Dick Kent with the Malemute Mail

ad picketed out their ponies, they crawled into their blankets without troubling to prepare something to eat. Dick had almost fallen asleep when he was startled by a most peculiar sound-a

han anything else, it sounded like a high-powered motor boat, such as he had often seen and heard near his own home on the Great Lakes, back in the United

wonder and admiration. An airplane! What was it doing here? With an une

p!" he shouted.

sleep-dimmed eyes, Sandy g

Pete! Where did

play any great amount of fear; yet he was frightened now. He sat huddled in his blankets, frozen with a nameless panic. Here was something beyond his ken and

l 'em that?" he f

ne," sa

air," Dick elucidated. "What

rds away. The boys raced madly along through the darkness, finally coming out i

g, Dick ha

here! Wh

came the prompt answer. "Put out from Peac

with questions. Had they come through the fire? Were there many cabi

they could, in turn asking many questions

uffering from smallpox in the remote districts north of the Mackenzie. The situation is very serious. Hu

e of the aviators,

the Crossing. I should think that if Inspector Came

e other, "have you forgotten that the w

g to Edmonton, but north the service has been disrupted. It is quite likely," turning to the

on and send in the news from Peace River Crossing. Our plan is to go over to Fort V

rip," stated Alderby. "It's

dy asked i

can take you over there ourselves ju

e force you to la

g serious. We'll have

ndall, "there's room

ar that he would be asked to sail through the sky in the bowels of

ebbe you or Sandy go, but I l

he looked at the plane and thought of the thrilling ride through the clouds. "As Toma jus

ou'll be in danger here with the fire so close. You neve

ghtened him. "We go on to Fort V

eart leaped up in his throat. He called out something unintelligible to Sandy and Toma, grabbed for his hat as the plane commenced bounding along the uneven ground, then stole one frightened look over the side just as the earth commenced

like it?" as

naged to articulate. "How lon

hours,"-re

ering ambition to become an aviator. It wasn't exactly in his line anyway. He lacked the necessary physical qualifications. He hadn't realized it before, not until now, but hi

s in more comfortable channels,

s was a gover

in the prevention and control of forest fires. The country will need all this valuab

ick tried to stretch his legs. He tried to sleep. He endeavored to accustom himself to the queer, unpl

ing li

ar below he perceived a faint effulgence-like glo

through the hills to join it. The shape of trees, the rugged contours of the land and, finally, straight below them, a

ed the jovial v

llowed Randall past the hangar and into t

ick building, which served as an office for the government telegraph. The door was locked, but following a

l explained the reason

nformation concerning a smallpox epidemic in the north, o

w something

and switched on the lights. He in

Cameron instructed to come h

uced the letter he had received from t

e as my introdu

he missive. "Yes, Cameron got his message throu

e was out of order, had been dest

was repeated again early this morning. It's common property now all over the province. Every available airplane in Edmonton and Cal

as far north as the

mative. "The only difficulty

ittle crestfallen, "our servic

have plenty to do,"

and pick up your friends at Fort Vermilion, then we'll pilot the other pl

your kindness. I think I'll take Dick over to one of

terposed. "I was told to report to Inspec

houlder with one hand, while with the other he pointed aloft. Through th

he first plane from Ed