e
miss fire. Him never miss fire." He patted first his lance, then the
muscles of his strong right arm. "Better prepared think mine."

Marian smiled as the brown boy ran ahead to free his own deer and
prepare to continue the journey. "Surely," she thought, "physical
fitness is a great thing. The boy has paid us well for fighting his
battles for him on Puget Sound."

No further adventures befell them on their journey, but it was with
thankful hearts that they saw the familiar outlines of the village at
East Cape. As the reindeer came to a stop they sprang from their sled,
but Ad-loo-at made no move to follow them. "Me--I go back," he said
gravely. "You safe--I no stay."

"But you must rest--and eat," remonstrated Lucile. "And the reindeers,
they need rest."

"Huh," came the answer, with a shrug. "Better time to rest when all
work is done. Me young; reindeers young--we rest at camp."

"But you must wait till I--I--well, there is something that I--that
you--" Lucile fumbled for the right words. She sensed that the boy,
for all his youth, had a grown-up way of looking at things. There was
that talisman she had carried ever since that night he had left them
there on the island of Puget Sound--the three elk teeth set with jade
and an uncut diamond. "Don't let him go, Marian, till I come back."

She darted into their igloo, to return an instant later, the odd jewel
gleaming in her hand. At sight of it a smile spread over Ad-loo-at's
face. "Ch--k!" he chuckled.

"You must take it back," Lucile demanded.

The boy threw back his head and laughed boisterously. "It is a charm,"
he said. "Can one Chukche take back a charm? It will keep you--what
you say?--safe, yes. Me, I have this." He held up his lance.

"But you must," urged Marian in turn.

"Must--hear you that, reindeer. Heya! let us go!" He waved his lance
aloft in farewell. "Heya--mush!" he commanded, and the three reindeer
broke into the untiring stride that would soon carry them from sight.
The two girls stood watching him till, with a last wave of his hand, he
disappeared around a hill. Then, alone again, they thought of Phi.

"I wonder if he has gone on without us," said Marian.

"I wonder. No, there he is!" exclaimed Lucile. "He's coming down the
hill to meet us."

"Are--are we too late?" Lucile faltered as he reached their side.

"About six hours, I should say," Phi grinned.

"Six hours?"

"His nibs, the old Chukche guide,