nt inside.

"Well," said Wak Wak, "I'm glad I'm not a wolf. That's the greatest
fight I have ever seen."

But Kernel Cob put his sword away and lay down to finish his sleep as
if nothing had happened.

In the morning when they got up they went outside and counted the
wolves and they numbered two thousand, three hundred and twenty-one.

But Kernel Cob turned his head away, for brave people are always
modest and cannot bear to hear themselves praised.

Later in the day Wak Wak took them to a friend of his, a pack-dog that
he knew. A fine chap he was, and when he had heard our little friends'
story, he was very willing to help them.

"If you can rig up a sled I'll take you to the North Pole, and very
gladly."

"Why can't we sit on your back?" asked Jackie Tar.

"I can't bear to have anything on my back," answered Speed, for that
was his name.

"I guess I can take care of the sled," said Jackie Tar, "if I can find
some scraps of wood."

"There are some staves of an old barrel not far from here," said
Speed, "and if you will come with me, you can see for yourselves if
they will do."

So they went with him, and Jackie Tar found them very good indeed, and
in a short while had tied them together.

So they hopped on, sitting one behind the other, Sweetclover in the
middle, and waving good-bye to Wak Wak, they soon were gliding over
the ice at a great clip.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXI

Over the ice they went like lightning, drawn by the pack-dog, Speed.

"I don't know of any name that would be better for him," said
Sweetclover.

"He goes as swiftly as the Condor did, do you remember?"

Kernel Cob did remember, but he didn't want Sweetclover to think any
more about the past for, thought he: "If she remembers the Condor she
will remember the Villain, and the first thing you know we will be
swimming in her tears and I can't stand crying. It makes me very
angry."

So he drew her attention to the scenery, although there was precious
little of that, only ice.

"I wonder where we are," said Jackie Tar, and he looked at his
compass. "Whoa," he cried excitedly, and Speed came to a stop and sat
down on the ice.

"Here we are," said Jackie Tar.

"Here?" asked Kernel Cob. "Where?"

"The North Pole," said Jackie Tar.

"I don't see any pole," said Kernel Cob, and Jackie Tar laughed till
the tears ran down his cheeks and fell off in little icicles. "You
didn't suppose there really was a pole, did you?