Rover boys got their
first sight of Alaskan Indians, members of the Chilkoot tribe.

Immediately on landing they made inquiries concerning Tom and the miner
named Ike Furner. They soon learned that Furner was a well-known
character, and from a trader heard that this man and his young
companion had set off but a few hours before.

"I think they went to Dawson City," said a man standing nearby.
"Anyway, Furner told me he was goin' there first, an' then up to Lion
Head."

This put a new view on the matter, and the boys and Jack Wumble
questioned the stranger. The upshot was that they decided to go
directly to Dawson, that mecca of all gold hunters in Alaska.

"Now, the thing of it is, How can we get to Dawson from here?" said Sam.

"That's easy," replied Jack Wumble. "Just leave it to me."

Inside of an hour their arrangements were made and they were off.
Previous to going they made more inquiries concerning Tom and his
strange companion, and reached the conclusion that the pair had really
headed for Dawson.

"But there is no telling how soon they will change their minds and go
somewhere else," said Dick, with a sigh.

It is not my purpose to tell the particulars of the tedious journey to
Dawson City, about three hundred and fifty miles north of Skagway. At
that time all of the improvements that now exist had not been made and
the crowd suffered from many inconveniences.

But the boys were surprised when they reached Dawson to find it so "up
to date," as Sam expressed it. They had expected to see a rough mining
town--and that is what Dawson was but a handful of years ago. Instead,
they saw a built-up city, with many stores and not a few hotels.

"Goin' to be a reg'lar 'Frisco some day," said Jack Wumble. "Beats all
how the towns grow up here!"

The party had arrived in Dawson late at night and put up at the best
hotel to be found. Immediately after breakfast the search for Tom was
renewed.

It had rained the day before and now it was blustery and cold, with a
suggestion of snow in the air. The boys were glad enough to don their
sweaters under their coats.

"Ye'll have to git some heavy clothin' if ye go North," said the old
miner.

"I hope Tom is dressed warm enough," said Sam. "It would be too bad if
he took sick, along with his other troubles."

For two days the boys and the old miner hunted around Dawson for some
trace of the missing one. They visited all sorts of places, but all to
no pur