d answer, for, at first, the boy thought his
companion was joking.

"Is there really a treasure hidden around here, Mr. Gardner."

"Around here? No, only the gold in the mines, and that is hard to get
out. The Stults treasure, that I referred to, is many miles away."

"Where is it?"

"In Alaska."

"Alaska?"

"Yes, and the coldest part, too. I'll tell you what I know of it, but
don't hold me responsible."

"I'll not."

"Very well then. The story is more or less known, but I can't say as
much for the location of the treasure. Several have tried their hand at
locating it, but had to give it up.

"It appears that an old miner, named Max Stults, went to Alaska, in the
early days of the gold discoveries there, with a few companions. They
made their way up the Yukon river as far as where Circle City now is.
Then they went off into the mountains, for, it seems, the old man had a
curious dream that he would find gold in a certain place.

"His companions laughed at him, for it was outside the gold-bearing
region, and, finally, they all deserted him. Nothing more was heard of
Stults for a long time. One day, so the story goes, a man, half dead
from exposure, staggered into the camp, which was the beginning of what
is now Circle City.

"This man, who turned out to be Stults, told a strange story. He said he
had discovered a wonderful treasure of gold, in the bed of a river that
had changed its course. There were many big nuggets of the pure metal he
had picked up, he said."

"Why didn't he bring it with him?" asked Fred.

"He tried to, but he was attacked by a band of savage Alaskan Indians,
who tried to get the gold away from him. He had it in the mountains, and
managed to escape, coming to the camp for help."

"Did they give it to him?"

"They would have, but, unfortunately, just as they were setting out to
find the buried treasure, Stults died."

"And they never found the gold?"

"They never found it. Stults had a sort of map, showing the location of
it, but no one could make head or tail of that map after he was dead.
Several parties made the attempt, but they all failed. Some were frozen
to death, and others were driven from the country by the savage Indians.
So, up to the present time, no one has found the Stults treasure, as far
as I know."

"What became of the map?"

"Oh, that, and a few personal belongings of the old German gold hunter,
were sent to his widow. I heard that she raised money and sen