toward the Indian village. The snow and
their heavy load made this a panting task and in the mile walk they
paused to rest several times.

When they finally reached the edge of the Indian settlement and broke
their way through the last of the trees, they found before them a picture
that had escaped them from the airship. In the distance lay the deserted
looking cabins but, nearer by and as if seeking protection among the
scrub spruce, rose a single tepee. Before it stood two men and two
squaws.

"They must have seen us," panted Roy, as he and Norman advanced, bending
low under their burdens. "They seem to be watchin' for us."

In fact, one of the men had his arms outstretched. The cheerless group
was made even more so by a small, almost blazeless fire, in the thin
smoke of which was suspended a black kettle.

[Illustration: "They must have seen us," panted Roy as he and Norman
advanced.]

"No wonder they let a moose almost stick his nose in camp," was Norman's
comment. "The men seem to be as old as Methuselah."

There was nothing dramatic in the arrival of the boys, for the Indians
spoke no English and gave not the least sign of gratitude when the
quarters of the moose were thrown on the ground. Both the women sank on
their knees and one of them eagerly bit into the raw flesh. After vainly
attempting to talk to the men, Norman pointed to a knife in the belt of
one of them and then at the freezing flesh on the ground.

While the boys watched them, this aged and emaciated Chipewyan also
dropped on his knees and hastily cut off four strips of flesh. Without
any attempt at cooking these the starving group attacked them voraciously
in their raw condition. After a few moments, the boys took the other
quarter and, motioning toward the other cabins, started toward them. They
decided, if they found no younger men, to take the two old men back to
the monoplane and deliver to them their other provisions.

Having reached the first cabin, the boys at once discovered that Chandler
had not overstated the camp condition. Neither in this filthy structure,
nor in any but one of the other half dozen did they find anyone but women
and children. In each cabin there was heat in plenty, but signs of food
were wholly missing. In each place the air was foul, and half-clad
children made the situation pitiable. In one fortunate cabin, the
children were chewing shreds of skin.

Still unable to find anyone who could speak English, the boy