He of the Otter Skins ate in silence, forgotten in the
merry battle; and long ere the others were done he pushed back
from the table and went out among the dogs. Yet all too soon his
fellow travelers drew on their mittens and parkas and followed
him.
There had been no snow for many days, and the sleds slipped along
the hardpacked Yukon trail as easily as if it had been glare ice.
Ulysses led the first sled; with the second came Prince and Axel
Gunderson's wife; while Malemute Kid and the yellow-haired giant
brought up the third.
'It's only a hunch, Kid,' he said, 'but I think it's straight.
He's never been there, but he tells a good story, and shows a map
I heard of when I was in the Kootenay country years ago. I'd like
to have you go along; but he's a strange one, and swore
point-blank to throw it up if anyone was brought in. But when I
come back you'll get first tip, and I'll stake you next to me,
and give you a half share in the town site besides.' 'No! no!' he
cried, as the other strove to interrupt. 'I'm running this, and
before I'm done it'll need two heads.
'If it's all right, why, it'll be a second Cripple Creek, man; do
you hear?--a second Cripple Creek! It's quartz, you know, not
placer; and if we work it right we'll corral the whole
thing--millions upon millions.
Pages:
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190