s, who loved him in
turn, and became his wife. Woonga, chief of a warlike tribe, had been
his rival, and when the white man won in the battle for love his
fierce heart blazed with the fire of hatred and revenge. From that day
the relentless strife against the people of Wabinosh House began. The
followers of Woonga turned from trappers and hunters to murderers and
outlaws, and became known all over that wilderness country as the
Woongas. For years the feud had continued. Like a hawk Woonga watched
his opportunities, killing here, robbing there, and always waiting a
chance to rob the factor of his wife or children. Only a few weeks
before Rod had saved Minnetaki in that terrible struggle in the
forest. And now, more hopelessly than before, she had fallen into the
clutches of her enemies, and alone with Woonga was being carried into
the far North country, into those vast unexplored regions from which
she would probably never return!

Rod turned to Wabi, his hands clenched, his eyes blazing.

"I can find the trail, Wabi! I can find the trail--and we'll follow
it to the North Pole if we have to! We beat the Woongas in the
chasm--we'll beat them now! We'll find Minnetaki if it takes us until
doomsday!"

From far back in the forest there came the faint pistol-like cracks of
a whip, the distant hallooing of a voice.

For a few moments the three stood listening.

The voice came again.

"It's Mukoki," said Wabigoon, "Mukoki and the other dogs!"

CHAPTER III

ON THE TRAIL OF THE WOONGAS

The cries came nearer, interspersed with the cracking of Mukoki's whip
as he urged on the few lagging dogs that Wabi had left with him upon
the trail. In another moment the old warrior and his team burst into
view and both of the young hunters hurried to meet him. A glance
showed Rod that a little longer and Mukoki would have dropped in his
tracks, as Wabi had done. The two led their faithful comrade to the
heap of bearskins on the mail sled and made him sit there while fresh
soup was being made.

"You catch heem," grinned Mukoki joyously. "You catch heem--queek!"

"And pretty nearly killed himself doing it, Muky," added Rod. "Now--"
he glanced from one to the other of his companions, "what is the first
thing to be done?" "We must strike for the Woonga trail without a
moment of unnecessary delay," declared Wabi. "Minutes are priceless,
an hour lost or gained may mean everything!"

"But the dogs--"

"You can take mine," in