se other fellows told
him his feet would toughen quicker if he didn't use them? The
consequence is they are simply raw from blisters, and every step he
takes must be like treading on knives."

"It has been tedious at times," admitted Jalap Coombs. "And under the
sarcumstances I don't know but what I'd rather have one pair of feet
than fourteen, or even half the number."

"Isn't it good to have old Jalap with us once more?" asked Phil of
Serge, after they had turned in that night.

"Indeed it is; but do you notice how he has changed?"

"I should say I had. He is like a salt-water fish suddenly dropped into
a fresh-water pond. He'll come out all right, though, especially if we
can only get his feet into shape again."

That night the mercury fell to 59 deg. below zero, and the next morning
even Phil, impatient as he was to proceed, had not the heart to order men
or dogs out into that bitter air before sunrise. With that, however, the
mercury began slowly to rise, and when it had crept up 19 deg., or to only
40 deg. below, the young leader declared the weather to be warm enough for
anybody. So he ordered the sledges to be got ready, and when the one
drawn by his own team came dashing up to the door, he announced that Mr.
Coombs's fourteen pair of feet were at his service. He also politely
requested the sailor-man to crawl into a big fur-lined bag with which
the sledge was provided, and make himself comfortable.

"But, Phil," demurred the other, "I ain't no passenger to be tucked up
in a steamer-cheer on deck. I'm shipped for this v'y'ge as one of the
crew."

"Very well," replied Phil. "Then of course you will obey orders without
a murmur, for I remember hearing you say, when we were aboard the
_Seamew_, that even if a captain were to order his whole crew to knit
bedquilts or tidies, they'd be bound to obey to the best of their
ability."

"Sartain," admitted the other. "I got that from old Kite Roberson, which
bedquilts _and_ tidies were his very words." Then, without further
remonstrance, the crippled sailor stepped to the sledge, slid feet first
into the big bag, and lay there like an animated mummy, with the hood of
his parka drawn close about his face. Its encircling fringe of long wolf
hair, added to his preternatural gravity of countenance, gave him such a
comical expression that the boys could not help shouting with laughter
as Kurilla cracked his great whip and the dogs sprang away with their
new burden.