nce Callack and his crowd passed."

Mr. Baxter went to the mouth of the cave and looked out. It had stopped
snowing, and the northern lights were flickering in the sky.

"I'll chance it," he said.

As he was about to step forth he heard a noise to one side. It was the
movement of something over the frozen surface of the snow. He started,
and was about to dart back into the cavern, thinking it was some of the
Indians, when Fred, who had come to the entrance with Mr. Baxter, cried
out:

"It's one of our sleds, with two dogs fast to it. Hurrah! It's a sled
with food on it!"

"Well, if this isn't a marvel!" exclaimed Jerry. "How did that get here?
Did Callack send it?"

"The dogs probably wandered away during the fight," said Mr. Baxter.
"See, they are not properly harnessed; they are only tangled up in the
thongs. I wonder if we can catch them?"

Hurrying out, the old miner called sharply to the animals in the Indian
tongue, of which he had learned a few words. The beasts halted. They
were almost exhausted from pulling the heavy load from which, doubtless,
they had probably tried to break loose.

"Food! food!" cried Fred, rushing from the cave, and beginning to tear
away the robes over the load on the sled. "Now we're all right!"

With eager hands Mr. Baxter and Jerry aided Fred. The dogs lay down in
the snow, panting and weary.

"We'll feed them well, to pay them for having brought us this sled,"
said Mr. Baxter. "It has saved our lives. Fate sent the beasts this way.
Now boys----"

But he did not finish the sentence, for, at that instant with wild
shouts, there came rushing over a little hill of ice several fur-clad
figures. And the foremost of them was Callack, while behind him came
several Indians.

"Here they are! We've got them!" cried the ugly white man. "I'm glad I
decided to trace those straying dogs. Don't run or I'll shoot!" he
added, and the captives saw that he had a gun. They could not have run
if they wanted to, they were so exhausted. Fate had apparently aided
them only to cast them once more into the hands of their enemies.

"Ah! You thought you'd get away from me, did you?" asked Callack
exultantly, as he and his men rushed upon the treasure seekers. "Well,
you nearly got away, and if it hadn't been that I started off after the
dogs that strayed away with the sled, you might have fooled me. But now
I've got you, and I'll wager you won't get away again."

The captives said nothing. They w