se by the Indian crew when from time to time it was necessary to cross
quickly over the broad river to escape rapids or other obstructions. As
these things were revealed to the young aviators, they grew more and more
anxious for the hour of departure.

When Colonel Howell's outfit began to reach the riverbank the next
morning, Moosetooth and La Biche had part of their men on hand to assist
in the loading. It was a motley group, moccasined in mooseskin with their
straight black hair showing defiantly beneath their silver-belted black
hats. Mostly they wore collarless checked flannel shirts and always from
the hip pocket of their worn and baggy trousers hung the gaudy tassels of
yarn tobacco pouches. Most of them were half-breeds, young men eager to
show the smartness of a veneer of civilized vices. But this did not
bother Colonel Howell, for Moosetooth and La Biche were alone responsible
and these two men well enacted the roles of foremen. Sitting idly on the
bank, cutting new pipes of tobacco or breaking twigs, with slow guttural
exclamations they directed the work to be done.

The loading began and proceeded wholly without order. For this reason the
prospector suggested that the airship crates be left until the last. Bags
of flour, of which there were fifty, were dumped in the bottom of the
boat where the mud and water were sure to spoil part of the flour.

"But that's the way they do it," explained Colonel Howell. "It's the
method of the river Indians. They're doing the work now and don't make
suggestions or try to help them. They'll resent it and think less of you
for it."

While this work was going on, young Zept appeared from time to time and
seemed to be interested but he as continually absented himself.

Loading went forward slowly. Deliveries of stores were made several times
during the day, but there was an entire lack of snap and the Indians took
their time in stowing things away. Colonel Howell was absent most of the
day and in the middle of the afternoon the two boys took their first
opportunity to look over the town.

Reaching the main street, they were not surprised to see the young Count,
mounted on a lively looking pony, dash along the main thoroughfare. It
was hard to tell whether the ease and surety with which young Zept rode
or his flapping Paris hat attracted more attention. As the boys waved
their hats to him and he gracefully saluted, they noticed that he must
have been riding for some time. T