The Young Alaskans

which made down to the

aid he. "Besides, it looks flat, as though the

sea came down the bay, but the surf did not break here so angrily, so that they made a landing with nothing more serious

the salt water as far as they could see on either hand. Inside of this wall, which was not very many yards across the top, they beheld a flat valley lying between the ocean and the foot of the mountains, perhaps a quarter

when covered with a heavy growth of grass, as was the case here, affords rather diffi

"It must go somewhere. Th

ting ahead. "There is the reaso

low hut built of drift-wood and earth-such a dwelling as is used by t

. "Maybe it's deserted. We'd

these natives, who had always refused to come under the influence of the missions or schools, one or two of which are established near Kadiak. In short, as Rob especially very well knew, there was no wilder or more dangerous portion of Alaska than

to be a typical native camp. Pieces of drift-wood lay about, mingled with skeletons of foxes, bones of salmon and codfish-all the uncleanliness

oldly pushed open the door. He stooped a

int there rose the rough beams of the roof, which was covered heavily with dirt, grass, and moss. A hole was left in the middle of the roof for the smoke to escape. In the centre lay the white ashes of many fires, on opposite sides of which

e smoke had blackened all the wood, and where only a little light ca

et with rain for a long time. See, back there under the eaves there are a lot of klipsies. That's what they

ey go in the sum

too late now to trap foxes for their furs, so the cha

es brightening, "we could use t

Rob. "That's jus

ter than they had been for many an hour. "No

heavy covering of grass which lay on the floor. "Now, I tell you, I'll go get some water; you cl

d, each glad that now at least they

ight here, John," said Jesse, as t

John. "Only I know I wa

offered them his kettle of water, from which he had not yet d

xclaimed. "T

at him in

t be fresh water." He scratched his head. "Oh, I know," said he. "The tide backs up in here to the foot of the littl

a run, and this time when he returned he had the

ever mind that. I've learned somethi

hat?" ask

done up in the bedrolls in the boat, and if we can't catch any codfish in the bay, there'll be a time before long, unless I'm mista

our crackers right away,"

r. "We'll have to do the way people do when they're shipwr

of that last can of tomatoes we opened. I'd like a cup of tea

e alive; and, anyhow, we'll camp here to-night. Now you boys go over to the boat and get the bedrolls, while I pick up some w

and far from home, in a situation stranger than any of them had ever fancied himself about to see, they lay about the fire at midnight of the short Alaskan darkness. Each without instruction took his rifle from its case and put it on the blankets beside him, taking care that it was loaded. Outside they could hear the calls of flying birds; otherwise deep silence reigned. They felt, alt