[THE FUR-SEAL’S TOOTH CREATES A SENSATION]
“It can’t be our fur-seal’s tooth,” objected Serge, in a tone of mingled incredulity and awe. “There must be several of them.”
“I should think so myself,” replied Phil, who had taken the object in question from Jalap Coombs for a closer examination, “if it were not for a private mark that I scratched on it when it was in our possession at St. Michaels. See, here it is, and so the identity of the tooth is established beyond a doubt. But how it ever got here I cannot conceive. There is actually something supernatural about the whole thing. Where did you say you found it, Mr. Coombs?”
“In Cap’n Kid’s boot,” replied the mate, who had just restored that article to the child’s foot. “But blow me for a porpus ef I kin understand how ever it got there. Last time I seen it ’twas back to Forty Mile.”
“Yes,” said Serge, “Judge Riley had it.”
“I remember seeing him put it into a vest-pocket,” added Phil, “and meant to ask him for it, but forgot to do so. Now to have it appear from the boot of that child, who has never been to Forty Mile, or certainly not since we left there, is simply miraculous. It beats any trick of spiritualism or conjuring I ever heard of. The mystery of the tooth’s appearing at St. Michaels after my father lost it, only a short time before at Oonalaska, was strange enough; but that was nothing to this.”
“There must be magic in it,” said Serge, who from early associations was inclined to be superstitious. “I don’t care, though, if there is,” he added, stoutly. “I believe the tooth has come to us at this time of our despondency as an omen of good-fortune, and now I feel certain that we shall pull through all right. You remember, Phil, the saying that goes with it: ‘He who receives it as a gift receives good-luck.’”
“Who has received it as a gift this time?” inquired the Yankee lad.
“We all have, though it seems to have been especially sent to Nel-te, and you know he is the one we were most anxious about.”