What next? Like Alexander, I sought new worlds. Nothing less than real camping out could satisfy that hitherto unappeasable longing. This dream was realized in due season among the mountains of New Hampshire; but the craving, far from losing its keenness, was whetted. Of late it has been fed, but never satiated, by wider rovings on land and sea. Perhaps it is in the blood and can never be eliminated. Believing that this restlessness, accompanied by the love of adventure and out-of-door life, is natural to every boy, I have had in mind particularly in the writing of this narrative those thousands of boys in our cities who are bound within a restricted, and it may be unromantic, sphere of activity. To them I have wished to give a glimpse of trail life, not with a view to increasing their restlessness,--for I have not veiled discomforts and discouragements in relating enjoyments,--but to enlarge their horizon,--to give them, in imagination at least, mountain air and appetites, journeys by lake and river, and an acquaintance with men and conditions as they now exist in the great Northwest. The Dalton trail, last year but little known, may soon become a much travelled highway. With a United States garrison at Pyramid, and the village of Klukwan a bone of contention between the governments of this country and Canada, the region which it traverses is coming more and more into notice. I would only add that natural features, scenery, and people, have been described faithfully, however inadequately, and the story throughout is based upon real happenings. Should any of my young readers pass over the trail to-day in the footsteps of David and Roly, they would find, save for possible vandalism of Indians or whites, the cabins on the North Alsek and in the Kah Sha gorge just as they are pictured, and they could be sure of a welcome from Lucky, Long Peter, and Coffee Jack. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. A LETTER FROM ALASKA 1 II. BUYING AN OUTFIT 7 III. FROM SEATTLE TO PYRAMID HARBOR 18 IV. THE FIRST CAMP 28 V. THE GREAT NUGGET, AND HOW UNCLE WILL HEARD OF IT 38 VI. ROLY IS HURT 47 VII. CAMP AT THE CAVE 54 VIII. SLEDDING 60 IX. KLUKWAN AND THE FORDS 69 X. A PORCUPINE-HUNT AT PLEASANT CAMP 77 XI. THE MYSTERIOUS THIRTY-SIX 88 XII. THE SUMMIT OF CHILKAT PASS 101 XIII. DALTON'S POST 112