sh out at the gulch, heard he was for sale, and came in
"a purpose to git him."

"The dog season's over," said the Boy, pulling Nig's ears and smiling.

"Oh, _is_ it? Well, the season for eatin' meals ain't over. How'm I to
git grub out to my claim without a dog?"

"We are offerin' you a couple o' capital draught dogs."

"I bought that there Siwash, and I'd a paid fur him if he hadn't a
knocked me down." He advanced threateningly. "An' if you ain't huntin'
trouble--"

The big Colonel stepped in and tried to soothe the stranger, as well as
to convince him that this was not the party to try bullying on.

"I'll give you forty dollars for the dog," said the muddy man sulkily
to the Boy.

"No."

"Give you fifty, and that's my last word."

"I ain't sellin' dogs."

He cursed, and offered five dollars more.

"Can't you see I _mean_ it? I'm goin' to keep that dog--awhile."

"S'pose you think you'll make a good thing o' hirin' him out?"

He hadn't thought of it, but he said: "Why not? Best dog in the Yukon."

"Well, how much?"

"How much'll you give?"

"Dollar a day."

"Done."

So Nig was hired out, Spot was sold for twenty dollars, and Red later
for fifteen.

"Well," said the Colonel when they went in, "I didn't know you were so
smart. But you can't live _here_ on Nig's seven dollars a week."

The Boy shook his head. Their miserable canned and salted fare cost
about four dollars a day per man.

"I'm goin' to take Nig's tip," he said--"goin' to work."

Easier said than done. In their high rubber boots they splashed about
Rampart in the mild, thawing weather, "tryin' to scare up a job," as
one of them stopped to explain to every likely person: "Yes, sah,
lookin' for any sort of honourable employment till the ice goes out."

"Nothin' doin'."

"Everything's at a standstill."

"Just keepin' body and soul together myself till the boats come in."

They splashed out to the gulch on the same errand.

Yes, wages were fifteen dollars a day when they were busy. Just now
they were waiting for the thorough thaw.

"Should think it was pretty thorough without any waitin'."

Salaman shook his head. "Only in the town and tundra. The frost holds
on to the deep gulch gravel like grim death. And the diggin's were
already full of men ready to work for their keep-at least, they say
so," Salaman added.

Not only in the great cities is human flesh and blood held cheaper than
that of the brutes. Even in the off sea