rom Ogdensburg. It was now near sundown, but still they figured
that by an effort they could reach the goal that night. It was their
best day's travel, but they were nerved to it by the sense of triumph as
they trotted; and the prospective joy of marching up to the commandant
and handing over the eagerly looked for, reassuring documents, gave
them new strength and ambition. Yes! they must push on at any price that
night. Day was over now; Rolf was leading at a steady trot. In his hand
he held the long trace of his toboggan, ten feet behind was Quonab with
the short trace, while Skookum trotted before, beside, or behind, as was
dictated by his general sense of responsibility.

It was quite dark now. There was no moon, the wooded shore was black.
Their only guide was the broad, wide reach of the river, sometimes swept
bare of snow by the wind, but good travelling at all times. They were
trotting and walking in spells, going five miles an hour; Quonab was
suffering, but Rolf was young and eager to finish. They rounded another
reach, they were now on the last big bend, they were reeling off the
miles; only ten more, and Rolf was so stirred that, instead of dropping
to the usual walk on signal at the next one hundred yards spell, he
added to his trot. Quonab, taken unawares, slipped and lost his hold of
the trace. Rolf shot ahead and a moment later there was the crash of a
breaking air-hole, and Rolf went through the ice, clutched at the broken
edge and disappeared, while the toboggan was dragged to the hole.

Quonab sprung to his feet, and then to the lower side of the hole.
The toboggan had swung to the same place and the long trace was tight;
without a moment's delay the Indian hauled at it steadily, heavily, and
in a few seconds the head of his companion reappeared; still clutching
that long trace he was safely dragged from the ice-cold flood, blowing
and gasping, shivering and sopping, but otherwise unhurt.

Now here a new danger presented itself. The zero wind would soon turn
his clothes to boards. They stiffened in a few minutes, and the Indian
knew that frozen hands and feet were all too easy in frozen clothes.

He made at once for the shore, and, seeking the heart of a spruce
thicket, lost no time in building two roaring fires between which Rolf
stood while the Indian made the bed, in which, as soon as he could be
stripped, the lad was glad to hide. Warm tea and warm blankets made
him warm, but it would take an ho