time, and we would not be safe even
there. No, it looks as though we ought to go out and hunt this fellow up
and see what he is doing and intends to do."

Without further words they turned back toward the house, followed by the
Aleut boy, who looked from one to the other as if wondering what their
words signified. This he discovered a few moments later, when Rob and
John both emerged, each with a loaded rifle under his arm.

"Come on," said Rob, and led the way, splashing through the shallow
water at the foot of the lagoon which separated them from the
mountain-side beyond.

They climbed in silence for some time, steadily ascending the steep face
of the snow-capped mountain which lay before them. Again they saw the
wonderful pictures afforded by this region, where both ocean and
mountains blend in the landscape. As now and then they paused for
breath, they turned to look at the wonderful view of the great bay, the
silver thread of the lagoon and creek, and the low, round dot made by
their hut upon the flat. Above them circled many of the great bald
eagles, which occasionally departed for their salmon-fishing in the
stream. Once or twice they heard the sharp bark of a fox concealed in
the alder thickets, and as they reached the upper slopes, where the snow
still lay, frequently they saw the mountain ptarmigan, at this altitude
still in its white winter plumage. These birds, when alarmed, would fly
but a short way and then poise in the air, uttering a sharp, crowing
cackle, soon to alight and stand motionless on the snow. All these
scenes of wild nature were noted by the boys, though perhaps not so much
as they might have been had they not been upon so serious an errand.

From time to time they caught the trail of the fugitive across the
snow-field, where it could be seen for half a mile at a stretch. Beyond
such a snow-field they came across the ashes of a fire which had been
built behind a clump of rocks out of sight from the beach below. There
were some half-burned bones, which showed that some one had cooked fish
here. Skookie, making the sign of sleep, or night, held up six fingers,
to show that it had been that many days since the fugitive had been
here.

They managed to puzzle out the trail for some distance up the mountains
from this point, but finally lost it on a bare rock ridge which thrust
up well toward the peak of the mountain between two snow-fields.
Skookie, stooping down and hunting like a dog among