abusive; we
retired, went to town, and left him alone to meditate. Here he hastily
and angrily for a few days longer tossed up nondescript messes for the
men, which none could eat, and was then discharged in disgrace.

In all there were fifteen placer claims staked on Anvil. Some of these
were scarcely touched that summer, but from those operated fully two
million five hundred thousand dollars were taken in three months.

[Illustration: CLAIM NUMBER NINE, ANVIL CREEK.]

During the six weeks we had spent at Number Nine, many improvements had
been made along the route and in Nome. Where before we had traveled
seven miles we now walked only two, riding on the new narrow gauge
railroad, spoken of there as Mr. Lane's, the remainder of the way.

At Discovery Claim, instead of a few straggling tents, there were eating
houses, saloons, store-houses, a ticket and post-office, and the nucleus
of a town. The cars we boarded were open, flat cars, with seats along
the sides, to be sure, but they were crowded at one dollar per head to
Nome. After waiting a little time for a start, the whistle blew shrilly,
the conductor shouted "all aboard!" and we trundled along behind a
smoky, sturdy engine in almost civilized style.

This was the first railroad in Alaska with the exception of the White
Pass and Yukon road, and will eventually extend to the southern coast
and Iliamna.

Next morning, after spending the night on the Sandspit with madam, I
called, bright and early, upon my Swedish friends in their restaurant.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sullivan!" cried Mary in a hearty voice, as she
stirred the steaming mush on the kitchen range.

"Good morning!" said Ricka more quietly, but with a pleasant, welcoming
smile. "Did you come from Number Nine?"

"Good morning!" from Alma, as she poured a cup of hot coffee for a
waiting customer. "Do you want to help us? We have plenty of work."

"That's what I came for," said I, laying aside my hat and coat. "Will
you lend me an apron till I get mine?" glancing toward the kitchen sink
full of unwashed dishes, and the cupboard shelves quite demoralized.

"I'll lend you six if you will only help us. We are so busy serving
meals we cannot take time to get settled," said Mary. "Yes, we moved
from the tent last week," she said in reply to my question.

"We like this much better. The tent leaked during the hard rains, and
flapped so much in the wind that we were afraid it would come down upon
our heads.