The Coolidge examiner., 1939-01-05
CHAPTER XV-Continued

gavas painting on the trail, still in
the pink of condition, their coats
shimmering with vitality. 'Look al
dem! Dey are good as wen we
start! Dat ees from plentee grub.
Zen tree four day, dey show Nc
Queen how dey can travel"
But that day the sun set in lead
en- sky and, later, the warning OF
the ringed moon flicked the men
with fear. In the night they were
walked by the roar Of the ''drifter"
that drove across barrens and river
valley burying their camp in snow.
When they rolled out of their drifted
sleeping-bags, the fire was out and
four white mounds marked the spots
where the dogs slept. and from
which they burst, when called, in
showers of snow, as salmon leaps
from water.
To-day we gain on you, Nc
Queen!" cried Alan, starting his
dogs. To-day. you won't travel with
your tired dogs. but old Rough and
the pups'u show you what bone and
beefn do through the drifts!
Marche, boys!"
Steadily, hour after hour, with the
white slant of the norther on their
backs the snow-sheathed Ungavas
plodded up the river ice. In places
tho hove br0lra fro;l ohaoI 30 4oo
team through drifts heaped shoul-
der high by the wind, but most OF
the river ice was brushed clear OF
snow as if swept by giant brooms.
Later, the treacherous ice over
strong rapids drove them ashore
over tumbled boulders, up steep
banks, to buck and founder through
the drifts, and the heavy sled cru.
ely sapped the strength Of men and
dogs. Lashed to the bow by thongs
Alan and Noel strained and pulled
with the willing Ungavas as they
fought with their load, until ex-
haustion forced them to camp.
Through the night the "drifter'
pounded the valley. In the gloom OF
the bitter dawn, two lean-faced,
tightly belted men again hitched the
dogs and started into the snow
smoke. With his exhausted dogs
Mcqueen would never wallow
through the shifting drifts which
blocked the portages. He would wait
and rest his team, thinking the men
behind would do the same, until the
wind blew itself out. Here was the
chance to gain on the sled ahead
with his stronger huskies and Alan
made the most Of it. On through
the short day he mercilessly drove
himself and his team, trotting over
the good going of the swept river
ice and lifting and hauling at the
heavy sled up over the boulder
piled shores where the river was
still open or the ice dangerous.
Blinded by snow constantly masking
their tortured faces, bucking the
deep drifts of the portages, pant
ing men and dogs pushed on and on
until the black night fell like tent
and drove them to shelter.
AT dawn the wind had blown It.
self out and the snow stopped. Stiff
in every muscle from the long
strain, Alan dragged himself out OF
his sleeping bag, the pinched face in
his hood black from frostbite and
his lips cracked from the two days
In the singing wind and snow.
How far do you guess we trav-
eled in that drifter, Noel?" he asked
the Indian who limped as he brought
wood for the fire.
"Eet was all gain! Mcqueen ne
vaire move. We travel t'irty-forty
mile for sure. Oh-oh!" groaned No
ell, dropping the wood to rub leg.
II got de mal-racquette!"
I'm stiff as a spruce stick, my
SELF" replied the other. 'Wrenched
my shoulder with all that lifting!
Let's have a look at the dogs! Here,
Rough, Shot!"
Slowly the dogs responded to the
calls of their master. One after an.
other they broke from their snow
blankets to shake themselves but
the iron bodies of the Ungavas were,
after all, but blood and thews and
bone and, along with the men,
they had paid the penalty of the two
days battle with the drifts and the
uphill slavery of the river shores.
Poor Shot, who had never faltered
when asked for the last ounce OF
his strength, limped around with a
wrenched shoulder. The foot-sore
Rogue and Powder, growing thinner
day by day. hobbled on stiff legs.
The veteran Rough, lean as lynx,
still carried his plume of a tai
bravely arched above his back, but
he failed to frisk and roll in the
snow at the call of Alan. The drift
er" had taken its toll of the I'm
gavas.
They're pretty stiff, Noel, but
we've got to 60 on-on!" insisted
Alan.
He made the dogs lie on theil
backs, feet in the air, while he anc
Noel examined their shaggy bodies
banded with muscles like wire ca
bles, and searched their paws fol
pad cracks and balled snow between
the toes which would cripple them
Thar ouar tho vo,,no cno,v left \,