ed in some speculation as to how much the skin
might bring at the Seattle market. One thing of value it seemed to
establish beyond doubt--Jimmy and Skookie, as they both worked at
fleshing the hide, had dropped their mutual suspicions and become
hunting companions.

XXIX

UNCERTAINTY

Midsummer came and passed, and still no sign from the outer world came
to relieve the growing anxiety of the boys so long marooned on these
unfrequented shores. They had kept very small account of the passing of
the days, and perhaps none of them could have told how many weeks had
elapsed since the beginning of their unwilling journey from Kadiak. They
no longer knew the days of the week; and, indeed, had any of their
relatives seen them now, with their shoes worn to bits, their clothing
ragged and soiled, and not a hat or cap remaining between them, they
might have taken their sun-browned faces and long hair to be marks of
natives rather than of white boys of good family.

It is not to be supposed, however, that they had given up all hope, or
that at any time they had allowed themselves to indulge in despondency.
Rob especially, although serious and quiet, all the time was thinking
over a plan. This, one day, he proposed to the others.

"I have resolved," said he, "that if you other boys agree, we will start
for home just one month from to-day."

They sat looking at him in silence for some time.

"How do you mean?" asked Jesse, his eyes lighting up, for he was the one
who seemed most to feel homesickness.

"I mean to start back to Kadiak, where we came from!"

"Yes, and how can we tell which way Kadiak is?" inquired John.

"I'll tell you how," said Rob. "We will travel, of course, in our dory,
which will carry our camp outfit and food enough to last for a great
many days, even if we should prove unable to take any codfish or salmon
along the coast."

"But which way would we go?" insisted John.

"The opposite of the way we came," smiled Rob. "A tide brought us into
this bay. The same tide on the turn would carry us out of the bay. To be
sure, the wind may have had much to do with our direction, but it is
only fair to suppose that if we came down the east coast of Kadiak on an
ebb we would go up that same coast on the flood. At least, if we could
do no better, we would be leaving a place where no word seems apt to get
to us."

"It would be a risky voyage," said Jesse. "I didn't like it out there on
the open sea!"