following his arrival, and after a careful survey of the
situation, Phil rented the largest building in the place, paying one
month's rent in advance, and giving its owner an order on Gerald Hamer
for the balance until the time of the _Chimo_'s arrival. This building
had been used as a saloon, and was conveniently located close by the
steamboat landing facing the river. Into it the sledge party moved all
their belongings, including the seventeen wolf-skins, which now formed
rugs for their floor as well as coverings for several split-log benches.
Serge and the two Indians at once started up the river with the sledges
for a supply of firewood, which was a precious article in Forty Mile at
that time, leaving Phil and Jalap Coombs to clean the new quarters and
render them habitable; while the latter, with a sailor's neat deftness,
attended to this work, Phil busied himself with a pot of black paint and
a long breadth of cotton cloth. At this he labored with such diligence
that in an hour's time a huge sign appeared above the entrance to the
building and stretched across its entire front. On it, in letters so
large that they could be plainly read from the river, was painted the
legend, "Yukon Trading Company, Gerald Hamer, Agent."

This promise of increased business facilities was greeted by a round of
hearty cheers from a group of miners who had assembled to witness the
raising of the new sign, and when Jalap Coombs finished tacking up his
end one of these stepped up to him with a keen scrutiny. Finally he
said. "Stranger, may I be so bold as to ask who was the best friend you
ever had?"

"Sartain you may," replied the sailorman, "seeing as I'm allers proud to
mention the name of old Kite Roberson, and likewise claim him for a
friend."

[Illustration: "WHY, MATEY, DON'T YOU REMEMBER THE OLD BRIG 'BETSY?"]

"I thought so!" cried the delighted miner, thrusting out a great hairy
paw. "I thought I couldn't be mistook in that figger-head, and I knowed
if you was the same old Jalap I took ye to be that Kite Roberson
wouldn't be fur off. Why, matey, don't you remember the old brig
_Betsy_? Have you clean forgot Skiff Bettens?"

"Him that went into the hold and found the fire and put it out, and was
drug up so nigh dead from smoke that he didn't breathe nateral agin fur
a week? Not much I hain't forgot him, and I'm nigh about as glad to see
him as if he were old Kite hisself!" exclaimed Jalap Coombs, in joyous
tones. Then he i