ion.

"You'll have to undo the pack," he replied. "I'm too tired and hungry."

Wabi's manner changed at once to one of real sympathy.

"I'll bet you're tired, Rod, and half starved. We'll have dinner in a
hurry. Ho, Muky, put on the steak, will you?"

There followed a rattle of kettles and tin pans and the Indian youth
gave Rod a glad slap on the back as he hurried to the table. He was
evidently in high spirits, and burst into a snatch of song as he cut up
a loaf of bread.

"I'm tickled to see you back," he admitted, "for I was getting a little
bit nervous. We had splendid luck on our lines yesterday. Brought in
another 'cross' and three mink. Did you see anything?"

"Aren't you going to look in the pack?"

Wabi turned and gazed at his companion with a half-curious hesitating
smile.

"Anything in it?" he asked suspiciously.

"See here, boys," cried Rod, forgetting himself in his suppressed
enthusiasm. "I said there was a treasure in that chasm, and there was. I
found it. You are welcome to look into that pack if you wish!"

Wabi dropped the knife with which he was cutting the bread and went to
the pack. He touched it with the toe of his boot, lifted it in his
hands, and glanced at Rod again.

"It isn't a joke?" he asked.

"No."

Rod turned his back upon the scene and began to take off his coat as
coolly as though it were the commonest thing in the world for him to
bring silver foxes into camp. Only when Wabi gave a suppressed yell did
he turn about, and then he found the Indian standing erect and holding
out the silver to the astonished gaze of Mukoki.

"Is it a good one?" he asked.

"A beauty!" gasped Wabi.

Mukoki had taken the animal and was examining it with the critical eyes
of a connoisseur.

"Ver' fine!" he said. "At Post heem worth fi' hundred dollars--at
Montreal t'ree hundred more!"

Wabi strode across the cabin and thrust out his hand.

"Shake, Rod!"

As the two gripped hands he turned to Mukoki.

"Bear witness, Mukoki, that this young gentleman is no longer a
tenderfoot. He has shot a silver fox. He has done a whole winter's work
in one day. I take off my hat to you, Mr. Drew!"

Roderick's face reddened with a flush of pleasure.

"And that isn't all, Wabi," he said. His eyes were filled with a sudden
intense earnestness, and in the strangeness of the change Wabi forgot to
loosen the grip of his fingers about his companion's hand.

"You don't mean that you found--"

"No, I di