Good enough," said Phil. "Now by following this Tananah for two or
three hundred miles, and taking up one of its eastern branches that is
called the Gheesah, or some such name, and crossing a divide, we can
strike the head-waters of Forty Mile Creek."

"And sail down with the current, run into port under a full press of
canvas, and capture the market afore the enemy heaves in sight!"
exclaimed Jalap Coombs, enthusiastically, his practical mind quick to
note the advantages of Phil's scheme. "But what's to become of me?" he
added, anxiously. "Kin ye fit me out with a new pair of feet?"

"Certainly we can," replied Phil, promptly. "We can fit you out with
fourteen new pair, and will guarantee that thus provided you will be
able to travel as fast as the rest of us."

"Fourteen pair o' feet?" repeated Jalap Coombs, reflectively, "and slow
shoes on every pair? Seems to me, son, you must be calkilating to run me
under a kind of a santipede rig, which it looks like the strain on the
hull would be too great. As for navigating fourteen pair of slow shoes
all to once, I don't reckon old Kite hisself could do it. Still, if you
think it can be did, why, go ahead and try it on. I'm agreeable, as the
cat said after he'd swallowed the cap'n's wife's canary."

So Phil's plan was adopted without a dissenting voice, and from that
moment Jalap Coombs said nothing more about a return to St. Michaels.

That very evening, leaving Serge to see what could be done for the
sailor-man's lameness, and taking Kurilla with him to act as
interpreter, Phil visited several Indian huts. At these he finally
succeeded in purchasing enough furs and moose-hide for a huge
sleeping-bag, which the several squaws, who, under promise of a liberal
recompense in tea, undertook its construction promised should be ready
by morning. Phil also bought an immense pair of arctic sleeping-socks,
and an extra supply of snow-goggles.

When he told Kurilla of their change of plan, and that they intended
going up the Tananah, the latter replied, dubiously: "Me plenty don't
know um. Maybe git lose. Yaas."

"Oh, that'll be all right," answered Phil, cheerfully. "You'll plenty
know um before we get through with um, and whenever you don't know which
way to go, just come and ask me."

When he returned to the house he found Serge boiling with indignation.
"Do you know," he cried, "that Mr. Coombs has walked all the way from
St. Michaels without pads in his boots, because tho