“Who are ’they’?” asked Johnny with curiosity fully aroused.

“American.  I know.  Can’t tell.  Worked for them once.  Promise never tell.”

Johnny wrinkled his brow but did not press the matter.

“But this Russia, the Kamchatkan Peninsula?” Iyok-ok continued.  “Whom does it belong to now?  Can you tell me that?”

Johnny shook his head.

“Neither can They tell.  If They knew, and if They knew it was safe to come back and mine here, when the world has so great need of gold, you better believe They would come and mine, But They do not know; They do not know.”  The boy pronounced the last words with an undertone of mystery.  “Sometime I will know.  Then I—­I will tell you, perhaps.”

“Where’s the machinery?” asked Johnny.

“Up the river.  Wanta see it?”

“Sure.”

They hurried away up the frozen river and in fifteen minutes came upon a row of low sheds.  The doors were locked, but to his great surprise Johnny discovered that his companion had the keys.

They were soon walking through dark aisles, on each side of which were piled parts of mining machines of every description, crushers, rollers, smelters and various accessories connected with quartz mining.  Mingled with these were picks, pans, steam thawers, windlasses, and great piles of sluice timber.  All these last named were for mining placer gold.

“Quartz too?” asked Johnny.

“Plenty of quartz,” grinned Iyok-ok.  “Come out here, I will show you.”

They stepped outside.  The boy locked the door, then led his companion up a steep slope until they were on a low point commanding a view of the village below and a rocky cliff above.

“See that cliff?” asked Iyok-ok.  “Plenty of gold there.  Pick it out with your pen knife.  Rich!  Too rich.”

“Then this Peninsula is as rich as Alaska?”

“Alaska?” Iyok-ok grinned.  “Alaska?  What shall I say?  Alaska, it is a joke.  Think of the great Lena River!  Great as the Yukon.  Who knows what gold is deposited in the beds and banks of that mighty stream?  Who knows anything about this wonderful peninsula?  The Czar, he has kept it locked.  But now the Czar is dead.  The key is lost.  Who will find it?  Sometime we will see.”

The boy was interrupted by wild shouts coming from the village.  As their eyes turned in that direction, Johnny and Iyok-ok beheld a strange sight.  The entire village had apparently turned out to give chase to one man.  And, down to the last child, they were armed.  But such strange implements of warfare as they carried!  All were relics of by-gone days; lances, walrus harpoons, bows and arrows, axes, hammers and many more.