Part 13 (1/2)

CHAPTER XIII

AT THE SUMMIT OF CHILKOOT Pass

At Sheep Caoodly collection of trees and brush, but now, as the little party started on the journey to the su confronted thelaciers of snohich crunched under their feet and gave forth a hollow sound At certain points they could plainly hear the rushi+ng of water far beneath

”Gracious, if a felloent through this crust of snoould happen to hied on, with his uncle just ahead of him and Earl behind

”Let us hope that no such fate overtakes any of the party,” replied Mr

Portney, gravely ”It is not likely that one can break through here,” he added, ”for the snow in the trail is pretty well packed down”

The blinding glare of the sun had caused all to put on their sreat orb of day was lost to sight behind the mountain tops, these protectors for the eyes were reht see their way clearer The Alaskan twilight was creeping on thes to turn to a pale blue color

The , and on every hand eird, ghostlike shadohich enhanced this scene of wild desolation

On and on went the whitetheir best to keep the sturdy Indian pack-carriers well in sight But the red people, with their hideously painted faces, knew every foot of the way, and ress, and it was all the others could do at tirow colder, and even the boys could feel the crust of snohich they were trudging becoli on every mountain top But now the trail becaht up the side of a hill several hundred feet high

”Plant your feet firmly at every step,” were Foster Portney's words of caution ”And reood”

This last warning was for Randy's benefit, for the lad had just looked back and shi+vered over the awful descent below hi roll, and a broken neck over a cliff below

Captain Zoss had gone on ahead with the Indians and just beforeto watch out for several splits, or crevasses, in the glaciers they were now traversing

”Salmon Head says he heard a report of several new ones just before starting, and these are as yet unmarked,” he said

”We'll be as careful as we can,” said Dr Barwaithe ”We can do no more”

They now passed over a broad plain of snohere themore thickly than ever They had almost reached the centre of the plain when a loud cry from the Indians ahead caused the of that?” questioned Earl ”Can they be in trouble?”

Presently, fro the mists appeared the form of one of the Indian carriers, without his bundle He soon explained in broken English that he had been sent back by Salmon Head to warn them of a split in the ice field just ahead One of the Indian woood fortune that some of the men had rescued her

This Indian remained with them until the crack was reached, where he resuular one, froht feet wide and of unfathomable depth Fortunately the sides ell defined and fir across

”It was good of them to send a man back,” said the doctor, as he paused to peer down into the crevasse ”Had we not been warned weit”

The trail noound in and out aain the party ahead was lost to sight With the increasing cold ca down upon their heads a veritable storm of snoept from the mountain tops above

”I can readily understand how ih this Pass during the winter,” said Dr Barwaithe ”A regular fall of snoouldin fro arrived”

”And think of the cold!” said Earl ”Phew! the thero as low as that at tih this Pass during the long Alaskan winter is entirely out of the question The man to undertake it would be a madman”