Part 14 (2/2)

”This ain't the only iron he has in the fire,” answered Norman drowsily.

”But where's our own eats?”

Roy dumped his bags and bundles on the gra.s.s and then began to explore his own capacious pockets. From one he took a can of salmon and from another a box of sardines.

”And here's the lemon for 'em,” he explained, producing it from his s.h.i.+rt pocket. ”Help yourself to the bread.”

”Is that all?” complained Norman. ”I'll bet a nickel you had dinner at the Alberta!”

”All but this,” went on Roy, and he began unb.u.t.toning the front of his flannel s.h.i.+rt. ”It feels kind of soft.”

While Norman watched him, he extracted a greasy bag, flat and crumpled, and tore it open to expose what was left of an originally fine hot raisin pie.

His companion turned up his nose in disgust.

”I fell down on the hill,” explained Roy, ”but if you don't want it, don't bother. It's just a little squashed. I'll eat it all right.”

Norman began to straighten out the crumpled pieces with his finger, when his chum added, with some exultation: ”And these.”

Then, from within his unb.u.t.toned s.h.i.+rt, he began to unload a dozen large sugar-coated doughnuts.

As Norman's mouth began to water, and he turned to the bread bag, a new odor caught his nostrils.

”What's this?” he exclaimed, pulling another greasy bag from among the bread loaves.

”Oh, I forgot,” sputtered Roy, a part of one of the doughnuts already in his mouth; ”that's some baked ham I found at the butcher shop. I guess that's some eats.”

”Didn't you get any pop?” was Norman's only answer, a look of added disgust spreading over his face.

Roy turned, with a startled look: ”I couldn't carry any more,” he answered a little guiltily, ”but I drank a couple o' bottles myself.”

”I knew I'd get stung if I let you go!” growled his companion.

Norman looked at him with indignation. Then, having already appropriated a doughnut, he mounted quickly on the side of the car and sprang down again with the aluminum basin in his hand.

”Now you go down to the river and get me a drink. You've had it soft enough.”

The return trip was almost a duplicate of the morning flight. In this, however, the aviators were able to follow the stream itself, and they flew low, protected from the evening breeze by the river hills. The ride did not seem long, and the boys were particularly interested in another view of the Rapids, which they had been unable to study in the morning flight. Not a single human being, going or coming, had they seen on the long stretch of river.

In Athabasca, Roy had learned that their boat crew had not all returned, but that La b.i.+.c.he and Moosetooth had reached town and that both were already serving as pilots on the new Hudson's Bay Company steamer that had been launched in their absence and was now making its first trip up the river. They were almost pa.s.sing the oil camp when the sound of a shot attracted their attention and then, guided by Paul's worn and faded hat, they banked and landed in the rear of the aerodrome at ten minutes of nine.

CHAPTER XII

BREASTING A BLIZZARD IN AN AIRs.h.i.+P

When Roy turned over his half dozen telegrams to Colonel Howell, the two boys saw that the messages were of some significance. A little later they saw their patron reading them a second time. But when the beefsteak supper was served he seemed to have forgotten business. But that was only his way. When the prospector had reached his after-dinner cigar, he said abruptly:

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