It should be remembered that the coast of the great Kadiak Island is here and there indented with deep bays, which at one point nearly cut it in two. Had the boys known it, they were, in their camp near the head of Kaludiak Bay, not more than thirty miles distant across the mountain passes to the head of Uyak Bay, which makes in on the west side of the island, and which was the first great inlet to be searched by the boat crews of the _Bennington_. The total coast-line of so large a bay is hundreds of miles in extent, and broken with many little coves, each of which must be visited and inspected, for any projecting rock point might hide a boat or camp from view. On this great bay there were two or three salmon-fisheries in operation, and as these always employ numbers of natives who come from all parts of the island, Captain Stephens had close inquiries made at each; but more than two weeks passed and no word could be gained of any white persons at any other portion of the island. "Naturally we won't hear anything on this side," said Captain Stephens to Mr. Hazlett. "Not many natives from the east coast come over here to work, and from what I know of the prevailing tides and winds I am more disposed to believe that they have been carried off toward the southeast corner of the island. The land runs out there, and, granted any decent kind of luck, the boys probably made a landing--if they could keep afloat so far." "But what may have happened to them before this?" began Mr. Hazlett. "Tut, man! We've all got to take our chances," replied the old sea-dog. "They've done their best, and we must do our best, too." Week after week, hour after hour, and, as it seemed, almost inch by inch, the cutter crawled on around the wild coast of Kadiak, tapping each arm and inlet, literally combing out the full extent of the broken shore-line. So gradually they passed below the southern extremity of the island, worked up from the southeast, and one day came to anchor not far from the native settlement known as Old Harbor. Here a breakdown to their machinery kept them waiting for ten days. Meantime, the boat crews were out at their work. One day a young lieutenant came in and with some excitement asked to see the captain. "I have to report, sir, that I think we've got word of those boys!" he said, eagerly, as he saluted. "How's that? Where? Go on, sir!" "There's a big boat party back from Kaludiak Bay, sir. They were in there on a whale-hunt several weeks ago. They saw a camp with three white boys and one refugee Aleut." "Arrest every man Jack of them and bring them in!" roared Captain Stephens. "Already done that, sir!" reported the lieutenant. "They are in the long-boat alongside." "Then bring them here at once!" A few moments later he and Mr. Hazlett found the deck crowded with a score of much-frightened natives. "Who's the interpreter here?" commanded the captain.