They used gasoline for cooking, as they had brought along sufficient for use in the aeroplane and the Indians fed by themselves on salmon and other fish. Away in the distance, more than a hundred miles, could be seen the giant peaks of the Alaskan range—the backbone of Alaska—Foraker, Russell, Spurr and McKinley, snow clad and dazzling.
“I’d like a chance to climb one of those big mountains,” said Jack. “You know we didn’t get an opportunity in the Canadian Rockies, although they seemed to be very near.”
“I guess,” said Rand, “that we’ve got all we can do to climb the mountain we’re looking for. We’ll be lucky if we do that.”
“How did the Indians or whoever hid this ivory, if there’s any there, get it up to the cave, if it is a cave?” asked Don the Doubter.
“That’s what we’ve got to find out; also how we’re going to get up there ourselves,” said Dick.
“I think we have a way to do that,” said Gerald, “but we’ve got to know the size and shape of this hill or peak or whatever it is, before we decide how to climb it.”
“Well,” said Pepper, with a yawn, “I move we go to bed now and get up early and get on the road and try and reach the place before night,” and he rose rather stiffly, for he was not known at home as a great admirer of horsemanship, and the day’s journey had told on him.
“I’ll keep watch for awhile yet,” said the guide, “and then I’ll put one of the Injuns on. Don’t get scared if ye hear a shot early in the mornin’, for I’m goin’ out to see if I can get a caribou. I hear they’re pretty thick up here in the foothills, and it’ll tickle these Injuns to death. The poor fellers have been workin’ the canneries all summer and ain’t had a mouthful of fresh meat all that time. A little feast’ll put more heart into ’em for the work.”
The boys camped under a cluster of small trees with ponchos and blankets over them, and as the black flies had disappeared and mosquitos were few, enjoyed a good night’s rest.