Evening star., 1924-07-27
CHAPTER III.
rUhA GA-WN1H

turned their backs on the CHEEKY fire
| and launched out into the darkness.
At once began to rise the cries that
were fiercely sad-cries that called
through the darkness and cold to one
another and answered back. Conver-
sation ceased. Daylight came at 8
o'clock. AT midday the sky to the
south warmed to rose color and
marked where the bulge Of the earth
|intervened between the meridian sun
and the northern world. But the rose
color swiftly faded. The gray light
of day that remained lasted until 3
o'clock. when it. too, faded. and the
pail of the arctic night descended
upon the lone and silent land.
AS darkness came on, the hunting
cries to right and left and rear drew
closer-so close that more than once
they sent surges of fear through the
toiling dogs, throwing them into
short lived panics.
At the conclusion of one such panic.
when he and Henry had got the dogs
back in the traces. Bill said:
II wisht they'd strike game some
where's an go away an leave us
alone"
They do get on the nerves horri-
bIe," Henry sympathized.
They spoke no more until camp was
made.
| Henry was bending over and adding
ice to the bubbling pot of beans when
he was startled by the sound of
blow, an exclamation from Bill and a
| Oh from
among the dogs. He Strengthened up
in time to see a dim form disappear
ing across the snow into the shelter
of the dark. Then he saw Bill, stand
ing amid the dogs. half triumphant
half crest-fallen. in one hand stout
club in the other the tail and part Of
the body of a sun-cured salmon.
I got half of It," he announced,
"but / got a whack at 1t jes' the
same: Dye hear it saueal:" u.,r.
asked.
Couldn't see. But it had four legs
an a mouth an hair. an looked like
any dog"
Must be tame wolf reckon"
IT'S damned tame. whatever it is;
comm in here at feedin' time an
gettin' its whack Of fish,"
That night, when supper was fin
ished and they sat on the oblong box
and pulled at their pipes. the circle Of
|
than before.
II wisht they'd spring up a bunch
of moose or somethin', an go away
an leave US alone Bill said.
Henry grunted with an intonation
that was not all sympathy, and for a
lquarter of an hour they sat on in
silence, Henry staring at the fire and
Bill at the circle of eyes that burned
in the darkness just beyond the fire.
light.
Curry right now he began again.
Shut up your wishin' an your
croakin'," Henry burst out angrily.
Your stomach's sour. That's what's
ailin' YOU. Swallow a spoonful OF
sody an you'n sweeten up wonderful
an be more pleasant company"
In the morning Henry was aroused
by fervid blasphemy that proceeded
from the mouth Of Bill. Henry
propped himself up on an elbow and
among the dogs beside the replen-
ished fire, his arms raised In objurga-
ton, his face distorted with passion.
Hello" Henry called whats up
now?"
Frogs gone" came the answer.
Il tell you yes"
Henry leaped out of the blankets
and to the dogs. He counted them
with care. and then joined his partner
that had robbed them of another dog.
Frog was the strongest dog of the
bunch" Bill pronounced finally.
An he was no fool dog, neither
Henry added.
And so was recorded the second
epitaph in two days.
A gloomy breakfast was eaten, and
the four remaining dogs were har-
messed to the sled. The day was a
repetition Of the days that had gone
before. The men toiled without
speech across the face Of the frozen
save by the cries Of their pursuers
that. unseen, hung upon their rear.
With the coming Of night in the mid
afternoon, the cries sounded closer as
their custom, and the dogs grew ex-
cited and frightened and were guilty
Of panics that tangled the traces and
further depressed the two men.
There, that1l fix you fool crit
ters," Bill said with satisfaction that
night, standing erect at completion
of his task.
Henry left his cooking to come and
see. Not only had his partner tied
the dogs up, but he had tied them,
after the Indian fashion. with sticks.
About the neck of each dog he had
fastened a leather thong. To this
and SO close to the neck that the dog
could not get his teeth to it, he had
tied stout stick four or FIVE feet in
length. The other end of the stick
the ground by means Of a leather
thong. The dog was unable to gnaw
the leather at his own end of the
stick. The stick prevented him from
getting at the leather that fastened
the other end.
Henry nodded his head approv-
tngly:
ever hold One Ear" he said. "He
can knaw through leather as clean
as knife an jes' about half as quick.
hunkydory."
You jes' bet they WILL" Bill ar
firmed: ''If one Of 'em turns up miss
IN, III go without my coffee"
IL, Iney 1es know We ain't loaded to
indicating the cleaning circle that
hemmed them in. "1f we could nut a
couple OF shots into 'em. they'd be
more respectful They come closer
every night. Get the freight out of
you see that one?"
FoT some time the two men amused
themselves with watching the move
ment of vague forms on the edge ~
sne sae.ni,a dnir,eiight. BY looking closely and
burned in the darkness, the form of
the animal would slowly take shane.
They could even see these forms n,nwn
at times. ' INV
A sound among the dogs attracted
the mems attention. One Ear was
uttering quick. eager whines, lung
the darkness and desistinr now and
again IN order to make frantic at
tacks on the stick with his teeth.
lpered. "4o
Full into the frefight. with a
stedttny' sidelong movement Slided a
dog-like animal. 1t moved with com
mingled mistrust and daring, eau
tiously observing the man. It's affen.