l to 'em, but they was
too far away to hear in the storm. He managed to get back to the
land and follered the shore ice around. He's over at Hunter's cabin
now, most dead, face and hands froze pretty bad."

A torrent of questions followed and many suggestions as to the fate
of the men.

"They'll freeze before they can get ashore," said one.

"The ice-pack'll break up in this wind," added another, "and if they
don't drown, they'll freeze before the floe comes in close enough for
them to land."

From the first announcement of his friends' peril, Captain had been
thinking rapidly. His body, sore from his long trip and aching from
the hug of his recent encounter, cried woefully for rest, but his
voice rose calm and clear:

"We've got to get them off," he said. "Who will go with me? Three
is enough."

The clamouring voices ceased, and the men wheeled at the sound,
gazing incredulously at the speaker. "What!"--"In this
storm?"--"You're crazy," many voices said.

He gazed appealingly at the faces before him. Brave and adventurous
men he knew them to be, jesting with death, and tempered to perils in
this land where hardship rises with the dawn, but they shook their
ragged heads hopelessly.

"We _must_ save them!" resumed Captain hotly. "Barton and I played
as children together, and if there's not a man among you who's got
the nerve to follow me--I'll go alone by Heavens!"

In the silence of the room, he pulled the cap about his ears and,
tying it snugly under his chin, drew on his huge fur mittens; then
with a scornful laugh he turned toward the door.

He paused as his eye caught the swollen face of Big George. Blood
had stiffened in the heavy creases of his face like rusted stringers
in a ledge, while his mashed and discoloured lips protruded thickly.
His hair gleamed red, and the sweat had dried upon his naked
shoulders, streaked with dirt and flecked with spots of blood, yet
the battered features shone with the unconquered, fearless light of a
rough, strong man.

Captain strode to him with outstretched hand. "You're a man," he
said. "You've got the nerve, George, and you'll go with me, won't
you?"

"What! Me?" questioned the sailor vaguely. His wondering glance
left Captain, and drifted round the circle of shamed and silent
faces--then he straightened stiffly and cried: "Will I go with you?
Certainly! I'll go to ---- with you."

Ready hands harnessed the dogs, dragged from protected nooks whe