st upon
which the skin had been slightly bruised, and he assisted me to my feet.

The native laughed.

"Kyak no good--riding--heap better run," he said.

"That's so, Ituk, but my feet are very cold."

"Get warm quick--you running," was his reply, and we started on again.

When five or six miles from Chinik the water became more troublesome,
and our progress was slow. We were wading through holes, leaping over
seams, and treading through slush and water. It was colder than the
night before, a thin skin of ice was forming, but not firm enough to
hold one up. I was cold and cuddled into the sled with Mollie, but the
two natives running alongside were continually sitting upon the rail to
get a short ride instead of walking, thus loading the sled too heavily
upon one side, and we were soon all tumbled into water a foot deep.

As I went over I threw out my arm to save myself, and my sleeve was
soaked through in an instant. Koki and Muky thought it great fun, and
laughed and shouted in glee, but to me it was a little too serious. My
clothes were wet through on my right side, and I was now obliged to run
whether I wanted to do so or not, for we were fully a mile from home. My
gloves and handkerchief were soaked with water, and I threw them away,
thrusting my hands into my jacket pockets and running to keep up with
the others.

We were now wading and leaping across frequent lanes, and were more in
the water than upon the ice. The sharp eyes of the natives had discerned
the shore line well bordered by open water, and they were wondering how
they would get across. Finally we could get no farther, and were a
hundred feet from the beach.

"Dogs can swim," said Mollie, sententiously, as was her habit.

"How will you and I get on shore, Mollie?" I asked anxiously.

"Ituk, big man,--he carry you, may be," answered Mollie, roguishly, with
a twinkle.

"But," I continued seriously, "how deep is the water, anyway, Koki?"
seeing that he had been wading in to find out.

"Him not much deep. We walk all right,--'bout up here," and the native
placed his hand half way between his knee and thigh to show the depth,
then walking a little farther down towards the hotel he seemed to find a
better place, and called for all to follow, which we did.

The men waded across to the shore, stepping upon stones which now and
then, at this point, were embedded in the sand, Mollie boldly following
their example. All wore high-skin boots, coming f