124 THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
" Hang it ! " exclaimed the officer, ruefully. " I hope 
we sha'n't have any trouble with those fellows." 
" What does he mean by the ' Big Ay an ' ? " asked 
Florence, who had been listening attentively. 
" That's the native name for the Pelly River, the 
northern fork of the Yukon. Fort Selkirk, where 
our expedition is to form, is at the junction of the two 
streams." 
" But why are you concerned about the Indians, 
Dick ? " asked his sister-in-law. 
" Why, it's only about twenty years ago that a lot of 
'em in there rose and massacred a party of whites. 
Then, a few years later, they burned Fort Selkirk. 
They're awfully jealous of any one who comes into their 
territory for mining, — or anything else, for that matter. 
I was in hopes that we could slip down by their country 
without attracting much attention, they're so busy catch- 
ing salmon just now." 
" Well, why can't we ? " 
" Because it's got round somehow that we are a big 
prospecting party, on the lookout to establish a post for 
furs, and so cut in ahead of the natives and spoil their 
profits. Here, Peeschee, step outside and see if anybody 
has heard anything more of those skulking chaps from 
the north." 
Peeschee was absent just seven minutes. No one 
knew of his reen trance until he was at his master's shoul- 
der once more. 
