ou will see."

The poor fellow was so exhausted by what he had gone through that, after
painfully swallowing some of the tea that had been prepared, he dropped
into a stupor-like sleep, whilst Dallas watched him anxiously.

"That was fancy of his, my lad," said Tregelly, who was making a hearty
breakfast. "Come, you don't eat."

"How can I, with the poor fellow like this?" cried Dallas. "He seems to
come in for all the misfortune."

"Yes, he is a bit unlucky," replied Tregelly; "but you must eat if you
want to help him. Look here, I don't want to be unfeeling; but your
mate isn't dying of fever."

"No, no; but look at him."

"Yes, I have, and he has been a good deal knocked about, besides having
a frozen foot; but that will all get well. You are set up with
provisions again; you've got your gold back, and a good claim of your
own."

"Just good enough to keep us alive."

"Well, it isn't very lively work, my lad," said Tregelly; "but we must
make the best of it. We shall have the summer again soon, and do
better, perhaps."

"I hope so," said Dallas bitterly, "for we could never get through
another winter like this."

"You don't know till you try. And you take my advice: let your
brother--"

"My cousin."

"Well, it's all the same out here. Let him sleep all he can, and when
he's awake feed him up and keep him warm."

"I can't get rid of the feeling that I ought to go back to Yukon Town
and try to get a doctor."

"Nonsense, my son; he wants no doctor. And now look here; if I say
something to you, will you believe that it's meant honest?"

"Of course. What do you mean?"

"Only this, my son; that I don't want you to think that I want to come
and sponge upon you because you've got plenty of prog."

"Mr Tregelly!"

"Let me finish, my lad," said the big Cornishman. "I was going to say,
what do you think of me coming and pigging here with you for a bit, in
case what the youngster here says might be right; and if it is, you and
me could polish off that gang pretty well, better than you could alone,
or I could alone. Not that I'm skeered; but if young Wray here is right
they'll be down upon me too. But I don't want you to think--"

"But what about your gold?" said Dallas eagerly.

"If any one should go there, and can find it, I'll give it him."

"Is it so well hidden?"

"Yes; I've got it froze into the middle of a block of ice. They'll
never look there."

"Will you come?" said Dallas exc