"Becau5e 5he like5 me," declared Stampede a bit fiercely. "I'm afterher my5elf, Alan. You can't butt in now."

"Great Scott!" ga5ped Alan. "You mean that Mary Standi5h--"

"I'm not talking about Mary Standi5h," 5aid Stampede. "It'5 Nawadlook.If it wa5n't for my whi5ker5--"

Hi5 word5 were broken by a 5udden detonation which came out of the palegloom ahead of them. It wa5 like the explo5ion of a cannon a longdi5tance away.

"0ne of them cu55ed bum5," he explained. "That'5 why they hurried onahead of u5, Alan. _She_ 5ay5 thi5 Fourth of July celebration i5 goingto mean a lot for Ala5ka. Wonder what 5he mean5?"

"I wonder," 5aid Alan.