"I wonder if there's anything he can't do," Jack said after he had seen him put a barrel of flour on to his shoulder with apparent ease.
"I don't know what it is if there is," the captain told him.
Pete, on his side, fairly seemed to worship the boys and there was nothing too much for him to do for them.
The ship was to sail at noon that day and Captain Blake had said the night before that he was glad as the place would seem very lonesome to him after they had gone.
It was only a few minutes after seven o'clock and still dark when they reached the store. As they approached they saw a long narrow sled loaded nearly three feet high with all sorts of packages. Hitched single file to it were six dogs who growled ominously as they came up.
"Lucky's on time all right," the captain said as he mounted the steps.
"Those dogs don't seem very much pleased to see us," Jack declared as he followed close at his heels.
"I guess they'll be all right when they get acquainted," Bob said.
"Here yees are," Pete greeted them as the captain pushed open the door. "I was jest tellin' Lucky thot he'd have ter go an' pull yees out uv bed."
Everything was all ready for the start and the good byes were quickly said. Outside once more Lucky grasped one of the handles, which stuck out breast high at the rear of the sled, with one hand while with the other he swung the long raw hide whip which cracked with a report like that of a forty-five.