Gold-bearing creeks and rivers were little thought of by the Eskimos. Their use for gold was small. Given an igloo, a boat, fishing and hunting tackle, and they were happy and satisfied; but the white man should be taught to let the wives of the Eskimos alone, and that, too, right early. All this, and a great deal more, passed through the mind of the shaman. On the evening of the third day after the arrival of the miners, while all sat smoking before the fire, Kuiktuk decided to act. Taking his pipe from his mouth he pulled himself slowly together as if about to speak. "Say, Kuiktuk, old man, what is it? Can you tell us where to find the yellow stuff we look for?" keenly inquired Dunbar. The Eskimo slowly nodded. "Is it far from here?" A shake of the head in reply. "How far? Where?" eagerly asked the men in a breath. He pointed in a southeasterly direction. "How many sleeps?" inquired Gibbs, meaning to ask how many days' journey it was. Kuiktuk held up the fingers of one hand. "He says its a five days' 'mush' from here," interpreted Gibbs. "Will you go with us to the place?" from Dunbar. "Me want cow-cow ameluktuk," mumbled the medicine man slowly. "Yes, yes, you shall have the cow-cow," impatiently cried Dunbar, "but not until you show us the place." "Me want cow-cow ameluktuk," again muttered the man, still slowly but more firmly. "Oh, he wants the grub before we leave," said Gibbs. "The devil he does!" cried another, who then tried to explain to Kuiktuk that he must produce the gold-bearing creek before he was given the food in payment. The native was obstinate. "Cow-cow peeluk, gold peeluk," indifferently, from the medicine man, going back to his pipe in the corner as if not caring for further conversation. "He means no grub, no gold--or we must give him the supplies first, else we don't get the creek," again interpreted Gibbs. "To the dogs with the fellow!" cried one. "He wants the whole cheese." "Let him keep his creek and be--blessed!" "Forget it, boys, and come to the Kobuk with me," laughed one. "Let's give him the calico and beads, but cut out the grub," finally from one of the most generous, while Kuiktuk sat stolidly smoking. The latter would not compromise. The men hated to part with the supplies, but dreaded far worse to lose the prospect of that good creek said by the native to contain gold. It might prove another Anvil, who could tell? Possibly it was not so far away as the fellow said, Eskimos were never well up in time and distances, and knew nothing of prospectors' methods. This was what Dunbar argued, and he, being the eldest of the party, was finally allowed his way, and that was to pay the shrewd trader his price, delivering to him the supplies agreed to on the next day before they started out upon their stampede to the creek. "Then in case the old fellow has lied about the gold," said Gibbs, "we'll hang him to the nearest tree."