ally it was decided, in view of the comprehensive charts that they had
of the intervening country, that the latter should be the program, even
if it were necessary to make a landing on the way.

"The trains from Athabasca Landing," concluded Colonel Howell at last,
"run only three times a week, and I'm not sure of the schedule."

"Then," announced Norman, "we'll do it by _Air Line_. We can make it, if
you want to trust me."

"I think it's worth while," laughed the colonel.

"You haven't much time," broke in the excited Roy. "They've had good hard
snow, and this half-breed's got a great team, I understand. If they made
forty miles a day, and I've heard o' them doing that, you'll have to get
a hustle on you."

"We leave to-night," announced Norman, springing to his feet. "Philip!"
he called.

Colonel Howell, with a disturbed look on his face, interrupted:

"Couldn't we leave in the morning--early?" he suggested. "I think I'd
rather ride by daylight."

"You'll feel more comfortable by night," laughed Paul, "and you don't
need to miss your sleep. Norman won't have any use for you."

The discussion did not close for some time after this and when supper was
finally served, the last detail had been arranged. The meal proceeded
without any sign of the momentous event to follow. At its conclusion,
Colonel Howell turned to Ewen and Miller and said, almost nonchalantly:

"Boys, I'm going to leave you for a few days. Your friend Chandler is on
his way to Edmonton to make trouble for me."

Both men looked startled and Ewen exclaimed:

"What's that?"

"The same thing he wanted you boys to do and in which you wouldn't join
him."

"What do you mean?" Miller managed to ask.

"What you wrote him a letter about," answered Colonel Howell calmly. "I
read that. But," he went on, as both men gave new signs of alarm, "I'm
goin' to forget it. Do you men want to go on working for me as you have
in the past?"

Flushed faces made any other answer unnecessary.

"All right," continued Colonel Howell, "then that's settled. But I want
you to get Chandler out of your systems. You can stay here. To show you
that I trust you, I'm going to leave you in the camp again."

Immediately, activity began; Norman and Roy working on the _Gitchie
Manitou_, the half-breed preparing supplies, and Colonel Howell making
notes and getting papers together on the still littered table.

On an air line, the young aviators estimated the distance across