ling to
feed them in the fall, after the fishing season was ended. And to
compensate him for caring for the dogs, he had them to haul his winter's
wood in from the forest, before returning them to Skipper Zeb, which he
always did after the bay was frozen and his fall hauling was finished.

In summer, with no work to do, and as much to eat as ever they wished,
the dogs were sleek and fat and lazy, and quite harmless. But with the
close of the fishing season they were given but one meal a day, and that
in the evening, and only enough to keep them strong and in good
condition, for fat dogs will not work well.

With frosty weather and less food they roused from their lethargy. Then
it was that they became savage, snapping creatures, with no more
affection for man than has the wild wolf, which was their ancestor. Long
Tom Ham declared that Skipper Zeb's dogs were the most "oncivil team of
dogs he ever knew."

Toby and Charley, a week after the big storm, were returning home at
midday after a morning in the forest setting marten traps, when, just as
they came around the corner of the cabin, and the bay below them came
into view, Toby exclaimed:

"There's Skipper Tom comin' with the dogs and komatik!"[6]

For the first time in his life Charley saw dogs in harness. They were
still a half mile away, the animals spread out in fan-shaped formation,
and trotting leisurely. As they approached nearer the cabin they broke
into a run, as though eager to reach their destination, and with short
yelps swung off of the ice and came charging up to the cabin where
Charley and Toby were awaiting them.

Skipper Tom Ham, his beard encrusted with ice, disembarked from the
komatik, and Charley thought him the tallest man he had ever seen.

"'Ere I ham, and 'ow are you hall?" greeted Skipper Tom through his ice
mask, as he extended a hand to Toby and then to Charley.

"We're all well," said Toby. "Were you gettin' your wood all hauled?"

"Aye, hall my wood is 'auled, and I'm most thankful I 'ad the dogs to
'aul un, and most thankful to be rid of un. So Hi'm twice thankful,"
said Skipper Tom following Toby and Charley into the house to join them
at dinner, picking the ice from his beard as he talked.

"Them's the most honcivil dogs I knows," remarked Skipper Tom, as he
ate. "Hi comes 'ome from my traps last hevenin' and I sees Martha
sittin' hup on the scaffold where I keeps the dog meat, and the dogs
hall haround lookin' at 'er. When sh