The Coolidge examiner., 1938-08-25
CHAPTER UI-Continued

Who were you expecting" de-
manded Alan, suddenly determined
70 make an end to this mystery,
when 1 pounded on your door? You
met me with a cooked gunl Whom
were you expecting-somebody they
we're bringing back from East
Main7"
Slowly the somber face of Nc
Cord relaxed in a smile of amused
interest at the dark insinuation He
placed both hands on Alan's wide
shoulders. Steady nowl You'll un-
derstand it all-later. You bring
back those dogs this summer and
you'll never regret it, lad. I give
you my word you'll never regret
throwing in with John McCord."
I'm get the dogs. 1 need them
for myself. anyway" cried the ex-
cited boy. finally burning the
bridges of his doubt. The lure of
this mystery, the magnetism of the
blond bearded giant, had won.
And so, on the white shell of the
river. as the crusted barren to the
east flushed in the afterglow of the
smothered sun and the fingers Of
the frost clamped hard on the DESC
late valley, the pact was made. The
calloused hands of the blond giant,
with the gashed forehead, and the
youth in whose veins ran the blood
of wanderers of the wide north met
In a grip which sealed friendship
that was to take them far on a
strange quest
One gray April day. two weeks
later, Alan and Noel reached the
mouth of the open river and saw in
the distance, on the island, the
struggling buildings of the Revillon
Freres and the Northern Trading
Company and, below them. the old
Hudson's Bay post Of Fort George.
See the old place, Roughly"
cried Alan to the dog who labored
in the wet snow. sinking above his
knees at each step. "Duncan'll be
glad to see us over at the old COM
pany, and Berthe and Big Pierre,
too!"
Tired and stiff from the long race
against the spring breakup. the
boys followed the high north
shore of the river, running with
broken tidal ice, the sticky snow
weighing down their shoes like lead
AS they approached the shore the
dogs of the Company mail-team
waited for them at the boat landing
Noses in air the huskies challenged
the approach Of the strange dog.
His deep throat swelling with an
swering yelps, Rough stood in the
bow of the batteau, ears fat hair
stiff on neck and back
They were close in to the log
boat landing. when Alan called to
Noel. Hop out and drive those
dogs back while get hold of Rough.
He half killed two of them last sum-
mer when the whole team jumped
on him."
Swinging a paddle. Noel drove
the mail-team from the staging
while Alan tied the excited Rough
to an upright and unloaded their
sled and outfit from the boat. Then,
hitehing Rough to the sled, they
went over to the big, frame trade
house of the Hudson's Bay Com
pany.
Well, upon my soul if it amt
Alan Cameron and Noel! What's
bringing you two lads to the coast
In April?" exclaimed the specta-
cled Scotchman behind the slab
counter of the trade-room.
Hello. Duncanl You haven't
grown a day older since l saw you
in the summer" laughed Alan, as
the surprised clerk gripped their
hands, searching the wind-burned
faces for signs of starvation that
drove men in to the fur-posts in
early spring.
And you're not starved out,
boys?"
LIZ we 1OOh II. we VIC (OR4AC II OAii
the headwaters in fifteen days.
That's why we look like caribou in
fly time"
But what drove you of your
trap-lines them"
DE carcaiou." explained Noel.
He get to our cache"
''Oh-ho Wolverine, eh? And you
came down on the crust before your
grub gave out? Did you breeng
much fur, lads?" added the always
business-like Scotchman.
Better hunt than last year. I've
got some black marten and fox
that'u make your mouth water,
Duncan. What's the news from out
side?" asked Alan, casually, anx-
lous to learn what the Indians Of
4ohn McCord had told at East Main