Part 19 (1/2)

The two boys were looking at the scrawl which was plainly ”E. O.

Chandler.”

”There you are!” exclaimed Roy. ”Here's where our friend made his headquarters. No wonder he knew that the Indians were starving.”

There was a light tapping on the floor and the paralyzed and speechless Indian pointed toward the corner of the room where there were signs of a bunk. In the gloom the boys went to this place. But they noticed nothing in particular until the prostrate Indian again lifted his stick upward.

And then, shoved in a crevice between the logs, they saw a soiled and crumpled envelope. Taking it to the window, they read plainly enough the address--”E. O. Chandler, Fort McMurray.” There was no postmark but in the upper left hand corner was this printing--”Hill Howell, Contractor, Centralia, Kansas.”

”It's one of the envelopes that Colonel Howell has down in camp,”

exclaimed Roy.

”Yes,” answered Norman slowly, ”and I'll bet you it's a message that either Ewen or Miller wrote to Chandler after he left us.”

”Do you think we ought to read it?” asked Roy, his fingers grasping the greasy envelope as if itching to extract the enclosure.

”I reckon it's none of our business,” answered Norman, as if with some regret, ”but I'll bet it concerns Colonel Howell and I believe we ought to take it to him.”

Roy turned toward the Indian and made signs of putting the letter in his pocket. If this meant anything to the helpless man, he gave no sign other than the same peculiar grin. Roy put the envelope in his pocket and, making signs of farewell, the two boys left the cabin.

CHAPTER XV

A LETTER GOES WRONG

The conditions that the young aviators had just encountered had not sharpened their appet.i.tes. But again in the fresh air, they decided to use speed and complete their mission and, incidentally, to have a little tea and some bannock at the airs.h.i.+p.

At two of the cabins where they had seen the strongest women, they stopped and made signs for the squaws to follow them. At the tepee in the edge of the woods they found the two old men and the two women huddled around a fire on the inside of the tepee, with every sign of having gorged themselves upon the food given them. In the kettle outside, chunks of the moose were stewing under a now brisk fire. This entire party was also enlisted and Norman and Roy made their way back to the snow basin in the woods. Without delay they pa.s.sed out all the supplies to the Indians who had accompanied them, showed them the remainder of the moose and made signs that these should be distributed equally among all. With every expression of pleasure, but none of grat.i.tude, the six Indians took instant departure.

”It's three o'clock,” announced Norman, when this had been done. ”Now for a little camp fire out here in the snow, some tea and a piece of bannock, and we'll make a record trip back home.”

Unaware of the disastrous discovery they were soon to make the two boys took a leisurely rest.

”It's the only time I miss a pipe,” remarked Roy as he sat behind a snow bank with his feet toward the cheery blaze.

”Well, if ever I begin,” said Norman in turn, ”I'll never try to manipulate any of this plug smokin' stuff. I'll go to the States for a mixture of some kind and not try to shave down the brick of hydraulic-pressed tobacco that the half-breeds use.”

After a long loaf before the fire the boys made preparations to return.

”Looks a little like the blizzard day,” remarked Roy, ”and it's certainly getting some colder. I hope the wind won't come up. If it does, I hope it comes out of the north.”

While he spoke, the two boys took hold of the frame of the monoplane to pull it out onto the smooth snow and head it south. The airs.h.i.+p had been resting upon what seemed to be a little ridge. Pulling the cha.s.sis from this rise in the snow, they were both astounded to find the body of the car s.h.i.+ft to one side and sink into the snow.

Both sprang to that side of the car and Norman, running his hand along the wooden landing ski, gasped with astonishment when he found the long runner broken sharply in the middle.

”That's fine!” he shouted. ”This runner's out of business!”

Roy ran to the rear where the car had stopped and found underneath the snow a rocky ledge.

”She hit this!” he exclaimed. ”Can't we tie her up?”