oon made an excuse to go outside and
lend a hand in unpacking and helping Akonuk and Matuk make their own
snow house ready.

There were no boughs here for a bed, as the island sustained no growth
whatever, and in place of the boughs the dog harness was spread about
before the deerskins were put down. In a little while the place was
made quite comfortable.

It was not until they sat down to supper that Bob realized fully the
serious position they were in. Akonuk and Matuk, after much
difficulty, for he could understand their Eskimo tongue so
imperfectly, explained to him that there was no means of reaching the
mainland as there were no boats on the island, and that after the food
they had was eaten there would be no means of procuring more, as the
island had no game upon it. They also told him that no one would be
passing the island until summer and that there was therefore no hope
of outside rescue.

But one chance of escape was possible. If the wind were to shift to
the northward and hold there long enough it would probably drive the
ice back into the bay and then it would quickly freeze and they could
reach the mainland. This their only hope, at this season of the year,
for March was nearly spent, was a scant one.

XX

PRISONERS OF THE SEA

The party of Eskimos that Bob and his companions found encamped upon
the island had come from the Kangeva mainland to spear seals through
the animals' breathing holes in the ice, which in this part of the bay
were more numerous than on the mainland side. In the few days since
they had established themselves here they had met with some success,
and had accumulated a sufficient store of meat and blubber to keep
them and their dogs for a month or so, but further seal hunting, or
hunting of any kind, was now out of the question, as no animal life
existed on the island itself, and without boats with which to go upon
the water the people were quite helpless in this respect.

Limited as was their supply of provisions, however, they unselfishly
offered to share with Bob and his two companions the little they had,
as is the custom with people who have not learned the harder ways of
civilization and therefore live pretty closely to the Golden Rule.
This hospitality was a considerable strain upon their resources, for
the twelve dogs in addition to their own would require no small amount
of flesh and fat to keep them even half-way fed; and the whale meat
that had been brought