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Updated: June 6, 2025
At times, in spite of himself, his head would drop forward and he would awake with a start. Rob awoke with a sudden jerk. A slight sound had disturbed him. He gazed steadily at the figure of the Aleut in the faint light of the embers. The latter was lying quite motionless, but something caused Rob to feel suspicious.
"Yes, says they had killed an old she bear and two cubs, and had the hides hung up says the Aleut man had run away when they left says they all killed a whale before they left, and left the boys as well fixed as they are here in this village. He can't understand why you should be anxious about them, when his own boy is over there, too. Says he can take you over there all right if you want to go."
"Suppose we cross the creek and take a little climb up the mountain-side," suggested Rob. "We can get a good look out from there." "All right," said John. "Of course we'll have to take our tillicum along. Mush on, Jimmy!" The Aleut, although apparently a native of the country where the language of the dog-train was little known, nevertheless seemed to understand the Alaskan command to "March!"
"We can't afford to use rifle ammunition to shoot birds, but if we can get this boy to go along on a goose-hunt we may have a new sort of fun, and maybe get some game." The young Aleut showed no disposition to return to his own people, and when at length, after they had all eaten heartily, the three friends turned toward the door of the barabbara, he followed them as though he had been invited.
Quick as were their movements, they were none too soon, for as they rushed across the narrow part of the creek bend they saw the Aleut almost upon them. He made no attempt to get at his gun, which was buried under the hides in the front hatch, but was paddling with all his might.
Hazlett and this old chief, and don't you come back without those boys! They're only out hunting somewhere, or else they'd have a fire going." As the bow of the boat grated on the shingle Mr. Hazlett sprang ashore, and, under guidance of the Aleut, hastened over the sea-wall and across the flat to the barabbara. All was deserted and silent!
Much has been written concerning the red man's physical powers of endurance, but as a rule no Indian is the equal of his white brother, due as much perhaps to lack of mental force as to generations of insufficient clothing and inanition, so it was not surprising that as the long afternoon dragged to a close the Aleut guide began to weaken.
As he hesitated the chief turned away from the door, and the Aleuts now began to jabber among themselves. They pointed to the meat, and made signs that they were hungry. "Da, karosha!" assented Rob, who was beginning to learn Aleut from his friend John. He motioned them to help themselves.
By December Korovin had scattered twenty-three hunters southwest, keeping a guard of only sixteen for the huts and boat. Among the sixteen was little Alexis, the hostage Indian boy. The warning of danger was from the mother of the little Aleut, who reported that sixty hostiles were advancing on the ship under pretence of trading sea-otter. Between the barracks and the sea front flowed a stream.
Startled, they looked around, and saw something staring at them from the cover. John reached for his rifle. "Don't shoot!" called Rob. "It's a boy! I see his face plainly now." They advanced toward the intruder, who stood up, grinning and showing a set of very white teeth. He was an Aleut boy about twelve years of age, short and squat, with stringy, dark hair.
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