er the
matter.

"Will you go?"

"Me go," said the guide quickly. "Good far ways, but Holfax go quick.
Tell friends come help white man, two boy-white mans an' black man like
smoke," the last description referring to Johnson, whose ebony skin was
a source of considerable wonder to the Indian.

"That's right," said Mr. Baxter. "Now you had better hurry, Holfax.
There's no telling when those thieving Alaskans will be close after us."

"But what are we going to do?" asked Fred. "Will we stay here and defend
ourselves?"

"No, my plan is to push on south as fast as possible. Every mile we get
nearer our destination the better off we are, for the miners will rally
to our aid when they see our plight."

"But how can we go on without Holfax to guide the dogs?"

"I have thought of that. I know something of dog teams, though I am not
an expert driver. I have often handled the animals, and I think, with
the aid of you boys and Johnson, and if I leave the four teams hitched
together, I can get along all right. Holfax and his friends can take a
short cut and catch up with us perhaps. How long before you can get
help, Holfax?"

"Two sleeps," replied the Indian, meaning two nights.

"Well, we'll try to stand the enemy off until then. Now hurry, and don't
waste any time."

Holfax was an experienced traveler. He fastened on his snowshoes, made
himself up a package of food, tea and a pot, put some matches in a safe
place, and was ready to start on his long trip to find his friends.

"Keep watch," was his parting injunction to the four treasure finders.
"No let Indians come too close. Me come back soon as can."

With that he was off, setting himself a rapid pace, half walk, half
trot, that enabled him to cover considerable ground in a day.

"Now to see what sort of progress we can make," remarked Mr. Baxter when
Holfax was out of sight down a hollow between two ice hummocks. "Boys,
help me with the dogs. Johnson, you sort of keep your eyes on the sleds
so that none of them upset. We'll see if we can outdistance our
pursuers."

The dogs made much trouble, leaping about here and there, and almost
refusing to get properly in line with the traces so they could pull.
Probably they knew that Holfax was not there to punish them. But by
dint of hard work Mr. Baxter succeeded in getting them started.

He rode in the foremost sled, with Fred next, then came Jerry, while
Johnson brought up the rear. The colored man had strict instr