ns at she and the seal," said Toby. "You'll be
haulin' the one you likes to haul best, and I'll be haulin' the other.
But I thinks this un'll be easier to haul than the seal. She'll be
slippin' over the ice wonderful easy. We'll be lashin' the outfit on the
sticks across the oar blades on the other end. 'Twill be light. We
hasn't much of un to take. We'll cache the other pair of oars here for
Dad to pick up next year when he's comin' up with the boat."

"All right," agreed Charley. "This rig will be dead easy to walk with on
the ice, and I think I'll take it and let you drag the seal, if you
don't mind."

"I'll be goin' ahead with the seal, if you likes the rig," planned Toby,
"and I'll take a stick to try the ice, so we'll be keepin' abroad from
any bad ice."

"You're wonderful, Toby!" exclaimed Charley admiringly. "I never would
have thought of fixing up a rig like this."

"'Twill be easier'n packin' the outfit on our backs," remarked Toby.

Under ordinary conditions Charley would have found the fishy flavour of
the seal's liver, and the still more highly flavoured flippers
objectionable, if not offensive, to his taste. But now he pronounced
them delectable, and his revived appetite found no grounds for complaint
or criticism. During the day they consumed the liver, and for the
evening meal a pair of flippers.

With the skin still in place that it might protect the meat and carcass
of the seal in dragging it over the ice, Toby cut some liberal slices of
meat in preparation for the frying pan in the morning, that there might
be no delay. He also prepared an extra portion for the next day's
luncheon, which he said they could eat cold.

Before they retired to their sleeping bags, Toby again led the way to
the ice, and tried it with his ax. It was fully two inches thick.

"She's fine and tough, and she's makin' for thickness fast," Toby
announced delightedly. "She'll be twice as thick by marnin', whatever!
She'd hold us now! Salt water ice is a wonderful sight tougher'n fresh
water ice."

[Illustration: SKIPPER ZEB'S OAR BROKE, AND THE BOAT WAS DRIVEN UPON A
ROCK.]

That night, snug in his sleeping bag, Charley recalled the many
adventures that had befallen him since his arrival at Pinch-In Tickle
nearly a month before. One peril after another had beset him, and now,
the worst of all, threatened starvation upon this desolate island, was
about to end, and he thanked God silently for his deliverance.

To the d