ant anything to do with you. If you change your mind and can act
like a man, instead of a kid, I shall be glad to see you. But don't get
funny. We may be boys but we are quite able to take care of ourselves,"
answered Tad, turning away.

"Stop!"

Darwood's voice was stern. Tad halted and turned towards the two men.

"You reckon you're mighty smart, I know, but you must think I'm a
natural-born fool not to know that you have been following us all the
way up here."

"What?"

"Oh, you needn't play the innocent dodge. You know what I mean."

"You--you think we have been following you?" questioned the boy,
scarcely able to believe that the prospector was in earnest.

"I don't think. I know. You're like all the rest of them. We have had
this thing happen to us before. There are plenty more like you, and
they've followed us, hoping they will be the first to discover the bear
totem and the claim that we are in search of."

"Taku Pass?" asked Butler with a half smile on his face.

Darwood's face flushed angrily.

"What did I tell you, Bruce?" he snapped. "Are you going?" he demanded,
turning towards Tad.

"Yes. I don't care to stay where I'm not wanted. But before going I am
going to tell you something. We are not prospecting, nor following
prospectors. We are taking our usual summer vacation on horseback. All I
know about your affairs is what Captain Petersen of the 'Corsair' told
me, and what I overheard from Sandy Ketcham. If you will recall I told
you about that. The Captain gave me your history as far as he knew it,
and I was much interested. How could I help being? I love adventure and
so do my companions. We wanted to know more about it, but did not think
it was any of our business until I overheard Ketcham plotting against
you. We hadn't the least idea we ever should see you again. My finding
you this morning was a pure accident."

"How'd you happen to do it?" interjected Dill Bruce.

"I saw your smoke signs last night."

"What!"

Darwood snapped the word out like the crack of a whip.

"I saw your smoke signs. At least I suppose they were yours. This
morning I started out, as I frequently do, in search of game. I smelled
your smoke and out of curiosity hunted you up to see who our neighbors
were. That's all there is to it. If you can get anything out of that you
are welcome to it. I wish you luck in finding Taku Pass. If I should
stumble on it, I'll look you up and let you know. We aren't looking for