Dick Kent with the Malemute Mail

preliminary warning, winter had come. It swept down from the north, a mad trumpeter blowing his blast at the hea

nd husky teams transporting their supplies, they pushed on, discovering that, despite the cold, they now made better progress. Dick drove the mai

utgrow the young man's viewpoint. He felt like a boy again. He talked and laughed and played pranks like a boy. To him this incursion into a vast wilderness regio

The country was new to Dick and he was compelled to leave the charting of thei

ative, his skin was too light, his cheekbones too low, and, what was most incredible of all, his dark hair was curly. His nose w

morning. "Just the same, that eye of his chills me to the bone whenever he loo

re pleasant disposition. He seldom talks. When he does, it's usually a grunt or a snarl. A whil

d evidently had been listening to their conversati

d call it defiant. There was a muti

m in a friendly way. It's only fair that we should all take tu

say?" Sandy dem

ing under his breath, glared at me, then walked b

olunteered his services and yet doesn't want to do hi

"although his symptoms indicate a very serious condition

it," Dick hi

t, old chap? First thing you know, you'll lose face with the re

ended Brady. "You're in cha

olice behind me. Still, I hate trouble. Sometimes I think I'll let Mr. Lamont have his

ooked up into the

I am, doctor. What

y's brow

to advise you, my boy. You mi

u're putting me off. What would

His actions are suspicious. His disposition is unbearable. He's a hard and dirty customer. In spite of whic

an he'l

type. He'll wait his chance to get e

. Then Dick stepped out to one side

find out. I'm goin

s he walked back to the end of the line. Brady chuckled.

Dick approached. Probably the man knew wh

ked you in a nice way if you wouldn't help out

go," grunted

y n

the work too? I tell him Mr. Police Inspector I go show you the way. That's all. No

t the same, I think you'll go. All day yesterday you rode o

ed maliciously. "Me guid

e man who hired you. Either you'll do your share of the

Lamont. "Sorry you no like

encountered a situation like this. He wasn't quite sure how to proceed. He wis

to leave the party, Lamo

in. It carried a challenge. Dick's hand fluttered toward

aving this party tonight when we make camp. I'll give

mere slits. There was something v

kly. "I go where I wish. That place I go is Keech

like, but you'll

amont stubbornly. "

nd set as he rejoined Sandy and Dr. Brady. An angry flush had mounted to his chee

owered and anxious, "what did h

himself to speak. R

ugh his brain. "I'll show him!" rang on the vengeful chant.

at him with friendly and yet appraising eyes. And in that moment he felt some

He refuses to break trail, to work-to do anything at all excep

did you sa

aid that he'd have to go. Tonight, when we make camp, I'

ing the right thing," declared Dr. Br

les off our course, get ourselves into all sorts of difficulties and dangers-freeze and starve and heaven knows what. The Barrens is a horrible place in winter, a death-trap if you don't know it. My Uncle Walter has been there and he told me about it. I

aid Dick stubbornl

know it's hard to put up with his i

ch interested in Sandy's point of view, "tell

k to think this thing over very carefully before he comes to a decision. Even if we d

es. Is that it? Is tha

important. It's imperative. What if we do have to humor Lamont? Better to let him ride eve

ht-"you've won me over. If I dismissed La

for a moment His face

think about i

. "Lamont ought to be punished, of course. He'

d good sense has

act

p that guide no ma

keep him," sa

grimaced Dick, "and cook his meals and wait o

et to Keechewan, of course. I'd suggest turning him

og drivers. The afternoon slowly wore on. An overcast sky brought the darkness early. Yet the

ck in unharnessing the malemutes from the mail-sledge. "We must have come n

ame aware of a form emerging from the

at you

ello, Toma. Whe

eed 'em fish. Bye-'n'-bye they cr

lf," declared Sandy. Toma cam

ellow, Lamont,"

id Dick. "What

this," answered Toma, plac

struck it. The sudden tiny glare revealed nothing more than a piece of birch bark, blank on one side, a pencilled s

ck perplexedly. "W

y in a voice that was unusually calm, "tha

g-these words,

It's 'good-bye.' He'

ick stared miserably out into the