m, and if any of his late "command"
cared to come up and help him work it, they might all be millionaires
before the following spring.

"Any of you care to take the job?" asked the Colonel with a smile. "I've
taken an interest with Swiftwater in any claims he may file on, and you
might find it worth while. However, I'm frank to say that, having gotten
you this far without disaster I should prefer to return you to your homes
safe and in good order."

The reader may wish to follow the later adventures of the Boy Scouts, and
in the next volume, "In the North Woods," their further history will be
told.

The letters from home awakened many pleasant memories, and perhaps a
little feeling of home sickness, and there was no eager acceptance of the
miner's proposition, which, anyway, was probably made in a joking spirit.

"I believe," said Rand, "I should like to come back here some time. I
sometimes think that in spite of the fact that this great territory is so
near the North Pole, it's going to be a great commonwealth. I want to see
it in the winter time, when they say it is so terrible."

"Gee, I think we've had enough of it for this time," put in Gerald, with a
serious look. "I want to get home and build another aeroplane. They'll be
getting ahead of us on airships if we stay away much longer."

"And I hae me doots," put in the economical Don, "if this country isn't
too expensive for just regular living."

"I'm going to write a book about this country, and I want to get home to
do it," said Jack.

"Well," said Dick, "I'm rather in favor of a short visit to the old home
at this time, just to astonish the natives with a few of our adventures.
Since this patrol was formed, its experiences have got to be a regular
habit with the Creston folks, and I have an idea they must miss something
by this time. I think it's our duty to let them have at least an 'Old Home
Week' to relieve their--hey, what do you call it, Jack, in that high
school French of yours?--oh, yes, their _ongwee_."

"Well," said the ingenious Pepper, unguardedly, "I've got no reason--I
just want to go home."

"Nothing to do with a sudden case of 'private consumption?'" cruelly
remarked Jack, and amid the shout of laughter that followed Pepper,
covered with a sunset glow, made a sudden exit in search of the guide.

Colonel Snow had a conference with the Indians after he had inspected the
"treasure," and heard the story of its perilous recovery. He recogn