o Sam than he fairly
shouted out:

"This is my plan. Now I will have a story to tell that will sound well
in dear, darling Dublin."

It was well for him that an axe and ice chisel, which he had been using
in cutting a hole in the ice the day before, were still lying in his
cariole. With these in his possession there came a feeling of elation
in his heart, and he fairly shouted with delight at the position in
which he found himself. With great zeal he set to work, and having
placed his dogs in what he imagined was a safe position, he first
carefully marked out around them a line to indicate where he was to
chop. Industriously he set to work. But, O dear!--well, it was hard
work. Soon off came his outer coat, then he threw down his mittens, and
his fur cap followed next. Bravely he toiled, until his hands were
about blistered and his back sore. To his great disgust he found out
that not one tenth part of the task was accomplished, and yet he was
about tired out. He had selected the firmest ice he could find, in
order that his raft might be perfectly safe. While this was a wise
thing to do, and would have been all right if there had been sufficient
strength available to cut it out, it was a mistake on the part of Sam,
and so he realised when he had toiled until weary. But he was not
disheartened, and so resolved to try and find a place where the sun's
rays could be utilised. Straightening out his dogs, he drove along the
ice for a mile or so before he reached a place that seemed to suit him.
When he had found what he thought would do he set to work at once, for
the day was now advancing.

The spot selected was a solid-looking piece of ice not much longer or
wider each way than his dogs and cariole. It projected somewhat into
the water, and on the icy side were several dark places where the ice
was rotten, on account of its crystallisation by the sun's rays. Here
Sam with renewed vigour set to work. He made rapid progress, and found
that all he had to do was to cut the firm ice that lay between these
different dark spots where the ice had lost all of its cohesive power
Sam found ere he had finished that his dogs were getting strangely
nervous, and to keep them from rushing off he had to turn the train
around and tie them to the cariole. While doing this he discovered the
cause of their fear, and was also thankful that he was with them in the
middle of his now floating raft. The strong wind blowing direct