ittle camp of adventurers, and
some of them uttered a cry of satisfaction.

"The Indians! The Indians! They're all around us!" cried Jerry.

Mr. Baxter, Johnson and Fred hurriedly awoke, and it was instinct with
them to grab the guns lying at their sides.

"What's the matter?" cried Jerry's father, running to the flap of the
tent, near which his son stood.

"The Indians! They're here!"

There was no doubt of it. Seeing that there was no need of concealment,
the Alaskans boldly advanced. It was seen that nearly every one had a
gun.

But stranger than all was the figure that walked at the head of the
hostile Indian procession. It was the figure of a white man. A man with
a glass eye--the same man who had accosted Fred on the ship.

"Well, what do you want?" asked Mr. Baxter as he saw Callack advancing.
"What right have you to follow us?"

"There's no 'right' up in this land," was the sneering answer. "There's
no law, neither. We do as we please here."

"What are you going to do now?"

"We're going to take that gold you unlawfully removed from the cave. Ah,
you needn't deny you have it. I have proof of it. One of my men saw it."

"I suppose you mean that spy," replied Mr. Baxter. "We are not going to
deny it. But let me tell you we'll never give up anything we have
without a fight."

"A fight? Why, we outnumber you five to one!"

"I'm not afraid of that. We shall defend our property to the last."

"Bold words!" spoke Callack with a sneer, "but I'm going to have that
gold," and he advanced toward Mr. Baxter.

The Indians, watching their white leader, began to close in on the
treasure finders.

"Fred!" cried Mr. Baxter, "you look after the left side, Jerry, you the
right, and I'll take the center. Stand with your backs to the tent.
Johnson, get up on the ice hummock and fire at the first man who comes
within a hundred feet, be he a white or an Indian."

In less time than it takes to tell it the little force had assumed a
position of defense. From his elevated place the negro could command a
wide range.

"Are you going to fight us?" demanded Callack.

"Certainly," replied Mr. Baxter.

"It will be useless. I have traveled too far after that gold to give it
up now. You had better surrender. I'll guarantee to get you safe to the
river."

"Never! We are going to keep the gold."

At that moment, whether by accident or design, one of the Indians
discharged his gun at Johnson, who had not done as Mr. Bax