hilkoot Pass.

The Indian who had rescued the doctor's pack stuck to the medical man
for the job of transferring his goods over to Lake Linderman, stating he
and his companions would do the work for fifteen cents a pound.

"What do you think of that rate?" asked Dr. Barwaithe of Foster Portney,
while Randy and Earl looked on with interest.

"I don't know but that it's fair enough," was the reply.

"But wouldn't it be better to take horses from here and use Indians only
over the pass? You know we have about thirteen miles to travel before
the pass is reached."

"We had better take the Indians from here," put in Captain Zoss. "Thar's
no tellin' if we can git 'em further on, eh?"

"Yes, and we might as well get used to walking it from here, too," added
Mr. Portney. "It will do Randy and Earl some good, not but that I
imagine they can tramp as well as any of us."

"We've tramped for many a mile through the Maine woods, when we were out
hunting," said Randy. "By the way," he went on, "I haven't seen any game
yet, outside of a few birds."

The big Indian, who rejoiced in the name of Salmon Head, was waiting for
an answer, his squaw and two boys standing close by. The squaw was a
tall, thin woman of forty, whose face was painted a greasy black down to
the tip of her nose, the balance of her countenance being left its
natural color, yellowish red. The boys were sturdy lads of perhaps ten
and twelve, as used to carrying heavy burdens as their parents.

The bargain was struck with Salmon Head to have the goods of the entire
party packed over from that spot to the shore of Lake Linderman for
fifteen cents a pound, the work to be accomplished within the next four
days, weather permitting. The boys had expected to carry some of the
goods, but at this Foster Portney shook his head.

"You couldn't carry over forty or fifty pounds and maybe not that over
the Pass," he said, "and I would rather pay the price and have you
reserve your strength. You can each carry a knapsack filled with food,
in case you wander from the trail, although don't let this happen if you
can possibly avoid it. The best rule, in going over any pass, is to keep
at least two other members of the party in sight constantly."

In spite of the close proximity of the snow-capped mountains, the night
was a comparatively warm one, and no inconvenience was experienced by
the party in their tents. They had two, one belonging to Mr. Portney and
the boys, the othe