"Him dead," announced the half breed stolidly.
"Dead?" cried Dad and the boys in one voice.
"Him dead."
"What caused their death?"
The half breed shook his head. All he knew was that two mornings before he had come in for breakfast, and upon going out again found the dogs stretched out on the ground dead. That there was another mystery facing them the boys saw clearly. Nance examined the carcasses of the dead hounds. His face was dark with anger when he had finished.
"It's my opinion that those hounds were poisoned," he declared.
"Poisoned!" exclaimed the boys.
"Yes. There's some mysterious work being done around this camp. I'm going to find out who is at the bottom of it; then you'll hear something drop that will be louder than a boulder falling off the rim of the Grand Canyon."
"This is a most remarkable state of affairs." said the Professor.
"Surely you do not suspect the man Chow?"
"No, I don't suspect him. It's someone else. I had a talk with Chief
Tom. He told me some things that set me thinking."