Part 31 (1/2)
At seven o'clock that ave the word to ” the Professor was extreri experiences lay before them all The boys felt it in the very air about them The certainty made them feel buoyant and exhilarated
Surely this wild old Alaska was a great bit of country!
”I don't care how soon so,” mused Ned ”We have our heavy artillery well on ahead”
As he spoke he gazed sht-jawed Professor, who never looked to better advantage than when in warlike mood
CHAPTER XX
TAD DISCOVERS SOMETHING
”I don't see our friends,” said Ned, an hour later
”They're not in their cao
They have no horses, so they're packing their outfits on their backs”
”Huh! That's one part of the gold-ers have to pack their outfits?”
”I guess few of them can afford to buy ponies,” answered Butler ”Then, too, the places they go to are usually beyond the reach of anything except a wild anih with our stock
Even our own ponies that we left at hoh trail What's that, Anvik?”
The guide was pointing to a waving ribbon of white that appeared to reach froh above them and some distance ahead
”What is it?” deoats? Look, boys!” cried Tad
Stacy threw up his rifle and took a shot Of course he oat is not an easyvery well, could hardly be called an expert
”Those are the animals from which the beautiful blankets are made,” the Professor inforet the wool?”
”They pull it out by the roots, I guess,” suggested Stacy
”Hardly,” laughed Ned
”Spring is the shedding ti fro to rocks and bushes, and this the lazy Indians gather for their blankets, rather than take the trouble to hunt the goats”
”Squaw hihed Butler ”You are the laziest folks on earth”
”Squaork, hihed at this crude reasoning of the Indian