are blindly for a time. Then
consciousness returned, there was a look of joy flashing out, and he
uttered the words hoarsely:

"Dal! Saved!"

"Yes, yes, all right, old lad, thanks to these true fellows here. How
are you?"

"Arms, hands, and legs burning and throbbing horribly. I can hardly
bear the pain."

The big Cornishman laughed.

"Only the hot-ache, my son," he said merrily. "That's a splendid sign.
You're not frost-bitten."

"God bless you for all you have done," cried Abel, catching at the big
fellow's hand. "I couldn't hold out any longer."

"Of course you couldn't. Why, your pluck was splendid."

"Thank him, Dal," cried Abel. "He has saved my life."

"Yah! Fudge! Gammon! Stuff! We don't want no thanking. You two lads
would have done the same. We don't want to be preached at. Tommy
Bruff, my son, what do you say to a fire, setting the billy to boil, and
a bit o' brax'uss?"

"Same as you do, laddie. Cup o' tea'll be about the right thing for
these two."

There was plenty of scrub pine at hand, swept down by the snow-fall, and
sticking out here and there. Axes were got to work, and soon after the
two sufferers were seated, covered with fur-lined coats, and revelling
in the glow of the fire, over which a big tin was steaming, while their
new friends were busy bringing out cake, bread, tea, and bacon from
their store in the partly unpacked sledge.

The big, bearded Cornishman had started a black pipe, and while his
companions replenished the fire and prepared for the meal, he sat on a
doubled-up piece of tarpaulin, and wiped, dried, and polished picks,
shovels, and axes ready for repacking. Every now and then he paused to
smile a big, happy, innocent-looking smile at the two who had been
rescued, just as if he thoroughly enjoyed what had been done, and then,
suddenly dropping the axe he was finishing, caught up a little measure
of dry tea, and shouting, "There, she boils!" tossed it into the tin
over the fire, lifted it off, and set it aside, and then laid the
freshly polished tools on the sledge.

Soon after, refreshed by the tins of hot tea, the rescued pair were able
to give an account of their adventures, the new-comers listening eagerly
and making their comments.

"Ho!" said the big Cornishman, frowning. "I expected we should come
across some rough 'uns, but I didn't think it was going to be so bad as
that. Scared, mates?"

"No," said one of his companions; "not yet."