Only the day before he had exclaimed:

"Iyok-ok, I believe I have guessed why the Russian wants to kill me."

"Why?"

"He thinks I am a member of the United States Secret Service."

"Well? Canak-ti-ma-na" (I don't know).

The boy had looked him squarely in the eye as much as to say, "Who could
doubt that?"

At first Johnny had been inclined to assure Iyok-ok that there was no
truth in the assumption, but the more he thought of it, the better he
was satisfied with things as they were. His companions carried with them
a great air of mystery; why should he not share this a little with them?
He had let the matter drop.

But now, since he was considered to be a member of a secret service
organization, he prepared to act the part for one night at least. With
the wolf skin parka hood drawn well around his face, he would hardly be
recognized, garbed as he was in borrowed clothes.

The mysterious Russian had adopted a plan of sending his dogs to some
outpost to be cared for by natives. This made the locating of the igloo
he occupied extremely difficult. It had been by the merest chance that
Johnny had caught a glimpse of him as he disappeared through the flaps
of a dwelling near the center of the village. The American had resolved