side of the hut
Jesse and John followed his example, and soon were fast in real sleep.
Rob sat by the failing fire, his rifle across his knees. He, too, was
tired with the work of the day. At times, in spite of himself, his head
would drop forward and he would awake with a start.

XII

WAYS OF THE WILDERNESS

Rob awoke with a sudden jerk. A slight sound had disturbed him. He gazed
steadily at the figure of the Aleut in the faint light of the embers.
The latter was lying quite motionless, but something caused Rob to feel
suspicious. He put out a hand and awakened his two companions, who sat
up, rubbing their eyes sleepily.

"What's the matter?" asked Jesse. "Where are we, and what sort of a
place is this? My! I was dreaming, and I thought I was back home in
bed."

"John," said Rob, "crawl over and look at that fellow's fastenings. I
thought I heard him move. Don't be afraid. I'll keep him covered with
the rifle. Build up the fire a little."

John complied, presently stooping down to examine the cord with which
the Aleut had been confined. He gave an exclamation. "Why, he's loose!
He's gnawed the hide clean in two with his teeth. He could have got
away any time he liked."

Rob admitted his fault. "The truth is," said he, "I was very sleepy, and
I must have dozed off. But now, what shall we do? Here we've got this
man, and he evidently doesn't intend to stay a minute longer than he can
help. Whether he would hurt us or not is something we can't tell; but we
don't dare take the chance."

"It'll be a great deal of trouble to watch him this way all the time,"
suggested John.

"True, but we must watch him. On the other hand, what right have we to
take him prisoner, since we don't know that he ever meant any wrong?
We're not officers of the law, and this man has not committed any crime,
so far as we know. The question is, what would he do to us if he got us
before a law-court and accused us with making him a prisoner for no
cause?"

The three sat in the dim light of the hut for a time and pondered over
these matters. At length Rob spoke again with decision.

"It's the greatest good for the greatest number," said he. "It seems to
me that the best thing we can do is to treat this man well, but not let
him get away. He ought to do his share of the work, and he's stronger
than any of us. Then, if we should ever be rescued--"

Jesse's lips began to twitch. Evidently he was getting rather homesick.
Rob notice