Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-04-24

Hall, if he is willing TO go. II you sue
ceed. you will save the ship; if you
fail you will have died a nobler death
than We
A little later Cockney and Jim Hall.
CARRIED in the winter furs OF the Es-
kimos. went over the side Of the Nor
whal into the darkness of the Arctic
night before the eyes Of the entire
crew. Each man aboard uttered a
goodby and good luck" as the TWO
figures. the five dogs and the empty
sled disappeared in the gloom toward
the far mainland over the cherries
expanse.
Cockney turned his eyes 10 the heav-
ems where the aurora 1iickered and
glowed in the silence. Now that he
contemplated it, standing amid the
desolate, cold waste, he had never no
tlced it SO beautiful-so cold. The
vast ice fields spread out in their I'M
ending miles and the hummock peaks
showed specter-like in the pale flashes.
The penetrating, chill breath of the
eXpanse crept around him and stung
the upturned face. Cockney had just
ENERGY from his sleeping bag He
turned and his glance fell on the sled
loaded with the carcasses of eight car
lbou. This sent the thrill of encourage
ment through him and awakened him
TO action again. He kicked the sleep
ing-bag which contained the great
body of Jim Hall
Come on, Jim," he shouted. Come
on out O. there, and let's be on. We
can't afford to sleep nOW-now that
we've got the meat and they're needin'
it SO bad. They're waitin' for us.
We've been gone II days today, and
they're about all in. Twenty miles
more an we're there"
From the bag came a sound like a
groan, but no movement. Cockney re-
peated the kicking, increasing the
force. A sense of fear swept through
his brain
Cold? Cold?" muttered the big
man, almost inaudibly. No. I'm not
cold. I'm jes' gettin' conf table: jes'
gettin' comf'tabIe Jes few more min
utes and I'll be with you"
AS the SLOW, telltale words issued
from the bag, Cockney grabbed sled
rope-end. The fear in him increased.
Jim was beginning 10 numb. He had
slept the few hours of MS sleep cold,
and the chill had begun to reach MS
veins, Cockney beat the bag heavily
with the rope-erd.
Jim, come on out O there, boy
What's matter with you, anyway?
You amt goin' to let that thing get
you. are you? Get up and shake your
self. Come and get your blood
started. You amt goin' back Oh your
pal?"
Jim moved drowsily as the rope
beat up and down his body. He heard
and the cold-fear took possession of
him for a moment; the fear of the
cold-lethargy. He squirmed out of the
bag and made his feet
Keep movin' now, boy" cried
Cockney; roll ZIP that bag and put it
on the sled. Here, chew On this hunk
O meat as we go along, Hang on 30
the gee pole and Wen be off on the
run
Cockney thrust strip Of caribou
meat into the hand of the big man,
and the dogs started at the crack of
his whip
Over the uneven surface of the ice
the travelling taxed the energy of both
men and dogs.
Cockney kept up as even a pace as
the difficult ice would allow and
trudged on, apparently unconscious of
the WEAKNESS which weighed down his
muscles. But the wavering gait of the
big man showed that the frost had en-
tered his legs and that the grueling
travel was telling. He chung to the
gee pole and when his head sagged
toward his breast he would catch
himself with quick upward jerks. But
the head sank lower each time. and
with the slow coming of the drowsy
WEAKNESS, thirst began to clutch at
his throat and the big man began to
think of satisfying it.
Cockney glanced back at the mo.
ment Hall reached for mis- second hand
full of snow. Hall looked him in the
eye SHdlICIdSCulJ, Ouh SUutIuuSu TO
suck in the balance in his mitten.
Cockney fell back even with him
and dashed him with the dog whip.
stop it, JIM" he shouted Stop
it, you FOOL If you want to reach
the ship, don't touch another pinch of
snow The frost will get you sure if
you take it. Brace up. man. Don't
commence that kind of thing. now
when we're gettin' so close"
Jim gazed fixedly at the small man
and in the wilding eyes Cockney read
what he dreaded to see Jim was
getting numb again and was on the
verge of allowing his mind to wan
der. The incessant strain on his over
taxed muscles was telling Cockney
continued to lash him with the dog
whip and the big fellow stumbled aim
lessly on, clinging with one desperate
hand to the gee pole
Cockney kept the dogs straining in
the traces and divided his attention
between them and his companion At
every sag of Halls head he piled the
whip across the gaunt shoulders and
around the wavering legs. Once Jim
stopped again, muttering, to take I'D
more snow. Cockney struck his chin
up with the whip-stock Jim laughed
L. -.