t over Paul's victory had somewhat subsided, Roy produced the
letter he had found in the cabin of the paralyzed Indian. Colonel Howell,
having heard the explanation of the finding of the letter, without any
hesitation and evidently without any qualms of conscience, drew out the
enclosure. The letter was an illiterate scrawl.

"Mr. Chandler," it began, "we have decided our answer is this. Mebbe you
are right and we three have done all the work here, but Colonel Howell
has always been on the square. If you think you are intitled to go to
Edmonton and make a claim for this property, we don't. It's been a perty
hard job, but we been paid for it and don't think we have no claim fur a
title to this claim. Besides, this ain't no time to try to go to Edmonton
and get out papers. If we was goin, we'd wait till the river froze and
take a dogsled. When you get your money you can go if you like. Like we
promised you, we wont say nothin. So long as Colonel Howell treats us
square we're goin to stick. So no more at present.

Ewen and Miller."

The message was dated August 10th and was evidently a reply to some
proposition made by Chandler after he was kicked out of the camp. While
Colonel Howell read it, his face was very sober. Then he read it aloud to
the boys and tossed it on the table while he lit a new cigar. All sat in
silence for some time and then Norman said:

"I guess Chandler must have changed his mind too. He was here yesterday
morning."

"But the river's frozen now," suggested Roy quickly. "What does this
mean, Colonel Howell?" went on Roy, his curiosity overcoming him.

The colonel took a long draw on his cigar and at last found his old-time
smile.

CHAPTER XVI

ROY CONDUCTS A HUNT

"At first," he said, "it looked simple enough. So far as this letter is
concerned, I'm not bothered. That is, I'm not afraid of Ewen and Miller.
But Chandler's proposition is another matter. It's plain enough that he
wanted our men to join him and go to Edmonton and file papers on this
claim. But that isn't as ridiculous as it appears. You know," he said,
"Mr. Zept asked me if I hadn't grubstaked these fellows. If they could
make it appear that I had, then part of this claim would belong to them.
And if they all got together and swore that I had, I don't know how I
could prove that they were working for me on wages. Even if our own men
would testify for me that this was