They had stopped at the telegraph office long enough to permit the boys to send a wire to their father telling of their safe arrival and that they had secured a good guide.
"What a man that storekeeper is," Bob remarked as they walked along.
"I told you he was a character," the captain smiled.
"And that Indian," Jack added. "He may be a Crow, but here's betting that he's a man and a mighty good one."
"If Pete recommends a man you can bank on it that he's all right," the captain assured them. "As I said awhile ago I remember hearing Frank speak of him as one of the most trustworthy Indians he had ever met."
"Then I reckon we'll be safe with him," Bob declared.
"As safe as you could be with anyone," the captain said soberly.
CHAPTER V.
OFF FOR THE NORTH.
Monday morning dawned bright and clear with the temperature fifteen below zero. Late Saturday night and nearly all day Sunday it had snowed and nearly eighteen inches were added to the little which had covered the ground when they had landed. The intervening days had been busy ones. What with getting everything in readiness for the start and spending as much time as was possible with Captain Blake, who seemed loath to let them out of his sight, their time had been fully occupied. They had seen much of Pete Slinger and had come to love the little Irishman. And not only that, but their respect for him grew by leaps and bounds as they had frequent exhibitions of his wonderful ability along many lines.