"But what can you do?" asked Tom's father.

"I don't know," answered the young inventor. "It would be of little
use to go to Andy. Naturally he would deny having made a copy of the
map, and his father would, also. Even though I am sure they have a
copy, I don't see how I am going to make them give it up. It's a
hard case. There's only one thing I see to do."

"What's that?" asked Abe.

"Start for Alaska as soon as possible, and be first on hand at the
valley of gold."

"Good!" cried the miner. "That's the way to talk! We'll start off at
once. I know my way around that country pretty well, an' even though
winter is coming on, I think we can travel in th' airship. That's
one reason why I wanted t' go in one of these flyin' machines.
Winter is no time to be in Alaska, but if we have an airship we
won't mind it, an' it's the best time t' keep other people away, for
th' ordinary miner or prospector can't do anythin' in Alaska in
winter--that is away up north where we're goin'."

"Exactly where are we going?" asked Tom. "I have been so excited
about discovering Andy's trick that I haven't had much time to
consider where we're bound for nor what will be the best plan to
follow."

"Well, we're goin' to a region about seven hundred an' fifty miles
northwest from Sitka," explained the old miner, as he pointed out
the location on the map. "We'll head for what they call th' Snow