Ed threw a handful of tea into the
simmering teakettle, "do you know what Jimmy did?"

"Why, yes. He fell into the sea, and would have perished if you hadn't
been so prompt in making a human fishhook of yourself."

"What I did wasn't anything any one wouldn't have done," declared Bobby
deprecatingly.

"But we were on that cake of ice and it began to turn over, and Jimmy
jumped into the water to save me. If we'd both gone in we'd both have
drowned, for we couldn't have got out with our _netseks_ on in that
paralyzing cold, and Jimmy knew it, so he just jumped in to save me, and
I'm sure he never expected to get out himself. That's the greatest thing
anybody could have done."

"Jumped in to save you? My partner a hero, too! I knew it was in him,
though. You're a pair of the bravest chaps I ever knew, and I'm proud of
you both," and Skipper Ed's voice sounded strange and choky.

"Oh, it was nothing for me to do! I was safe on the end of the line! I
was sure of getting out--but Jimmy!"

"Here," said Skipper Ed, "is some fine tender seal meat and a hard
biscuit. Drink down this hot tea. It's good for you. And stop talking. I
know what you did, you young husky."

Bobby laughed, and sipped the steaming tea.

Jimmy always insisted that he would have gone into the water anyhow when
the ice turned over, and therefore had no choice, and deserved no credit
for what he did, but that Bobby did a very brave act. And Bobby insisted
that Jimmy had risked his life to save his, and was the bravest chap in
the world. And Skipper Ed insisted that both lads were wonderful heroes.
So it comes about that you and I will have to decide for ourselves which
was right, and who was the hero.

CHAPTER XXII

A STORM AND A CATASTROPHE

True to his promise, Bobby was up the next morning bright and early, and
awoke Skipper Ed as he moved about, lighting the lamp and hanging the
kettle of snow to melt for tea, and the kettle containing cooked seal
meat, to thaw, for it had frozen hard in the night. Then, while he
waited for these to heat, he crawled back into his sleeping bag.

"How are you feeling after your Arctic dip?" inquired Skipper Ed.

"As fine as could be!" answered Bobby. "My fingers were nipped a little,
and they're a bit numb. That's the only way I'd know, from the way I
feel, that I'd been in the water."

"You're a regular tough young husky!" declared Skipper Ed. "But it was a
narrow escape, and we can thank God for t