'I expect you're right,' she said. But she crossed over to the other window. Then she stopped. 'There. Did you hear it?'
I sat up, wide awake now. The sound was unmistakable — the clatter of wood against wood. There it was again and a voice speaking.
Next moment the outer door was flung open. Boots stamped in the narrow passage. A man's voice, deep and solid, spoke in Norwegian. Then the inner door opened and a draught of bitter cold air blew into the hut. With it came a flurry of snow. The outer door was closed.
Jill, her face alight with excitement, started across the floor. Then she stopped as though frozen. A man had entered. He wore a fur cap with earflaps. His face and body were thick with a,white covering of snow. But the girth of the man, enhanced by the amount of clothing he was wearing, was unmistakable. It was Lovaas. He wiped the snow from his face. His skin was almost blue with cold. 'So,' he said. 'It is Miss Somers and' — he glanced across at me — 'and Mr Gansert. Kom inn, Halvorsen,' he said over his shoulder. He came over to the stove. 'Move please, Mr Gansert. We need some warmth.' His voice was thick and tired. His feet stumbled. 'Your friend, Farnell, nearly finished us. It was only luck that we found the hut.'
His mate, a tall, hatchet-faced man, came in and closed the door after him. I moved towards Jill, whilst they gathered round the fire. The snow steamed on their clothing as they huddled close to the red top of the stove. 'What happened to my man, Gaarder, eh?' Lovaas asked me.
'Who is Gaarder?' I asked.
'One of my men. I leave him to look after you. What happens? And where is your companion? It was Sunde, wasn't.it?'
'Yes,' I said. 'Sunde was with me. But he turned his ankle. I had to come on without him.'
'And I suppose Gaarder turns his ankle also?' His heavy brows were drawn together. His eyes, red-rimmed and narrowed, watched me closely. 'What happens, Mr Gansert?' And when I didn't reply, he suddenly shouted — 'Answer, man! What happens to him?'
'How should I know?' I answered. 'Perhaps he's lost his way.'