108 
THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
way, to watch the strangers at their repast. Teddy was 
greatly amused to see the babies carried on their mothers' 
backsj and facing backward. The good-natured boy 
completely won the heart of a wofully homely squaw by 
giving a lump of sugar to her copper-colored pappoose. 
As soon as the unsavory meal was finished, the whites 
rose and began to stroll about the village. Nobody made 
any objection to this, but the boys noticed that there was 
always some one pair of piercing dark eyes watching 
them. Now it was old Loklok, who had a gaudy turban 
tied over his long, stringy locks ; now the medicine-man's 
ugly features scowled at them from behind a hut ; now it 
was a squaw, carelessly wandering near by, with appar- 
ently no other object than to give her baby an airing. 
Joe and Jim were found comfortably ensconced on the 
raft. They had prepared their own supper, and eaten it 
in their own way ; the Ayans, it appeared, had pressed 
their favorite tidbit, some half-decayed salmon, upon the 
swarthy visitors, but Greek had met Greek, and Manito- 
ban obstinacy had won against Alaskan. 
Mr. Dutton talked with his guides a moment in low 
tones, giving them directions for action if he should board 
the raft during the night ; but his conversation evidently 
excited so much suspicion and distrust on the part of the 
Ayans that he desisted and walked off, after receiving a 
meaning glance and nod from each of the guides. 
The village itself was picturesque enough, the red sides 
of the recently caught and split salmon showing prettily 
