rom fear of the rending and
bending ice as the cracking whip.

They had not advanced twenty yards when one of the sledge-runners broke
through. This brought them to a sudden halt. Next moment the sledge
went down, and Angut found himself struggling with the dogs in the sea.
Fortunately Rooney, being near the back part of the sledge, was able to
roll off in a sort of back-somersault before the vehicle was quite
submerged. Even in the act he did not forget Kannoa. He made a blind
grasp at her in passing, but found her not, for that remarkable woman,
at the first alarm, and being well aware of what was coming, had
sprawled off at the rear, and was already on the ice in safety.

The two now set to work to rescue Angut and the dogs. The former had
cut the latter free from the sledge, so that it was not difficult to
haul them out along with their master. For it must be remembered that,
although the thin ice had failed to bear the sledge, it was sufficiently
strong to support the individuals singly.

To get the sledge out of the water was, however, a matter of much
greater difficulty, but they accomplished it in the course of an hour or
so. The process of doing this helped to dry Angut's garments, which was
fortunate. It was also fortunate that the sharp spring frost, which had
set fast the space of open water, had by that time given way, so that
there was no fear of evil consequences from the ducking either to dogs
or man.

But now came the serious question, What was to be done?

"It is of no use trying it again," said Angut, in a frame of mind
amounting almost to despair.

"Could we not send Kannoa back with the sledge, and you and I make sail
after them on foot?" asked Rooney.

Angut shook his head despondingly.

"Of no use," he said; "they have the best dogs in our village. As well
might a rabbit pursue a deer. No; there is but one course. The
land-ice is impassable, but the floes out on the sea seem still to be
fast. If they break up while we are on them we shall be lost. Will
Ridroonee agree to take old Kannoa back to her friends, and I will go
forward with the sledge alone?"

"What say you, Kannoa?" asked Rooney, turning to the old woman with a
half-humorous look.

"Kannoa says she will live or die with Angut and Ridroonee," she replied
firmly.

"You're a trump!" exclaimed the seaman in English. Then, turning to the
Eskimo--

"You see, Angut, it's impossible to get rid of us, so up anchor,