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There will be nothing in the igloo to smell, she grunted. Reaching the ice, he
still wore his shoes so as todistribute weight, and moved on. Ten minutes later
he was working desperately over a stiff body stretchedbeside a blazing
fire.
For a second he waited thus withevery mysterious instinct thrilling in
his chilled body. They had nothing to do but eat and sleep. The first man
walked slowly, moderating his pace to suit the others. An Arctic owlcircled
with wide, noiseless pinions above the hole, like a ghost of thewilderness. The
tension lessened after that, for each day added to their powers. An Arctic
owlcircled with wide, noiseless pinions above the hole, like a ghost of
thewilderness. His face expressed no fear, but justa dumb wonder that this
thing should have come to him.
Followed a staccato of barking, the gasps of a
scufflingfight, and a long howl of pain. The pack made for them, every throat
flinging terrible cries into the night. Then, he couldnot tell at what time, he
heard Tuktu speak sharply:He sleeps better than he hunts.
Finally he gave this
up and put them on,when they instantly became hard, like parchment.
The rescuer
peeredat the river, where it seemed something was moving, mysteriously
uncouth.
She glanced at the igloo, of which the ivory dome was just visible.
Pituluk closed his burning lids, then opened them because they smartedthe more.
I am not sorry that he is blind, said the latter, and perhaps he willnever see
again.
He could not feel the toe-straps of his shoes.
He waited for five
minutes, then another five.
Heat blisters spreadamongst the frost-bites, and
his skin looked like mottled marble.
It was the first man, with strength
flowing its full warm tide through hissinewy frame. There soundeda warning
crack, but his breast was by now over the edge.
He struck out for the
river-bank, wading through snow that camenearly to his middle.
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