m the scene of the
slaughter until he had fully regained his strength.

"But why did Woonga kill the Indian back on the trail?" asked Rod.

Minnetaki shuddered as she thought of the terrible scene that had been
enacted before her eyes.

"I heard them quarreling," she said, "but I couldn't understand. I
know that it was about me. We had gone but a short distance after the
sledges separated when Woonga, who was ahead of me, turned about and
shot the other in the breast. It was terrible! And then he drove on as
coolly as though nothing had happened."

"I'm curious to know how he used the bear's feet," exclaimed Rod.

"They were huge pads into which he slipped his feet, moccasins and
all," explained Minnetaki. "He told me that the dogs would go on to
Kenegami House, and that if pursuers followed us they would follow the
sledge trail and never give a thought to the bear tracks."

Mukoki chuckled deep down in his throat.

"He no fool Rod," he said. "Nobody fool Rod!"

"Especially when he's on Minnetaki's trail," laughed Wabi happily.

"Wasn't it Rod who discovered the secret of the lost gold, after you
had given up all hope?" retorted Minnetaki.

The lost gold!

How those three words, falling clearly from the girl's lips, thrilled
the hearts of Mukoki and the young adventurers. Night had closed in,
and only the fitful flashes of the fire illumined the interior of the
old cabin. The four had finished eating, and as they drew themselves
close about the fire there fell a strange silence among them. The lost
gold. Rod gazed across at Wabigoon, whose bronzed face was half hid in
the dancing shadows, and then at Mukoki, whose wrinkled visage shone
like dull copper as he stared like some watchful animal into the flame
glow. But it was Minnetaki who sent the blood in a swift rush of joy
and pride through his veins. He caught her eyes upon him, shining like
stars from out of the gloom, and he knew that she was looking at him
in that way because he was her hero.

For many minutes no one broke the stillness. The fire burned down, and
with its slow dying away the gloom in the corners of the old cabin
thickened, and the faces became more and more like ghostly shadows,
until they reminded Rod of his first vision of the ancient skeletons
in that other old cabin many miles away. Then came Wabigoon's voice,
as he stirred the coals and added fresh fuel.

"Yes, it was Rod. This is the map he found, Minnetaki."

He kneeled close