CHAPTER II

AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE


"How does if happen that you speak English, Kalitan?" asked Mr. Strong as
they sat around the camp-fire that evening. The snow had continued during
the afternoon, and the boys had had an exciting time coasting and
snow-balling and enjoying themselves generally.

"I went for a few months to the Mission School at Wrangel," said Kalitan.
"I learned much there. They teach the boys to read and write and do sums
and to work the ground besides. They learn much more than the girls."
"Huh!" said the old chief, grimly. "Girls learn too much. They no good
for Indian wives, and white men not marry them. Best for girls to stay at
home at the will of their fathers until they get husbands."

"So you've been in Wrangel," said Ted to Kalitan. "We went there, too.
It's a dandy place. Do you remember the fringe of white mountains back of
the harbour? The people said the woods were full of game, but we didn't
have time to go hunting. There are a few shops there, but it seemed to me
a very small place to have been built since 1834. In the States whole
towns grow up in two or three weeks."

"Huh!" said Kalitan, with a quick shrug of his shoulders, "quick grow,
sun fade and wind blow down."

"I don't think the sun could ever fade in Wrangel," laughed Ted. "They
told me there it hadn't shone but fifteen days in three months. It rained