262 
THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
The fox-skins were stretched and salted, and, as soon as 
they were dry enough, were manufactured into garments. 
As there were over twenty of these skins, everybody soon 
had at least some bit of blue fox about his person — and 
a picturesque-looking sight they were. Flossie fairly 
screamed with delight when they first met at table, wear- 
ing their new clothing of blue, silky fur. 
It must be confessed that the days dragged somewhat 
wearily along through November and December. The 
sun did not rise until about half past nine o'clock ; then 
it hung, sulky and red, above the horizon for four or five 
hours only, and by three o'clock in the afternoon it was 
dark enough in the ill lighted huts to use lamps again. 
They played games, told stories, and even started a 
newspaper on birch bark. 
The snow kept off marvellously, lying on the ground 
to the depth of only about ten inches. The boys hunted 
through the woods near by, but, as Solomon had said, game 
was so scarce that it hardly paid for the tramp. Many a 
time they came home completely empty-handed. 
One morning Flossie had an inspiration. Teddy was 
the unconscious first cause." 
" Oh, wirra ! " said he, with his favorite exclamation, 
and a comical twist to his face, " do ye remimber the 
Christmas we had last year as iver was, at Sheldon ? An' 
look at us now ! " 
"Why not have Christmas here?" cried Flossie, with 
a sudden thought. " What day is it now, papa ? " 
