t the case. No matter how much instinct
he may have for the life of the wilderness, with him adjustment to that
life is a matter of study and effort, whereas with the native all these
things are a matter of course. It may be supposed, therefore, that this
young Aleut made the best of instructors for the young companions who
found themselves castaway in this remote region.

Thus, none of the three white boys had noted more than carelessly the
paths of wild animals which came down from the surrounding hills to the
shores of the lagoon near which they were camped, although these paths
could be seen with ease by any one whose attention was attracted to
them. One day they were wandering along the upper end of the lagoon
where the grass, matted with several seasons' growth and standing as
tall as their shoulders, stood especially dense. They noticed that
Skookie stooped now and then and parted the tangled grass with his
hands. At last, like a young hound, he left their course and began to
circle around, crossing farther on what they now discovered to be an
easily distinguishable trail made by some sort of small animal.

"What is it? What's up, Skookie?" asked John, whose curiosity always was
in evidence.

The Aleut boy did not at first reply, because he did not know how to do
so. He made a sort of sign, by putting his two bent fingers, pricked up,
along the side of his head like ears.

"Wolf!" said John.

"No," commented Rob. "I don't think there are any wolves on this island;
at least, I never heard of any so far to the West. What is it, Skookie?"

The boy made the same sign, and then spread his hands apart as if to
measure the length of some animal.

"Fox!" cried Jesse, with conviction; and Skookie, who understood English
better than he spoke it, laughed in assent.

"Fokus," he said, repeating the word as nearly as he could. Now he
traced out the path in the grass for them, and, beckoning them to
follow, showed where it crossed the tundra and ran along the stream,
headed back to the higher hills which seemed to be the resort of the
wild animals, from which they came down to feed along the beach.

"It's as plain as the nose on a fellow's face," said John. "And some of
these paths look as if they were a good many years old."

Indeed, they could trace them out, many of them, worn deep into the moss
by the dainty feet of foxes which had travelled the same lines for many
years. It was a curious thing, but all these wi