s Athabasca
Landing like, Colonel Howell?" he added a little petulantly.

"Oh, the Landing's nothing but saloons and the river, and beyond it," he
added significantly, "there's nothing but the river."

At seven o'clock that evening, Mr. Zept and Colonel Howell with the three
boys attended a baseball game, leaving it at nine thirty in full
daylight.

"To-morrow is vacation," explained Colonel Howell, as they separated for
the night, "and Wednesday at eight thirty we'll board our private car."

CHAPTER VII

A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE TO ATHABASCA LANDING

During their stay in Edmonton, the two Indian rivermen had been living
royally in a lodging house near the depot. Early on the morning of the
departure, Colonel Howell rounded up his old employees and when the mixed
freight and passenger train backed up to the depot, the party was ready
to board it. It was with satisfaction that all saw two Chicago & North
Western freight cars, which Colonel Howell identified as those containing
his oil outfit, and next to the extra passenger coach, the special
baggage car.

A mist was falling and it was not cheerful. It was time for Mr. Zept to
take his leave. For some moments he and Colonel Howell spoke apart and
then, without any special word of admonition to his son, he grasped the
hand of each boy in turn.

"I hope you'll all be friends," was his general good-bye, "and that
you'll all stand by each other. Good-bye. Colonel Howell is my friend and
I advise all of you to do just as he tells you. Take care of yourselves,"
and with no further words, the rich ranch owner helped the little party
to load its baggage into the express car.

There were many curious people at the depot, among whom, not the least
conspicuous, were Moosetooth and La Biche. Men from the frontier and a
dapper young mounted policeman all came to speak to the two Indians.

With most of the passengers either hanging out of the car windows or
jammed together on the platforms--for at the last moment, Colonel Howell
had readily given his consent to the superintendent that he might also
throw open the special car to the general public, as far at least as
Morineville, the end of the passenger run--the creaking train crawled
around a bend, and while the boys and Colonel Howell waved a farewell to
Mr. Zept, the journey northward on the new road began.

The privacy of the special car at once disappeared. The unusual jam was
due to the impassable condition of t