The Coolidge examiner., 1938-11-24
CHAPTER XI-COntinued

quieted them.
The following day the valley
steadily widened. The hills to the
west of the Koksoak entirely fiat
tened out and in the afternoon they
reached their goal-the mouth of
the River of Skulls. The western
slope of its valley rose in a success
sion of spruce clad terraces to
merge with the white moss tundra
beyond. 1t was unmistakable. Eyes
moist with emotion, McCord gazed
up the valley of the branch. Here
was the picture that Aleck Drum
mond had indelibly etched in his
memory. The thousand-mile trav-
erse Of forests, lakes and roaring
rivers was behind him. He had kept
his tryst with the spirit of Aleck.
He had reached the River of Skulls.
There she isl" he cried, his
voice husky with feeling. Just as
Aleck described it thousand times.
The western shore terraced for
miles, and cast your eyes on that
rusted limestone over there!" He
pointed upstream with his paddle.
Plenty of iron there, boys!"
well, here goes for the River of
Skullsl" shouted Alan, carried away
by McCord's excitement as he
swung the bow of the Peterboro
from the main stream. Heather,
you'll soon be picking gold nuggets
right out of the sandl"
Heather smiled bravely back at
the sternman but her eyes were
haunted by fear. Although the men
had refused to talk, she had guessed
what had happened back at the
gorge, what had driven them down
river through the night. Again the
NaSkapi had struck at the white
men entering their country. All
through the summer and fall would
hang the menace Of sudden death
to the gold hunters. And later,
somewhere on the long trail back
over the river ice and snow, Nc
Queen and his halfbreeds would be
waiting. She smiled gallantly at
the bronzed sternman whose gray
eyes so reassurin gly met hers, but
in her heart there was a lurking
fear.
The actions of Noel in the bow
drew the attention of those behind
him.
What d'you see, Noel!" asked
Alan, as the bowman squinted at
the long gravel point piled with
boulders forming the tongue of the
fork.
''Somet'ing cen de edee ovair
dere," replied the Indian. I'VE have
a look"
The canoe approached the drift
ing object caught in an eddy, in
shore. which had held NoeFs sharp
eyes.
"A broken paddle! White mans,
tool" cried Alan.
"Ah-hah! Mcqueen lose dat pad
die" commented Noel. lifting the
broken blade from the water. by
gar. she ees split by a bullet!" he
went on excitedly. Look"
He passed the shattered paddle
back to McCord.
True as you're born!" grunted
the giant, showing the paddle to AL
an. They've been shot at by the
Nsskapi, above here! That was
made by the ball from a muzzle
loader"
Maple paddle, that's Nc
Queens" agreed Alan. He had
two. he brought with him to Fort
George. 1 saw them coming up
the river. That's his paddlel And
1t was dropped in the river below
the last lake, or it would have
grounded there. I'll bet the Mas
kapi ambushed Mcqueen at the
long rapids of the gorge. John"
The giant laughed loudly. That
would save us heap of trouble if
they had. 1 didn't figure he was
so close on our heels"
Neither did 1! Did you. Noel?
They're only average river men and
we"
"You two are the best white-wa-
ter men I've ever seen and I've
seen plenty" interrupted McCord.
81 don't see how they came so
fast" Then the big man shook the
broken blade savagely at the valley
through which the Peterboro had
come. Come and take it, Nc
Queen!" he roared. IF you're still
alive, come and get our dust after
we've slaved for it! But when you
do, have your guns in your hands!"
"Golly. dadI that was pretty dra-
matte, wasn't it?" said Heather
with a forced smile that belied the
uneasiness in her eyes.
'Uh-huh!" grunted the giant,
studying Drummond's sketch map.
''Mr. Mcqueen has asked for
drama. He's going to get it! That
right. boys?"
Alan and Noel nodded.
Late the following afternoon, as
the four men were polling around a
bend, Napayo suddenly held his pole
suspended in air, standing as though
carved from wood, his head thrust
forward. listening.
The slight breeze blowing down