156 
THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
Strips of salmon were soon sizzling most appetizingly 
over the fire, the mosquito-bar was thrown over the rocks 
in such a way that any one not actually employed could 
shelter himself from his noisy little foes. Overhead, the 
dark spruces stretched their protecting arms. 
While the other boys were deep in consultation whether 
to turn the salmon, and the older members of the party 
were getting water, imstrapping the packs, and recon- 
noitring the surroundings, Master Nathaniel took it into 
his head to explore the snug niche, among the boulders, 
which they had selected for a bed-room. He scrambled 
up, therefore, over the slippery spruce needles and jagged 
rocks until he reached what seemed to be the end of the 
cave or shelter, formed by the overlapping stone. But 
no ! a cluster of broad-leaved ferns had concealed a fur- 
ther opening. The boy pressed forward eagerly, and 
squeezed himself through the narrow passage, which pres- 
ently grew wider, until it expanded into a sort of inner 
cave. The further end of this subterranean chamber was 
a trifle lighter, as if there were another entrance in that 
direction ; but where Nat was it seemed dark as night. 
The little fellow had hardly gained his feet, after the 
scramble on hands and knees, when a queer sound caught 
his ear. It was a low, wheezing, snarling noise, with 
now and then a sort of hoarse squeal, like that of a pig 
with a very bad cold. 
Nat's curiosity was aroused. As his eyes became accus- 
tomed to the dim light of the cave, he perceived a wrig- 
