"What's the matter, son?"
"Nothing, I'm only tired," said Ted, but Kalitan said:
"Porcupine quills poison hand. Well in a few days."
"So your live cactus is getting in his work, is he? I'm glad it wasn't the bear you mistook for an Alaskan posy and tried to pick. I'm tired myself," and Mr. Strong threw himself down to rest.
"Daddy, how did we come to have Alaska, anyway?"
"Well, that's a long story," said his father, "but an interesting one."
"Do tell us about it," urged Ted. "I know we bought it, but what did we pay the Indians for it? I shouldn't have thought they'd have sold such a fine country."
Kalitan looked up quickly, and there was a sudden gleam in his dark eyes that Ted had never seen before.
"Thlinkits never sell," he said. "Russians steal."
Mr. Strong put his hand kindly on the boy's head.