ere is any treasure," raged the Professor.

"As to that, of course, I can't say, but I should think it quite
probable that they had something definite. There must be something in
what they have to go on. They are not fools, but intelligent men. What
is more, they must think they are on the right track or they wouldn't
fly off the handle as Darwood has done to-day. What will you do?" asked
Tad.

"Do? Do? What do you think I am going to do?"

"Knowing you as I do, I should say you would go on as we have planned,"
answered Butler laughingly.

"Exactly! If that man thinks he can frighten us out of our course he
will find that he has made a grave mistake."

"Why didn't you punch him when you had the chance?" demanded Chunky.
"You could have hit him an awful wallop when his chin was in the air
that time."

"Stacy! You are a savage!" rebuked the Professor.

"Maybe, maybe," reflected the fat boy. "But judging from some things
that have occurred in this camp this morning, I'm not the only savage in
the outfit."

The boys laughed uproariously.

"That's one for you, Professor," chuckled Ned.

"Anvik! We break camp at once," fairly snapped the Professor.

"Gold man him heap fool," grunted the Indian.

"No, not that, Anvik. He is gold-mad like all the rest of them,"
corrected Butler. "I hope I never shall get that way."

"It can't be such bad fun to be gold-mad," argued Stacy, who usually
wanted the other side of an argument. "I'd like to try it once, if I
could find enough gold to make it interesting."

Camp was hastily broken that morning, for there was much lost time to be
made up. Everyone was eager to get started, anxious to find out what
would be the outcome of the dispute with the gold diggers.

"We don't know in what direction they're going to move, while they do
know our route," said Tad. "So it will be an easy matter for Darwood to
watch us as long as he wants to keep us in sight."

At seven o'clock that morning Professor Zepplin gave the word to "mush."
This morning the Professor was extremely silent, but there was a grim
look to the corners of his mouth.

Exciting experiences lay before them all. The boys felt it in the very
air about them. The certainty made them feel buoyant and exhilarated.
Surely this wild old Alaska was a great bit of country!

"I don't care how soon somebody starts something," mused Ned. "We have
our heavy artillery well on ahead."

As he spoke he gazed smilingly at the tigh