CHAPTER II 



EQUIPPED FOR A SUMMER ARCTIC CRUISE 



AS we entered St. Michael harbor on the river 

 steamer ''Sarah," the three-masted schooner 

 "Abler" was one of the conspicuous boats at 

 anchor there. She had come from Nome to meet us. A 

 skiff was made fast astern of her; otherwise there was no 

 sign of life. 



"Where are your friends?" asked the fellow passengers 

 of the "Sarah." 



"Probably on the dock," we replied. But there was 

 no Lovering or Kleinschmidt among those gathered to 

 greet us. 



We walked up the main street and down again to the 

 harbor. Still no one emerged from the "Abler." Elting 

 shouted; but in vain. From a warehouse he then got a 

 megaphone, and hailed the schooner. A voice answered. 

 Elting mentioned his name. "Well, what do you want?" 

 came the reply. 



"ColUns, Scull and Elting are here, and we want you 

 ashore," he answered. 



"All right!" And presently the launch towing a dory 

 put off, and brought Lovering, Kleinschmidt and two or 

 three of the crew to the dock. Barely tasting our pleasure 

 at this long anticipated meeting, we hurried to inquire 

 the plans made, as we had only an hour. It had been our 

 idea to go to Nome in the "Victoria," which lay ready to 

 take on the "Sarah's" passengers, and then have the 



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