excitement all
night, for a lawless element was abroad, and there were several shooting
affrays among the gamblers and miners, but fortunately no one was
seriously hurt.

Soon after breakfast, which was not much of an improvement on the
supper, a sled arrived with some supplies which Mr. Baxter had purchased
at one of the stores. The things were piled up outside the hotel,
together with the goods they had brought from San Francisco, and a
little later several Alaskan Indians, driving four dog teams, attached
to long, low wooden sleds, came down the snow-covered street.

"That's our outfit," announced Mr. Baxter. "I see Holfax is on time."

"Who's Holfax?" asked Fred.

"He's the chief guide, and seems a fairly decent chap. I can't say as
much for the others."

Certainly none of them would have taken a prize in a beauty contest.
They were typical Alaskan Indians, short and stout, not too clean, but
of that one could not judge very well, for they were so wrapped up in
furs that only their noses and eyes were visible.

There were eight Indians, two in charge of each sled, to each of which
was fastened eight dogs by thongs of reindeer hide. The animals were
snarling and snapping in an ugly manner, and the Indian drivers called
harsh words to them, or struck them with the long lash of the whip,
which they used with great skill, being able to touch a particular dog
on any available spot from the farthest end of the sled.

"Load up, Holfax," ordered Mr. Baxter, indicating the goods.

"We load. Pretty soon go quick," replied the head Indian. Then he called
something to his companions in the native tongue, and they began to lash
the supplies on the sleds.

"Are we going to ride or walk?" asked Fred.

"Ride," answered Mr. Baxter. "There are only four Indians going with us.
The rest came merely to help load, as that is a matter which must be
carefully attended to. The dogs will be able to pull two persons on each
sled, in addition to the load. I am afraid we are going to be in for
some cold weather. The thermometer is still going down. It's thirty
below zero now. Be careful not to expose your fingers, boys, or they'll
be frozen inside of five minutes. And look out for the end of your
nose."

The loading was rapidly proceeded with, quite a crowd of men gathering
to see the expedition leave. It was no great novelty, but one so well
equipped and so large did not often start from that settlement. When the
last package ha