Bay, a solid held of ice again, as it was when Bob
first saw it, stretched away unbroken and white to the northward.

No time was lost in making preparations for their escape. The komatiks
were packed at once with the camp goods and the little food that still
remained, the dogs were harnessed and a quick march took them safely
to the mainland.

Here the Eskimos had an ample cache of seal and walrus meat killed
earlier in the season. New igloos were built, as the old ones in use
before they transferred to the island were not considered comfortable,
the previous occupancy having softened the interior snow, which was
now encrusted with a thin glaze of ice and this glaze prevented a free
circulation of air.

Bob wanted to go on without delay but Akonuk and Matuk had found none
of the Eskimos willing to proceed with him. It was therefore necessary
for them to go with him until another camp was reached, and they
insisted upon delaying the start a day in order as they said to give
the dogs a good feed and get them in better shape for the journey, as
they for some time had been fed only each alternate day instead of
every day as was customary, and even then had received but half their
usual portion. This seemed quite reasonable, but when Bob saw his
friends a little later consuming raw seal meat themselves in enormous
quantities, he concluded that the dogs were not the only object of
their consideration.

They were still busily engaged arranging their new quarters when one
of the Eskimos called the attention of the others to a black object
far out upon the ice in the direction from which they had come. Slowly
it tottered towards them and in a little while it was made out to be
old Chealuk, who had been in hiding somewhere on the island. The poor
old woman, nearly starved and with frozen hands and feet, was barely
able to drag herself into camp. Some of the men protested against
receiving her but she was finally permitted to enter the igloos and
take up her old place, though with the understanding that she should
leave again immediately at the first indication of Torngak's
displeasure.

It was a great relief to Bob to know that she had not perished. The
old woman had only been able to keep from freezing to death, as he
learned, by hollowing out a place in a snow-bank in which to lie and
letting the snow drift thickly over her and remaining there until the
storm had spent itself.

"Sure I'm glad t' see she back again," th