en up and badly bruised. After that he took good
care to take his naps on the sleds in less dangerous places.

Sam had a worse adventure than that. One day, while running behind and
driving his train and cheerily talking to his dogs, he had the
misfortune to step through the thin ice into an air hole. He
fortunately had presence of mind enough to throw out his arms, and so,
as the hole was a small one, he only went in up to his armpits. That,
however, was quite enough, as the temperature was many degrees below
zero. He was speedily pulled out and cared for by the Indian drivers.
They quickly threw all the fish from Alec's sled, and, taking the three
buffalo robes which the boys were accustomed to use on the outward
trips, carefully wrapped Sam in them, and securely tied him on it. Then
they said:--

"Now, Master Alec, here is your chance to show the speed of your dogs.
Hang on securely yourself, and see how quickly you can make the ten-mile
trip from here to Sagasta-weekee."

Alec needed no other incentive than the desire to get his beloved Sam
home as quickly as possible. The boys all dearly loved each other, and
a serious accident to one gave sorrow to the other two. The cold was
intense, and it was necessary that Sam should be taken home as speedily
as possible. The weight of the two boys was but little to the active-
spirited dogs, and so when the sharp cracks of the whip sounded around
them, but not on them, and the urgent cries of "Marche! Marche!" with
unusual emphasis kept ringing out from the lips of their master, they
seemed at once to realise that something unusual was the matter; and as
it was also on the home stretch, away they flew at a rate that soon left
the heavily loaded sleds far behind.

In less than an hour's time the distance was covered. Sam was soon in
the hands of loving, experienced friends who knew just what to do, and
so in a day or two he was out again, none the worse for his adventure.

The skating was simply perfect. Just fancy miles and miles of ice,
smooth as glass and stretching out over lake and river in every
direction; no pent-up little pond or skating rink where in a few hours
the ice is ruined by the crowd or melted by the rising temperature.
Here were great lakes and rivers of it that lasted for months. Lakes
full of beautiful islands, whose shores not long ago were lapped by the
murmuring, laughing waves, are now gripped, as in fetters of steel, by
the Frost Kin