e spoke to him rapidly for a time, and for some reason he seemed
mollified. Rob pressed the advantage. Drawing a piece of worn paper from
his inner coat-pocket, he made signs of writing with a stub of pencil
which he found in another pocket.

"You see talk-talk paper?" he went on. "S'pose you take talk-talk paper
by Kadiak, we give-um one rifle."

The chief grinned broadly and reached out his hand to take Rob's rifle
from him, but the latter drew it back.

"No give-um rifle now," he insisted. "When bidarka go, you take-um
talk-talk paper, we give-um rifle. No! No give-um rifle now. We keep-um
boy here all right, all right, all right. No keep-um boy, no give-um
rifle. No get-um schooner, no get-um boy."

This was not very good talking, but it was not bad reasoning for a boy;
and, moreover, it seemed to go home. The old Aleut sat and thought for a
while. Evidently he either was willing to exchange his son for so good a
rifle, or else he felt sure that no harm would come to the boy. Turning
to the latter, he talked with him for some moments earnestly, the boy
answering without hesitation. At last the young Aleut arose, edged
through the crowd, and sat down beside John, putting his hand on the arm
of the latter as though to call him his friend.

Rob drew a sigh of relief. Although he no more than half understood what
had gone on, he reasoned that the boy had agreed to remain with them
until word was brought back from the settlement. How long that might be,
or in what form help might come, he could only guess. Keeping his own
counsel, and preserving as stern an expression as he could, Rob sat and
looked at the Aleut chieftain steadily.

The situation was suddenly changed by a shout from the direction of the
beach. Led by the chief, the natives all now hurried out of the
barabbara. The young boy remained. In a few moments he crawled out and
presently dragged in after him the wet bear-skins, making signs that
they would be spoiled if left in the rain. Having done this, he motioned
to the boys to put on the _kamelinkas_ which had been left in the hut by
the chief and then to follow him.

Guessing that there might be events of interest on the beach, they
adopted his suggestions and hastened out into the rain.

When they reached the top of the sea-wall the cause of the excitement
was apparent. The natives were hurrying as fast as they could go in a
body up the beach. Perhaps a half-mile from where they stood they could
s