stinging particles into
their faces.

"My feet haven't any more feeling in them," said Fred at length, "and my
hands are like wooden ones."

"Is that so?" asked Mr. Baxter quickly. "Then you must get off and run a
bit. Your circulation is going back on you, and you'll be frost-bitten
if you don't look out. We'll all get off and run beside the sleds. That
will warm us up. In about an hour we will stop and have tea."

"I should think coffee would be better," suggested Fred.

"Tea is the best drink in all cold countries," replied the old gold
hunter. "Coffee is too stimulating, but tea warms you up without doing
any harm. In Russia, when a man gets chilled through, he will often
drink seventeen or eighteen glasses of hot tea, one right after the
other. They use glasses instead of cups there."

"I guess one or two will be all I can stand," replied Jerry. "I'm no
great hand for tea."

"You'll like it up here," said his father, and he was right.

Mr. Baxter called to Holfax to stop the dog teams, and the four
travelers got off. They were all so cold and stiff they could hardly
stand, but a little motion soon started the blood to circulating, and
they felt better. The dogs were driven at a slower pace, and the gold
hunters ran alongside of the sleds.

When thoroughly warmed through Mr. Baxter called a halt and got out the
alcohol stove to make tea. For water they used melted snow, and then Mr.
Baxter cautioned the boys and Johnson against ever eating snow or ice
when thirsty. It would cause sore mouths, he said, and they would suffer
great pain.

It seemed rather strange to sit down out of doors in that icy region and
drink hot tea, but every one admitted that it was an excellent drink.
Then the journey was resumed until a sudden increase in the gloom warned
the travelers that night was coming on.

"We'll make camp now," said Mr. Baxter, and he gave the orders to
Holfax.

The Indians drew the sleds up in the form of a square, and when robes
were spread over them, this would form their shelter. As for the
others, the tent was erected, snow being piled around the bottom to
keep out the wind. Then, when the alcohol stove was set up inside and a
simple meal started, the place was more warm and cozy than one would at
first suppose was possible.

"Why, I believe it's warm enough to take off our fur coats," said Fred.

"Yes, you can do that," spoke the old miner. "We'll get into our
sleeping bags soon."

The India