ried toward a big rock which lay at the water's
edge. Here he rested his rifle and, taking quick aim, fired. The splash
of the ball on top of the intervening wave showed that he had missed.
Once more the seal sank, but in the course of a few minutes it appeared
yet again, this time still closer in. Carefully Rob fired a second time,
and this time they all heard distinctly the thud of the bullet, which
proved that the shot had struck true. With a splash the seal
disappeared, but giving a shout the Aleut pushed off the dory and called
to them all to get in. In a few moments he brought them alongside the
still struggling body of the seal, which appeared now above and now
beneath the surface of the water. Hurriedly catching up his long spear,
the native made a thrust at the seal and fastened it with the barb, and
with many grunting chuckles drew it alongside. Soon, with a heave, he
got it inboard--a small hair seal not much more than three feet in
length.

"_Karosha!_" exclaimed the Aleut, with a grin.

"He means that it's good--that it's all right," explained John, who
seemed to be the official interpreter.

"Well, I don't believe that I care to eat seal meat," said Rob; "but
maybe Jimmy knows what he can do with the hide, or something else. We'll
skin Mr. Seal and peg his hide out up at the camp. It's time now we got
the bear hides stretched so that they can begin to dry."

Much elated with their successful day's work, the boys now assisted the
native in stretching all the green hides, flesh side upward. The native
showed them how to flesh and scrape the hides, and they spent an hour or
so at this until each complained that his back was aching.

"Suppose we cross the creek and take a little climb up the
mountain-side," suggested Rob. "We can get a good look out from there."

"All right," said John. "Of course we'll have to take our _tillicum_
along. Mush on, Jimmy!"

The Aleut, although apparently a native of the country where the
language of the dog-train was little known, nevertheless seemed to
understand the Alaskan command to "March!" He stood ready, only looking
to see which way they wished him to go. Rob set off in advance, and they
all splashed through the waters of the shallows at the lower end of the
lagoon.

"Here's where Jimmy has a good deal the best of us," said Rob, pointing
to their wet feet. "Our shoes will be gone in a little while; but look
at his seal boots with high tops. They keep his feet dr