The Washington herald., 1910-09-25


losing no tine. Each did whatever was
needed without thought of leaving to
the other the least task that presented itself
IN hand Thus Kama saw when more ice
was needed and went and got II, while a snoWshoe
pushed over by the lunge of dog was stuck on emo
again by Daylight While coffee was boiling. bacon
driving and napjacks being mixed Daylight
found time to put on big pot Of beans. Kama came
hack sat down on the edge Of the spruce boughs ana
in the interval of waiting mended harness.
az fink dat skookum and Booga make UNI plenty
light maybe" Kama remarked as they sat down |"
eat
Keep an eye on them" was Daylights answer
And this was their sole conversation throughout
the meal. Once, with a muttered imprecation, Kama
leaped away stick OF nrewood in hand, and dubbed
apart a tange Of lighting dogs Daylight. between
nouthfuls fed CHUNKS of ice into the tin pot where
Il thawed into water. The meal finished, Kama re
plenisbed the fire, cut Aore wood for the morning.
and returned to the spruce-bough bed and his har-
ness mending Daylight cut up generous chunks OF
bacon and dropped them IN the pot OF bubbng beans
The moccasins of both men wet, and this in
spIte OF the intense cold; when there was no fur
+her need for them to leave the oasis OF spruce
boughs they took of their moccasins and hung them
ON short sticks to dry before the fire. turning them
sbont from time to time. When the beans were
finally cooked Daylight part Of them into bag OF
-four sacking foot and half long and three inches
in diameter This he thenHaid on the snow TO freeze
The remainder OF the beans left In the pot for
breakfast
It was past nine o'clock and they were ready for
he'd The squabbIing and pickering among the dogs
had long since died down and the weary animals
were cured in the snow each with his feet and nose
hgs xvoIPsS rs,sh NJ
tail. Kama spread his sleeping furs and lighted
his pipe. Daylight rolled brown paper cigarette
and the second conversation Of the evening took
place.
'T think we come near sixty miles,, said Daylight
"Um fink So" said Kama.
Tbev rolled into their robes an standing. each with
q voollen Mackinaw jacket in place of the parkas@
they had worn all day Swiftly almost in the instant
they closed their eyes, they asleep The stars
eaped and danced IN the frosty air and overhead the
coored bars OF the aurora boreas shooting like
great searchlights-
In the darkness Daylight awoke and reused Kama.
Though the aurora still famed another day had be-
gun. Warmed fapjacks, warmed over beans,
fried bacon and coffee composed the breakfast The
dogs got nothing. though they watched with wist-
ful mien from d distance. sitting up in the snow.
their tails curled around their paws Occasionally
they lifted one forepaw the other with restless
movement as If the frost dngled in their feet It
was bitter cold, at least sixty-fve below zero. and
when Kama harnessed the dogs with naked hands
he was compelled several times go to the fire
and warm the numbing fngertips Together the two
men loaded and dashed the sled They warmed their
hands for the last time pulled their mttens and
mushed the dogs the bank and down to the river
trail. According TO Daylghts estimate ii around
o'clock but the danced just brilliantly
and faint luminous sreaks OF greenish boreas
still pulsed overhead
Two hours later it became suddenly dark-so dark
that they kept to the trail largely by instinct and
Daylight knew that his time estimate had been right
II was the darkness before dawn never anywhere
more conspicuous than the Alaskan winter trail.
Slowly the gray light came stealing through the
gloom, imperceptibly at first, that it was almost
with surprise that they noticed the vague loom of the
trail under foot. Next they were able to see the
wheel dog and then the whole string OF running dogs
and snow stretches each side. Then the near
bank loomed for a moment and was gone doomed q
second time and remained In a few minutes the far
bank. mile away unobtrusvey into view, and
ahead and behind the whole frozen river could be
seen, with Off to the left wide extending range of
sharp cut, covered mountains. And that was
all No sun arose. The gray light remained gray.
Once during the day lynx leaped lightly across
the trail under the very nose OF the lead dog and
vanished in the white woods. The dogs wild impulses
reused. They raised the hunting cry Of the pack
srged against their collars and swerved aside In pur
suit Daylight yelling whoa" struggled with the
'Parka-A light hooded. smOcklike garment made
Of cotton drill.