“I don’t see how he hopes to get transportation for thirty men from Flaxman Island. That spot, why that’s off the map—all but off the earth. Nobody there. No one near. We can help him some with our dogs if we happen to be there when he arrives but our teams are but a sample of what he needs.”
“Ought to have left dogs and a native or two with his supplies at Flaxman,” said Jennings.
“Yes, but he didn’t.”
“No. That’s the real point.”
“Say!” exclaimed Joe suddenly, “there must be a reindeer herd somewhere near here, otherwise that fellow with the sled deer wouldn’t be wandering around so close.”
“Probably. But you can’t be sure of it. Those little brown folks think a lot of their reindeer. I have known them to trail a deer that had run away in company with wild caribou, for more than five hundred miles. Anyway, it’s worth looking into. If there is a good-sized herd close to us, the Eskimo who owns it will have enough sled deers to bring Munson’s whole party out to civilization. I think we ought to look into that at once.”
“I’d agree with you but for one consideration,” said Joe thoughtfully.
“What’s that?” said Jennings sharply.
“The outlaw.”
“What’s he got to do with it?”