Suddenly, with a fleeting return of consciousness, he recognized Ocpic. He gazed perplexedly into the malevolent face of the little Eskimo, and then he remembered.
Ocpic upraised the knife.
Broom chuckled. “Well, you damned Husky!” he said, “So I did for you all right, eh? Come now, give me my quietus and I’ll race you into hell!”
Then, as if Ocpic accepted the challenge, the knife descended.
The silence of the grave lay over the white world. There on the snow, almost side by side, lay two lifeless figures with distorted faces and eyes that stared at the stars. In the far distance was an indefinable object moving. Slowly, stealthily it approached. It was an animal. Pausing, the creature threw back its head and howled. Soon other dark objects appeared. They were wolves assembling for the feast.
CHAPTER XVII.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight. They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.” But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law. Therefore, what else could they do? What was left them to do? They would as soon have thought of questioning the wisdom of the Creator as disputing Roy’s judgment—probably sooner. For such was their habit of obedience, a habit handed down by generations of men who had been Company’s servants. In truth Sahanderry had turned positively grey with terror when Roy had decided to cross. However, though he was not one of the bravest of men, what he did was not easy. It required considerable self-control to lead the way, as was his duty, for it was like walking to almost certain death.
Since leaving the spot where they had as they thought left Broom asleep, the difficulties of their journey had grown with every passing day; indeed, the last few days’ travel, toiling ankle-deep in slush, had been very hard work, for spring had come upon them and the snow was disappearing as if by magic, and though they had not many miles to go, the nearer they approached their destination the slower had been their progress, and this had irritated Roy almost to a frenzy. Consequently the signs that should have warned him to stay had been the very things to urge him on. Clearly his usual good judgment had been at fault; and his blindness could not have been wholly responsible for this, as his hearing had been preternaturally sharpened thereby and there could have been no possible doubt as to his having heard the frequent significant explosions up the river, which had been loud enough to waken the dead, so to speak. Moreover he had had a good idea of the character of the river, therefore these recurring reports should have been sufficient to warn him. But truth to tell his mood had become fierce and reckless, and brooked no control.
Howbeit the little party found themselves on a surface of quaking, rocking ice that threatened to “break up” and move out at any moment. Just where they were the river was of considerable width and the ice was very soft, and they were in a very bad way indeed.