uzzling over the
mysteries of the past and the problems of the future. Where had the
blue envelope disappeared to? Did the boy have it? She resolved to
search the cabin on the beach for herself. She felt half-inclined to
talk matters over frankly with him. There were mysteries which might
be cleared up. She remembered with what astonishing speed he had
reached the cabin once he had sprung upon the shore. She remembered,
too, how he had spoken of the disordered paint-box. She prided herself
on neatness. And that paint-box, was it not her work-shop, her most
prized possession? She longed to talk it over with him. But on the
other hand, she could not bring herself to feel that her trust in him
was fully warranted. She hated above all things to be "taken in." If
she discussed all these things with him, and if, at the same time, the
letter rested in his pocket, wouldn't she be taken in for fair?
Wouldn't she, though?

"No," she pressed her lips tight shut, "no, I won't."

But even as she said this, she saw again the downhearted expression on
his face, heard his mournful, "I couldn't find it. It's not there."
With that she relented, and ere she slept resolved to take up the
matter of the mysterious disappearance with him the first thing in the
morning.

But morning found the boy in quite a different mood. He laughed and
chatted gayly over his sour-dough pancakes.

"Now you know," he said, as he shoved back his stool, "I like your
company awfully well, and I'd like to keep this up indefinitely, but
truth is I can't; I've got to get across the Straits."

"We'll be sorry to lose you," laughed Marian; "but just you run along.
And when you get there tell the missionary breakfast is ready. Ask him
to step over and eat with us."

"No, but I'm serious."

"Then you're crazy. No white man has ever crossed thirty-five miles of
floeing ice."

"There's always to be a first. Natives do it, don't they?"

"I've heard they do."

"I can go anywhere a native can, providing he doesn't get out of my
sight."

"A guide across the Straits! It's a grand idea!" Marian seized Lucile
about the waist and went hopping out on deck. "A guide across the
Straits. We'll be home for Christmas dinner yet!"

"What, you don't mean--" The boy stared in astonishment.

"Sure I do. We can go anywhere you can, providing you don't get out of
our sight."

"That--why, that will be bully."

He said this with lagging enthusiasm.