ding
to Joe's reckoning, and both he and the dogs were practically exhausted.
There was no food for man nor beast, so Joe once more had recourse to
the dogs. He had to kill one of his favorite dogs. This was the only
part of the story in which Joe showed any trace of excitement or
sentiment. The killing of that favorite dog was evidently a very hard
task for Joe.

"After only four hours' rest, Joe and the only dog left took up their
burden. By this time Howling Wolf was in a regular delirium, caused by
his injured leg and his privations. Joe struggled on all that day and
far into the night. According to his calculations, he traveled nearly
sixteen hours. In his naive way, Joe excused himself for not keeping on
farther by stating that his dog finally gave out completely and he had
to stop. With no food again, Joe took to eating the leather straps that
had bound the grub on the sled. Then the dog suddenly went mad shortly
after midnight and Joe was compelled to shoot him in self-defense. By
hard work, he got a fire and made a good stew of dog's meat. A good meal
of this also had a very stimulating effect on Howling Wolf, who quieted
down and went to sleep. Without waiting for the morning, Joe hurried on,
but the snow was deep and he made but very slow progress.

"In the intervals between his delirium, the stoic Indian urged Joe to
leave him and hurry on. Joe makes no hero of himself, but he refused to
do this, stating that they would either both reach Escoumains or neither
of them would get there. In this way, Joe struggled on for two days
more, living on the remains of the dog. This at last gave out. Joe now
found himself only twenty miles away from Escoumains and he felt that if
he could only hold out another day, he might get to some place of
safety. Thus, starving, but determinedly dragging his injured friend,
Joe staggered on. That night he eased the pangs of hunger by chewing on
an old pair of moccasins that he found at the bottom of the sled.
Howling Wolf also chewed away and cheered on his friend for, though he
did not feel that Joe should still keep on dragging him along, he felt
that if he would do it that it was his duty to keep up Joe's spirits.
They both slept a few hours that night and long before dawn Joe was
toiling away.

"At last, tired and exhausted, nature would have her due. Joe became
merely a driveling maniac, urged along by an insane desire to make
progress. At times he would wander round and ro