y. Wade had become
very unwell. He had taken cold from his drenching, and was shivering
and feverish by turns. His courage, too, was clean down to zero. He
_knew_ we should never see home again, and didn't seem to care whether
he lived or not. That is about as bad a way as a fellow can get into
ever. I was little better than sick myself; and, while the others went
off after eggs and game, I stayed to keep the fire going and take care
of Wade. No small stint I had of it too; for he was peevish and touchy
as a young badger. I knew he ought to take something hot of the
herb-tea sort, and so started off and gathered a dipperful of the
tea-plant leaves. Then, getting a lump of ice, I melted it, and made a
strong dish of the "tea." Wade was lying under the shelter, face down
into his coat-sleeve. Carrying in the steaming dipper, I told him I
thought he had better take some of it: it would, I hoped, help his
cold, &c.

No: he wouldn't touch it!

I then reasoned a while. This not having any perceptible effect, I
next resorted to coaxing.

No: he wouldn't drink the stinking stuff!

Now, no doctor, I take it, likes to have his potions called "stinking
stuff." I began to remonstrate; and from that--not being in a very
amiable frame of mind--I ere long got mad, and was on the point of
pitching into the sufferer, when it occurred to me that for a doctor
to be caught thrashing his patient would be a very unbecoming
spectacle! So I contented myself with giving him a "setting-up;"
calling him, according to the best of my recollections, supported by
the subsequent testimony of the patient, an "ungrateful dog," "peep,"
"nincompoop," _et als._: after listening to which for a space, Wade
got up and drank the _tea_. Peace was immediately restored with this
act of obedience; and I proceeded to get him to bed. Pulling down the
boat, I filled it half up with such of the shrubs and moss as had not
been besmirched with the blood of the walrus. Wade then got into it. I
made him a pillow of the geese-feathers by piling them into the bow
under his head, and spreading over them my pocket-handkerchief. I next
had him take off his boots, and set a hot rock from the fire at his
feet. What to cover him up with was something of a problem. I managed
it by putting on a layer of the moss, and laying the thwarts of the
boat over this. Then, feeling somewhat fatigued after my labors, I
crept in with him; and, ere long, we both went to sleep. The
hunting