old face within an inch of the other's and grimly
said: "If they hadn't stopped me, I'd beat you into dog-meat this
morning, and if you don't quit this snivelling I'll do it yet. Now
get in there and paddle to beat ---- or you'll never make it back.
Quick!"

"I'll come back for you then, George, if I live to the shore,"
Captain cried, while the other slid the burdened canoe into the icy
waters.

As they drove the boat into the storm, Captain realized the
difficulty of working their way against the gale. On him fell the
added burden of holding their course into the wind and avoiding the
churning ice cakes. The spray whipped into his face like shot, and
froze as it clung to his features. He strained at his paddle till
the sweat soaked out of him and the cold air filled his aching lungs.

Unceasingly the merciless frost cut his face like a keen blade, till
he felt the numb paralysis which told him his features were hardening
under the touch of the cold.

An arm's length ahead the shoulders of the Kid protruded from the
deck hole where he had sunk again into the death sleep, while Barton,
in the forward seat, leaned wearily on his ice-clogged paddle,
moaning as he strove to shelter his face from the sting of the
blizzard.

An endless time they battled with the storm, slowly gaining, foot by
foot, till in the darkness ahead they saw the wall of shore ice and
swung into its partial shelter.

Dragging the now unconscious Sullivan from the boat, Captain rolled
and threshed him, while Barton, too weak and exhausted to assist,
feebly strove to warm his stiffened limbs.

In answer to their signals, the team appeared, maddened by the lash
of the squaw. Then they wrapped Sullivan in warm robes, and forced
scorching brandy down his throat, till he coughed weakly and begged
them to let him rest.

"You must hurry him to the Indian village," directed Captain. "He'll
only lose some fingers and toes now, maybe; but you've got to hurry!"

"Aren't you coming, too?" queried Barton. "We'll hire some Eskimos
to go after George. I'll pay 'em anything."

"No, I'm going back to him now; he'd freeze before we could send
help, and, besides, they wouldn't come out in the storm and the dark."

"But you can't work that big canoe alone. If you get out there and
don't find him you'll never get back. Charlie! let me go, too," he
said; then apologized. "I'm afraid I won't last, though; I'm too
weak."

The squaw, who had questio