THE ATTACK
The Indian obeyed, having first fastened his leading team of dogs to a
large ice boulder by means of a long thong, so they would not run off.
As the other animals were attached to the team Holfax drove, they too,
halted.
"Goin' make fight?" asked the Indian.
"That is what I want to talk to you about. Do you think we can fight
them?" and he motioned back toward their pursuers.
"They plenty many," replied the Indian.
"I suppose so. What sort of weapons have they?"
"They got guns."
"What! Indians in this wild country having guns? Where did they get
them?"
"White mans give, for to be showed gold," replied Holfax, "Indian not
care much for gold--only for guns an' t'ings. If can find gold tell
white mans an' git guns. Guns better than gold--guns shoot wolves,
musk-ox, moose."
"That's so. Guns are worth more to the Indians than gold."
"Shoot mans too," added the Indian. "Zank an' his men got plenty much
guns--also plenty much men. Make big fight."
"That is what I supposed," said Mr. Baxter. "Our only hope is to run
away from them, and get help. We'll put the first into operation at
once. Do you think our dogs are faster than theirs are, Holfax?"
"Our dogs much fastest. I pick out good dogs. No dogs so fast like dogs
Holfax pick out."
"I believe you. These dogs are certainly excellent animals, and they are
as strong and healthy as the day we started."
"Other dogs--no much good," went on Holfax, speaking slowly to make his
imperfect English understood.
"Then we have a chance to escape them. But I am also going to try to get
help. Holfax, do you think you could get some friendly natives to aid
us? Can't you call on some friends of yours who will come and help us
fight these scoundrels, who want to steal the gold?"
"Holfax's friends much ways off."
"I suppose so, but you can travel fast on snowshoes, and tell them to
come back with you. We will pay them well."
"Pay gold?" asked the Indian.
"Some gold, yes. I'll give you and your friends a thousand dollars in
gold if they succeed in protecting us."
"Gold buy plenty guns," observed the Alaskan, seeming to consider the
matter.
"Will you go?"
"Me go," said the guide quickly. "Good far ways, but Holfax go quick.
Tell friends come help white man, two boy-white mans an' black man like
smoke," the last description referring to Johnson, whose ebony skin was
a source of considerable wonder to the Indian.
"That's right," said Mr. Baxter. "Now you had better hurry, Holfax.
There's no telling when those thieving Alaskans will be close after us."
"But what are we going to do?" asked Fred. "Will we stay here and defend
ourselves?"
"No, my plan is to push on south as fast as possible. Every mile we get
nearer our destination the better off we are, for the miners will rally
to our aid when they see our plight."
"But how can we go on without Holfax to guide the dogs?"
"I have thought of that. I know something of dog teams, though I am not
an expert driver. I have often handled the animals, and I think, with
the aid of you boys and Johnson, and if I leave the four teams hitched
together, I can get along all right. Holfax and his friends can take a
short cut and catch up with us perhaps. How long before you can get
help, Holfax?"
"Two sleeps," replied the Indian, meaning two nights.
"Well, we'll try to stand the enemy off until then. Now hurry, and don't
waste any time."
Holfax was an experienced traveler. He fastened on his snowshoes, made
himself up a package of food, tea and a pot, put some matches in a safe
place, and was ready to start on his long trip to find his friends.
"Keep watch," was his parting injunction to the four treasure finders.
"No let Indians come too close. Me come back soon as can."
With that he was off, setting himself a rapid pace, half walk, half
trot, that enabled him to cover considerable ground in a day.
"Now to see what sort of progress we can make," remarked Mr. Baxter when
Holfax was out of sight down a hollow between two ice hummocks. "Boys,
help me with the dogs. Johnson, you sort of keep your eyes on the sleds
so that none of them upset. We'll see if we can outdistance our
pursuers."
The dogs made much trouble, leaping about here and there, and almost
refusing to get properly in line with the traces so they could pull.
Probably they knew that Holfax was not there to punish them. But by
dint of hard work Mr. Baxter succeeded in getting them started.
He rode in the foremost sled, with Fred next, then came Jerry, while
Johnson brought up the rear. The colored man had strict instructions to
give the alarm the instant he saw the enemy in pursuit.
Once the dogs found out they had to do their usual work, they seemed to
give up their playful spirit, and settled into the collars for a long,
steady pull. They were traversing the same track they had used in going
to the cave, but of course all traces of it had been blotted out by
storms. Still the dogs seemed able to find their way with very little
guidance.
Though anxious watch was kept, there was no sign of the enemy seen that
day, and night settled down, finding the travelers in a more hopeful
mood.
"Perhaps they have given up," suggested Fred.
"I'm afraid not," returned Mr. Baxter. "More likely they are up to some
trick. We must be careful about standing guard to-night. Fire at the
least suspicious sight or sound, boys. I'm afraid it's going to be more
trouble to keep this gold than it was to find it."
They were traveling over the plain now, having emerged from the forest
some time previously, and, when Mr. Baxter gave the word to halt for
the night, the boys looked about for a good place to pitch the tent.
"That looks like a sheltered place over there," remarked Fred, pointing
to where a big hummock of ice offered some protection from the north
wind that was now sweeping over the plain with great force.
"We'll try it there," decided Mr. Baxter. "Fasten the dogs well, and
give them plenty of fish. We must keep up their strength, and see that
they are in good health, or we will fail, after all."
The animals were tethered, the tent put up, and supper was gotten ready.
Then a big fire was built, as some protection against the bitter cold.
In spite of the fact that they were getting closer to the Yukon River,
where it is always warmer than inland, they felt the frost cruelly.
Jerry had the last watch that night, his hour extending to nearly
sunrise, which, as winter was more and more advancing, was not of much
account in the arctic regions. As the boy noted with satisfaction a
reddening in the east, indicating that it would soon be time for
breakfast, when he would not be so cold, he heard a noise off to his
left. It was different from the crackle of the ice, and the dull boom
that told of falling masses of frozen crystal, and Jerry turned quickly
around.
As he did so he saw a sight that startled him. From behind great masses
of ice there suddenly sprang into view the ugly faces of a score or
more of Alaskans. They peered at the little camp of adventurers, and
some of them uttered a cry of satisfaction.
"The Indians! The Indians! They're all around us!" cried Jerry.
Mr. Baxter, Johnson and Fred hurriedly awoke, and it was instinct with
them to grab the guns lying at their sides.
"What's the matter?" cried Jerry's father, running to the flap of the
tent, near which his son stood.
"The Indians! They're here!"
There was no doubt of it. Seeing that there was no need of concealment,
the Alaskans boldly advanced. It was seen that nearly every one had a
gun.
But stranger than all was the figure that walked at the head of the
hostile Indian procession. It was the figure of a white man. A man with
a glass eye--the same man who had accosted Fred on the ship.
"Well, what do you want?" asked Mr. Baxter as he saw Callack advancing.
"What right have you to follow us?"
"There's no 'right' up in this land," was the sneering answer. "There's
no law, neither. We do as we please here."
"What are you going to do now?"
"We're going to take that gold you unlawfully removed from the cave. Ah,
you needn't deny you have it. I have proof of it. One of my men saw it."
"I suppose you mean that spy," replied Mr. Baxter. "We are not going to
deny it. But let me tell you we'll never give up anything we have
without a fight."
"A fight? Why, we outnumber you five to one!"
"I'm not afraid of that. We shall defend our property to the last."
"Bold words!" spoke Callack with a sneer, "but I'm going to have that
gold," and he advanced toward Mr. Baxter.
The Indians, watching their white leader, began to close in on the
treasure finders.
"Fred!" cried Mr. Baxter, "you look after the left side, Jerry, you the
right, and I'll take the center. Stand with your backs to the tent.
Johnson, get up on the ice hummock and fire at the first man who comes
within a hundred feet, be he a white or an Indian."
In less time than it takes to tell it the little force had assumed a
position of defense. From his elevated place the negro could command a
wide range.
"Are you going to fight us?" demanded Callack.
"Certainly," replied Mr. Baxter.
"It will be useless. I have traveled too far after that gold to give it
up now. You had better surrender. I'll guarantee to get you safe to the
river."
"Never! We are going to keep the gold."
At that moment, whether by accident or design, one of the Indians
discharged his gun at Johnson, who had not done as Mr. Baxter had
thought he would, and concealed himself behind some blocks of ice.
Instead he stood bolt upright.
There was a cry of pain from the colored man. An instant later he raised
his rifle quickly and fired into the midst of the advancing Alaskans.
One Indian fell.