THE CHILKOOT PASS. 
131 
ices and caves between, where shelter could be found. 
There were banks of deep snow close by, and closing the 
gaps between mountains on every side were walls of blue 
ice. 
The lieutenant and Solomon set to work at once, and 
in a short time had one of these caves cleared out, car- 
peted with moss and spruce boughs, and provided with 
two front curtains, one of drilling and one of netting, as 
a protection against mosquitoes, which even at this alti- 
tude were inclined to be troublesome. 
This comfortable little retreat was bestowed upon Mrs. 
Button, her daughter, and maid, and, with a bright fire 
crackling just before the entrance, was really as cosey- 
looking a camp as one could wish. 
"Oh, look!" cried Flossie, just as the cave was fin- 
ished, " there's some kind of a creature crossing the snow, 
away off there ! " 
Solomon looked up from his work, and viewed the dis- 
tant animal with a professional eye. 
" A mountain goat," said he, picking up his rifle. " I 
guess I'll go 'n' stir him up a leetle — no, I don't want 
anybody but the Fox, thar," he added, as a dozen or more 
Chilkats came forward to join him. 
The goat's hair was white, and he could hardly be dis- 
tinguished against the snow. Sending Peeschee round in 
the rear of the animal, the hunter crept cautiously toward 
a certain bold bluff of bare rocks, half-way between him 
and the game. 
