we had to we could play Robinson
Crusoe here at least as well as those poor Klondikers did who came to
grief here twenty years ago. But as for me, I want to get home on
time--not only because we have to go to school and because our parents
are waiting for us, but because we set out to make our round trip
within certain dates, and we ought to do so if that is a possible
thing."

"That's the talk!" said Uncle Dick. "Come ahead then, boys. Now we
are alone--let us see how we can travel."

Rob did as requested and made brief notes of their course throughout
the remainder of their trip to the Yukon River, which are given here
as he wrote them:

"_Sunday, July 27th._--Beautiful weather. Little Bell very
deep, with pools on the bends literally full of grayling.
They call them 'bluefish' here, and they look purple in the
deep, clear water. The Indian boys showed us how to cook
them. They split them down the back and skewer them flat,
and then hang them up before the fire, flesh side to the
fire. They eat them off the skin for a plate. You wouldn't
believe how good they are.

"Rabbits and ptarmigan all along the banks. Sometimes we
have to get out to ease the canoe down the rocky rapids, for
we must not cut her, since she is the only boat we have, and
to be without her would ruin us. Water is icy cold, even
colder than the head of the Rat, which was bad enough.

"At 6.30 to-day struck the Big Bell, a deep and clear river.
We were all cold, so built a fire. Caught some grayling
then. Ran till 10 o'clock. Camp on the tundra. Wet and
cold, but had plenty of wood near by, so had good fires.

"LaPierre House, an old trading-post, now abandoned, must be
not far ahead. That's where the land trail comes in from
Fort McPherson, according to the stories. We don't believe
anything we hear any more, as all the tales have been
unreliable and confusing. Must have made thirty miles to-day
before we camped.

"_Monday, July 28th._--Steady grind down the Bell, which now
is crooked and sluggish. At 2.15 in the afternoon found a
cabin, but it was not LaPierre House. Found many names on
this cabin. Also statement, 'It is ten miles to LaPierre
House.' One man here left statement that he was bound for
Fairbanks in Alaska. Another man and his wife passed in an
earlier year, 'Eleven days out fr