The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-11-10
OUT
THE JAWS OF DEATH


forests. Are they good to eatp"
well, Pve never tried 'em," he answered
evasively, concealing whatever disagreeable
reflections this question may have suggest
ed, "but one thing is certain, they wouldn't
exist If there were nothing for them to cat.
IL we could knock over n rabbit now, or
even an old crow. we could soon make a
fire to cook him, and then we should be Us
right as rain.'
He had mechanically filled his pipe and
was now about 10 light it. He stopped, and
saw him ruefully counting the small
number Of vestas that remained in his box
When they were gone, there would be no
more smoking.
II say. do you think you could smoke a
cigarettep he asked hopefully. "'Baccy's
a wonderful comfort at all times, but when
you're bit pinched, you know --
He pulled out his tobacco pouch tempt
ingly. told him would rather not try
it yet awhile.
~ think l shall enjoy it more presently"
said he, putting his pipe in his pocket.
Then / noticed by the limpness of his
pouch as he put that away that his tobacco
was nearly all gone.
When we began to feel chilly, we walked
on again, keeping under the trees with the
serve us for food, the snowdrift that edged
the wood being our guide.
Gordon had provided himself with
stout stick, but we saw no sign of living
creature the whole day, and the only thing
we found to eat was some frozen moss and
"a leathery kind of lichen. On and on
we went, skirting the edge of the plain,
through the interminable forest, until the
light began to fade; then we went out and
looked beyond the drift. The boundless
plain, with the edging of black pines, was
all we saw-nothing else.
I'VE must think now of making our
selves comfortable for the night" said
Gordon as we re-entered the forest. I'VE
will have good fire at any rate"
/ Fuel was not wanting. The edge of the
wood was strewn with broken woodlands
torn from the trees by the gnles that swept
across the plain. or broken down in former
winters by the weight of ice and snow. We
collected n great heap, and having built the
foundation of our fire Gordon, with inf
mite care, struck one of his precious matches
and lit the pile of dry leaves and fir cones.
/ knew then why he had refrained from
smoking all day. Our lives depended on
those vestas, for if they gave out before we
could get fresh supply we must freeze to
death.
4 AS soon as the fire was well alight we
scraped narrow trench, about six feet
long, in the thick bed of fir needles facing
the fire, and framing kind of roof over it
with pine branches piled mass Of twigs
and rubbish Of all kinds on top so as to ex-
clude the cold air. We both worked with
a will, leaving off now and then to put fresh
| fuel on the fire, and when it was finished
4 felt very well satisfied with our perform
ance.
| Now" said Gordon when we had put
the finishing touch to the roof, Creep in
side, mademoiselle, and see if you can get
few hours sleep"
4 But we have got to make another shelter
for you," said |.
mo; one will serve us both-turn and
turn about. 1t won't do to let the fire go
down, you know''-it was in this way he
disguised his fear of attack by wolves
land promise you to take my full share of
rest as soon as you have had yours
I l crept into the trench, and stretching
myself out at full length found that the
springy fir needles made better bed than
the hard planks of the kaperas 1t was
pleasantly warm, too, with the heat thrown
out by the fire.
Gordon seated himself at the opening,
with his heavy stick beside him, and with
n deep sigh of satisfaction lit the first pipe
of the day. II was good to sec the happy
content in his face as he slowly smoked,
letting the clouds issue slowly from his
lips, and the leaping flames of the fire be-
yond him. Indeed, but for the craving of
hunger, had no reason to complain, but
good deal to be thankful for.
1t was not long before | dropped off, and
l slept soundly, AS it seemed to me, for a
good long while But when awoke Cor
don declared that it was not yet time to
think about changing the watch; so, not
unwillingly, but perhaps seltishly, |
dropped off again.
! | awokc second time to find him still
patiently sitting on guard at my feet, but
he gave me the same answer and would
not permit me to take his place. And when
after third space of sleep, he allowed me
to come out, l saw by the gray light be
tween the trees that the night was past
Then having piled more wood on the fire
I and handed his stick over to me with in
/, structions to give him IA crack over the
/ toes with it if | heard the slightest sounds
, or detected any movement in the surround
ing trees he crawled into the trench, and
in few minutes was snoring generously.
In couple of hours he came out. pro
| testing that he could sleep no longer, and
} having nothing to detain us we recon-
D.. menced our onward march.
3 ] have no need to dwell on this part O.
: my history, for further testimony to tn,
patient courage, generosity and unceasinl
kindness of George Gordon is unnecessary
and nothing occurred to break the terribl,
, monopony of our journey through TIL,
j dreary forest until the fourth day of on
: escape. In the afternoon of that day VI
;. came upon road cut through the fores
: and debonching upon the plain. This dis
covery threw us into state of intense eX
element 1t was like Il vision of water il
the desert.
Not soul was in sight, but there wer
marks of sledge runners in the snow whicl
had fallen the day before,
Its not a main road-that is evident b.
: its narrowness,' said Gordon, grasping m
4 hand.
! What shall we dofs asked, tremblin
q violently.
9 III it only leads to a farm, we're al
II right No one would be SO inhuman as t
n refuse us food, seeing how pinched an
V done up we are. If, on the other hand,
20 . leads to town-why, then, we stand
:. good chance of being made prisoners agaii
a What do You say to stopping here while
&c 90 on and reconnoiter?"
= NO, no. Ii you go on, will go wit
u you"
And hope for the BEST he added stu
10 Oily, pressing my arm to his side and ste
"a ping out
v. The road seemed as endless and deserte
W as the forest itself. Then, leaning mo-
fl and more heavily on Gordon's arm, plo
< ded YEARLY on, with feet that seemed
y cling to the ground, until my companio
ID seeing that my strength was we'll mig
spent, said:
Pm done up, my dear girl. Let us ST.
r.. for the night. We can dream of having
g, good supper-that will besome satisfactiC
VII and then tomorrow we will realize Of
dream.p
"lf we could only go to sleep and ney
"a wake again. ! murmured family.
- "Ah, you'll not say that when we get