ys were not always
Indian ways. He re-affirmed his solemn promise that the fort should be
safe in Indian hands. Furthermore he told him they had no desire to
anger the evil spirits it contained. In conclusion he produced a beaded
seal-skin bag which he asked the white man to accept. It contained, he
explained, the bones of the right hand of one of his ancestors who had
been a great hunter and warrior, and withal a lucky and mighty chief who
was only murdered by his people after a long and fierce reign. This bag,
with its contents, was a sure talisman and guard against the evil
spirits of Unaga, and they were very, very many, and very cruel.

With due solemnity Steve accepted this priceless gift, and, to add to
his display of gratification, he drew little Marcel to him and secured
it about his neck. Then, turning to the chief, he explained. He pointed
at the child, and assured him that the white man regarded his children
before all things--even before his own life. Therefore, to display his
gratitude to the great chief, he bestowed the gift upon the child whose
safety he desired above all things in the world. Approval was unanimous.
To every one of these simple creatures the white man's act was one of
the greatest self-sacrifice. And even in the more enlightened minds of
An-ina and Julyman there was a deep appreciation of the act.

When the council broke up, and the fur-clad Indians moved out, Steve
might well have been forgiven had he felt that his work had been well
and truly done.

With the going of the last Indian he promptly shouldered his pack, and
Julyman and An-ina did the same. A moment later he took the child in his
arms.

"Come," he said, and led the way out of the building.

Ten minutes later the outfit was on the move, and the great adventure,
with the new-born mosquitoes and flies swarming, began in a blaze of
spring sunshine.

* * * * *

Out on a snow-clad ridge, a saddle between two forest-clad hills, a
meagre camp was set. The shelter of woods against the keen north wind
made the resting-place possible. Two weeks of struggle, two weeks of
tremendous effort left the choice of daylight camping ground a matter of
small moment, but just now the bleak ridge had been selected for a
definite reason.

Steve and An-ina were standing out in the gap, with little Marcel
between them. Oolak was somewhere within the woods, tending his savage
dogs. Julyman was hugging the fire,