Their old enemies came dashing down the hillside as the expedition took up its march, and stood upon the beach, seeming greatly astonished at the departure of the people at the cottage. Rex barked an angry farewell, which caused them to race out upon the ice as though to punish him for his impertinence; but they stopped short of bullet-range, greatly to Tug's disgust, and presently turned and trotted back to resume their wild career. When last seen they were prowling about the deserted house, trying to push their way into the door, or to break through the glass of the little window. I have no doubt they succeeded; and I hope that they managed to exist until the fishermen came the next summer and took them off, for, after all, these dogs knew no different way of acting, and therefore could not be blamed for their savagery, even though it was needful that our heroes should guard against it.
The ice was in good condition, and the skaters made fair progress, so that by noon the dusky line of the mainland was plainly visible ahead.
At last Jim called out that he couldn't skate another stroke, and threw himself down, utterly "done for." Aleck ordered a halt at once, and began to build a small fire—for fuel had not been forgotten. Nobody understood how fatigued they had become by the unwonted exercise in their weak condition, until they found that an hour's halt seemed of little account, and decided to make it two. After that they went on slowly and lamely until near sundown, by which time the island had almost disappeared, and the mainland was growing distinct. Then they camped, stewing snow-birds for supper, and making a big corn-meal cake, which they baked in the skillet. Immediately afterwards beds were made up on the cargo, underneath the canvas, and each one slept as well as he could.
The next day several hummocks stood in the way, and just about noon they came to a channel of open water about a mile wide. It was not rough, and they slid their boat over the edge of the ice into the water without any difficulty.
"If we had only known enough to have made us a good boat of this shape before starting, we should have got along much better," Aleck told them, and they all agreed with him, talking it over while they picked a few lean, and very cool bird-bones for luncheon before beginning the ferriage.
The load sank the weak scow so deeply that the water ran into cracks in her side, despite their calking; and as they were afraid to embark the whole expedition, two trips were made. This was slow and freezing work; and when finally all had got across, and had skated on about a mile, everybody was so cold and tired and sore that a camp was made under the shelter of a tall hummock. Aleck comforted the pride of the younger ones, who worried over their exhaustion, by telling them it was because they were so nearly starved; but this was poor consolation, they thought, so long as there seemed no chance for any increase in their supplies, or means of regaining their strength.
"Now," he remarked, "see what we have for supper to-night—two snow-birds and a small piece of corn-bread apiece. That would not make a full meal for one of us. If any accident prevents our getting ashore to-morrow I don't know what we shall do, for we have only enough food for breakfast, and a 'powerful weak' one at that!"
"That's hardest on me," said Tug, "for breakfast is my strong point. If I can have only one meal a day, I want to take it in the morning."
"That'll be your fix to-morrow, I guess," was the gloomy rejoinder.