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Updated: May 6, 2025
"Unless somebody comes along and steals it," added Rod. Wabi was busy unloading certain necessary articles from the canoe, but he ceased his work to look at Rod. "Steal!" he cried in astonishment. Mukoki, too, had heard Rod's remark and was listening. "Rod," continued Wabigoon quietly, "that is one thing we don't have up here.
If he had come to me, asking help for himself and mercy from his God, I could not have betrayed him." He was putting on his coat again. "I am going after Mukoki," he said. "There is work to be done, and we may as well get through with it by moonlight. I don't suppose you feel like sleep?" David shook his head.
The Ombabika had now become narrow and violent. Against its swift current the canoe made but little headway, and at noon Mukoki announced that the river journey was at an end. For a few moments Rod did not recognize where they had landed. Then he gave a sudden cry of glad surprise. "Why, this is where we had supper that night after our terrible adventure on the river last winter," he exclaimed.
The lake was alive with ducks. Huge flocks of big black ducks, mallards, blue bills and whistlers rose about them, and now and then, when an unusually large flock was seen floating upon the water ahead of them, one of the three would take a pot-shot with his rifle. Rod and Mukoki had each killed two, and Wabi three, when the old warrior stopped the fun.
Wabi climbed the rope that was suspended from the upper chasm, and that part of their equipment which it was necessary to take back with them was hoisted up by him. Mukoki sheltered the rest in the old cabin. John Ball was drawn up last.
John Ball returned to life to find their gold for them, to tell them of the tragedy and mystery of those days long dead and gone! Like powder touched by a spark of fire his imagination leaped at Wabi's thrilling suggestion. Mukoki set to work. "Hide!" he exclaimed. "Hide thees thees thees!" He pointed about him at all the things in camp. Both of the boys understood.
We beat the Woongas in the chasm we'll beat them now! We'll find Minnetaki if it takes us until doomsday!" From far back in the forest there came the faint pistol-like cracks of a whip, the distant hallooing of a voice. For a few moments the three stood listening. The voice came again. "It's Mukoki," said Wabigoon, "Mukoki and the other dogs!"
"In twent' t'ous'nd moon mak' heem how much?" he questioned. In all his life Wabigoon had never heard Mukoki joke before, and with a wild whoop of joy he rolled the stoical old pathfinder off the rock on which he was sitting, and Rod joined heartily in Wabi's merriment. And Mukoki's question proved not to be so much of a joke after all, as the boys were soon to learn.
Half a mile farther on the two had paused again, and this time he knew that Mukoki had stopped to rest. From now on they had rested every quarter of a mile or so, and soon Roderick saw them toiling slowly through the snow ahead of him. He ran up, panting, anxious. "How " he began. Wabi looked at him grimly. "How much farther, Rod?" he asked. "Not more than half a mile."
"But down in the States," said Rod, "the Indians steal." The words slipped from him. The next instant he would have given anything to have been able to recall them. Mukoki had grown a little more tense in his attitude. "That's because white men have lived so much among them, white men who are called civilized," answered the young scion of Wabinosh House, his eyes growing bright.
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