On his face again, Polaris called encouragement to the huskies. Barking loudly, the dogs sprang high, leaping repeatedly at the face of the wall. One by one, the man caught them in the air as they leaped, and raised them to the upper floor.
Half carrying the exhausted Scoland, Polaris hurried along the passage to the ropes, and made him fast. Fearing that the captain was too weak to effect his own release from the tackle, Janess climbed the rope to the lip of the chasm. Again he exerted his tireless strength and hauled the other to the surface.
Scoland rolled weakly into the snow.
"Brandy," he muttered; "there's a flask in the back of the sledge. Can you reach it?"
Polaris found and fetched the flask. Scoland took a long pull at the fiery spirit. Seeing Janess about to lower himself over the rock again, he asked:
"What are you going to do?"
"Fetch up the dogs," Polaris answered.
"Let the damned brutes go, and get me back to the camp. I'm nearly all in."
Polaris eyed him narrowly.
"Not so," he said shortly. "They are good dogs. Were it not for three of them I think you would not now be living." He slipped down the side of the crevasse.