e not for
a private mark that I scratched on it when it was in our possession at
St. Michaels. See, here it is, and so the identity of the tooth is
established beyond a doubt. But how it ever got here I can't conceive.
There is actually something supernatural about the whole thing. Where
did you say you found it, Mr. Coombs?"

"In Cap'n Kid's boot," replied the mate, who had just restored that
article to the child's foot. "But blow me for a porpus ef I kin
understand how ever it got there. Last time I seen it 'twas back to
Forty Mile."

"Yes," said Serge, "Judge Riley had it."

"I remember seeing him put it into a vest pocket," added Phil, "and
meant to ask him for it, but forgot to do so. Now to have it appear from
the boot of that child, who has never been to Forty Mile, or certainly
not since we left there, is simply miraculous. It beats any trick of
spiritualism or conspiring I ever heard of. The mystery of the tooth's
appearing at St. Michaels after my father lost it, only a short time
before at Oonalaska, was strange enough; but that was nothing to this."

"There must be magic in it," said Serge, who from early associations was
inclined to be superstitious. "I don't care, though, if there is," he
added, stoutly. "I believe the tooth has come to us at this time of our
despondency as an omen of good fortune, and now I feel certain that we
shall pull through all right. You remember, Phil, the saying that goes
with it: 'He who receives it as a gift receives good luck.'"

"Who has received it as a gift this time?" inquired the Yankee lad.

"We all have, though it seems to have been especially sent to Nel-te,
and you know he is the one we were most anxious about."

"That's so," assented Phil, "and from this time on Nel-te shall wear it
as a charm, though I suppose it won't stay with him any longer than
suits its convenience. I never had a superstition in my life, and
haven't believed in such things, but I must confess that my unbelief is
shaken by this affair. There isn't any possible way, that I can see, for
this tooth to have got here except by magic."

"It beats the _Flying Dutchman_ and _Merrymaids_," said Jalap Coombs,
solemnly, as he lighted his pipe for a quieting smoke. "D'ye know, lads,
I'm coming to think as how it were all on account of this 'ere curio
being aboard the steamer _Norsk_ that she stopped and picked you up in
Bering Sea that night."

"Nonsense!" cried Phil. "That is impossible!"

Thus