produce the gold-bearing creek before he was given the food
in payment.

The native was obstinate.

"Cow-cow peeluk, gold peeluk," indifferently, from the medicine man,
going back to his pipe in the corner as if not caring for further
conversation.

"He means no grub, no gold--or we must give him the supplies first, else
we don't get the creek," again interpreted Gibbs.

"To the dogs with the fellow!" cried one.

"He wants the whole cheese."

"Let him keep his creek and be--blessed!"

"Forget it, boys, and come to the Kobuk with me," laughed one.

"Let's give him the calico and beads, but cut out the grub," finally
from one of the most generous, while Kuiktuk sat stolidly smoking.

The latter would not compromise. The men hated to part with the
supplies, but dreaded far worse to lose the prospect of that good creek
said by the native to contain gold. It might prove another Anvil, who
could tell? Possibly it was not so far away as the fellow said, Eskimos
were never well up in time and distances, and knew nothing of
prospectors' methods.

This was what Dunbar argued, and he, being the eldest of the party, was
finally allowed his way, and that was to pay the shrewd trader his
price, delivering to him the supplies agreed to on the next day before
they started out upon their stampede to the creek.

"Then in case the old fellow has lied about the gold," said Gibbs,
"we'll hang him to the nearest tree."

A consultation of miners, including Kuiktuk was held. Plans for the trip
were laid, the route selected and all preparations completed. The shaman
would lead the men up the Selawik Rive; to its head waters, as the
trails on the ice, though poor, were level and much better than across
the country, where mountain ranges intercepted. They would then head due
south.

Only this much of his plan did the old Eskimo reveal. Secretly he wished
to lead the men by ways they could not possibly traverse in returning.
In doing the latter they would not wish to break a new trail unguided
through an unexplored region of such magnitude, and by spring the ice
would be leaving the Selawik.

As they had no boats it would be impossible for them to return as they
had come. If they came to Selawik during the summer, he, and his family
and friends would be away on their annual fishing excursion and their
igloos would be deserted.

Thus the Shaman planned before the start was made for Midas.

The weather was not severe and signs w