day it
seriously clogged both snow-shoes and sledges. Then a crust would form,
through which the poor dogs would break for an hour or more, until it
stiffened sufficiently to bear their weight. Added to these tribulations
was such a scarcity of food that half-rations had become the rule for
every one, men as well as dogs, excepting Nel-te, who had not yet been
allowed to suffer on that account. Of the many dogs that had been
connected with the expedition at different times only nine were now
left, and some of these would evidently not go much further.

As the boys talked of the condition of their trusty servants, and
exchanged anxious forebodings concerning the crossing of the mountains,
their attention was attracted by an exclamation from Jalap Coombs.
Nel-te had been so insistent in demanding his attention that the
sailorman was finally obliged to lay aside his work and lift the child
to his knees saying,

"Waal, Cap'n Kid, what's the orders now, sir?"

"C'ap'n Kid" was the name he had given to the little fellow on the
occasion of the latter's debut as pilot; for, as he said, "Every branch
pilot answers to the hail of C'ap'n, and this one being a kid becomes
'Cap'n Kid' by rights."

For answer to his question the child held out a small fur-booted foot,
and intimated that the boot should be pulled off.

"Bad foot, hurt Nel-te," he said.

"So! something gone wrong with your running rigging, eh?" queried Jalap
Coombs, as he pulled off the offending boot. Before he could investigate
it the little chap reached forward, and, thrusting a chubby hand down to
its very toe, drew forth in triumph the object that had been annoying
him. As he made a motion to fling it out into the snow, Jalap Coombs,
out of curiosity to see what had worried the child, caught his hand. The
next moment he uttered the half-terrified exclamation that attracted the
attention of Phil and Serge.

As they looked they saw him holding to the firelight between thumb and
finger, and beyond reach of Nel-te, who was striving to regain it, an
object so strange and yet so familiar that for a moment they regarded it
in speechless amazement.

"The fur-seal's tooth!" cried Phil. "How can it be?"

"It can't be our fur-seal's tooth," objected Serge, in a tone of mingled
incredulity and awe. "There must be several of them."

"I should think so myself," replied Phil, who had taken the object in
question from Jalap Coombs for a closer examination, "if it wer