The big bear occupied considerable attention for several days. He had to
be carefully skinned and part of the meat dried for future use. Alaskans
never use salt for preserving meat. Indeed they seem to dislike salt very
much. It had taken Ted some time to learn to eat all his meat and fish
quite fresh, without a taste of salt, but he had grown to like it. There
is something in the sun and wind of Alaska which cures meat perfectly,
and the bear's meat was strung on sticks and dried in the sun so that
they might enjoy it for a long time.

It seemed as if the adventure with Bruin was enough to last the boys for
several days, for Ted's hand still pained him from the porcupine's
quills, and he felt tired and lazy. He lay by the camp-fire one afternoon
listening to Kalitan's tales of his island home, when his father came in
from a long tramp, and, looking at him a little anxiously, asked:

"What's the matter, son?"

"Nothing, I'm only tired," said Ted, but Kalitan said:

"Porcupine quills poison hand. Well in a few days."

"So your live cactus is getting in his work, is he? I'm glad it wasn't
the bear you mistook for an Alaskan posy and tried to pick. I'm tired
myself," and Mr. Strong threw himself down to rest.

"Daddy, how did we come to have Alaska, anyway?"

"Well, that's a long story," said his father, "but an interesting one."