strict instructions to give the alarm the instant he saw the enemy in pursuit.

Once the dogs found out they had to do their usual work, they seemed to give up their playful spirit, and settled into the collars for a long, steady pull. They were traversing the same track they had used in going to the cave, but of course all traces of it had been blotted out by storms. Still the dogs seemed able to find their way with very little guidance.

Though anxious watch was kept, there was no sign of the enemy seen that day, and night settled down, finding the travelers in a more hopeful mood.

”Perhaps they have given up,” suggested Fred.

”I'm afraid not,” returned Mr. Baxter. ”More likely they are up to some trick. We must be careful about standing guard to-night. Fire at the least suspicious sight or sound, boys. I'm afraid it's going to be more trouble to keep this gold than it was to find it.”

They were traveling over the plain now, having emerged from the forest some time previously, and, when Mr. Baxter gave the word to halt for the night, the boys looked about for a good place to pitch the tent.

”That looks like a sheltered place over there,” remarked Fred, pointing to where a big hummock of ice offered some protection from the north wind that was now sweeping over the plain with great force.

”We'll try it there,” decided Mr. Baxter. ”Fasten the dogs well, and give them plenty of fish. We must keep up their strength, and see that they are in good health, or we will fail, after all.”

The animals were tethered, the tent put up, and supper was gotten ready.

Then a big fire was built, as some protection against the bitter cold.

In spite of the fact that they were getting closer to the Yukon River, where it is always warmer than inland, they felt the frost cruelly.

Jerry had the last watch that night, his hour extending to nearly sunrise, which, as winter was more and more advancing, was not of much account in the arctic regions. As the boy noted with satisfaction a reddening in the east, indicating that it would soon be time for breakfast, when he would not be so cold, he heard a noise off to his left. It was different from the crackle of the ice, and the dull boom that told of falling ma.s.ses of frozen crystal, and Jerry turned quickly around.

As he did so he saw a sight that startled him. From behind great ma.s.ses of ice there suddenly sprang into view the ugly faces of a score or more of Alaskans. They peered at the little camp of adventurers, and some of them uttered a cry of satisfaction.

”The Indians! The Indians! They're all around us!” cried Jerry.

Mr. Baxter, Johnson and Fred hurriedly awoke, and it was instinct with them to grab the guns lying at their sides.

”What's the matter?” cried Jerry's father, running to the flap of the tent, near which his son stood.

”The Indians! They're here!”

There was no doubt of it. Seeing that there was no need of concealment, the Alaskans boldly advanced. It was seen that nearly every one had a gun.

But stranger than all was the figure that walked at the head of the hostile Indian procession. It was the figure of a white man. A man with a gla.s.s eye--the same man who had accosted Fred on the s.h.i.+p.