re than the best way to travel
through the mountains and across the lakes."

The Irishman took his pipe from between his lips to offer protest
against this slur, but changed his mind, and resumed smoking, though
his eyes twinkled.

"A man that takes a lot of gold out of the ground and then lets a thief
steal it isn't fit to go alone."

"Which is why I've provided mesilf with a chap that knows it all," said
Tim, not the least offended, though Hardman scowled, for the remark was
a pointed reflection upon him; but he held his peace.

"What about the Injins here?" pursued Jeff, addressing the boys;
"they're different from ours in Californy."

Frank had no wish to air his knowledge, but he replied:

"I have read that the natives belong to the red and yellow races--that
is, the Indian and Mongolian. There are two stocks of Indians--the
Thlinkets and the Tenneh. There are only a few Thlinkets, and they live
along the coast. That old Indian who ferried us over Lake Lindeman is a
Tenneh, as are the natives of the interior. You may not think they are
much like our Indians, but they belong to the Chippewayan family, the
same as the Apaches, who have caused so much trouble in Mexico and
Arizona."

"That has been my 'pinion," said Tim, who now heard the fact for the
first time; "and the raison why the Alaska redskins ain't as bad as the
Apaches is 'cause the weather is so cold it freezes up all the diviltry
in them."

"Roswell," continued Jeff, who was proud to show off the learning of
his young friends, "why do they call the Eskimos that name?"

"The name, which means those who eat raw flesh, was given to them by
the Indians. They call themselves Aleuts, or Innuits. The Innuits are
the same as the Eskimos of Greenland and the Arctic regions, while the
Aleuts belong to Alaska, the long, narrow peninsula which extends
southwesterly from the mainland and the Aleutian Islands, that look
like a continuation of the peninsula. As for the climate, temperature,
and size of Alaska, you and Tim know as much as we do," said Roswell,
who disliked as much as his cousin to seem to display his knowledge.

"Why not be modest," gravely asked Tim, "and say that ye knows almost
as much as Mr. McCabe, leaving Mr. Graham out of the quistion, be the
token that he knows nothing at all, and I'm afeard will niver larn?"

"As you please," replied Roswell; "you and Jeff may settle that between
you."

"And ther's nothing to sittle, as me mither