“Lordy, how glad I am it’s all over,” Sandy grew steadily more cheerful. “My, what I can tell Uncle Walter when I see him again!”
“About all I’m going to be interested in,” Dick broke in, “for a few days, after we get back to your uncle’s post, is going to be good, roast turkey, with sage dressing—pumpkin pie—apple sauce—nice brown pan gravy—stewed cranberries—coffee with sugar and cow’s cream—chocolate pudd——”
“Stop!” Sandy’s exclamation expressed how his stomach rebelled against such fruitless tantalization. “If you say another word about food, I’m going to die right here of starvation.”
Dick slapped Sandy on the back and laughed, then arm in arm they went on together.
* * * * * * * *
The last of the long night passed slowly but steadily away, and the spring came to gladden the hearts of Dick and Sandy.
March 4th they saw the sun again, and never did they greet the rising of that great orb with such heartfelt joy.
A day later they started southward, Sipsa and the other Eskimos accompanying them to the mainland, which they reached safely in kayacks. Leaving all camp paraphernalia that they did not need, with the Eskimos, they left the children of the north happy and sorry to see their white friends go. Dick and Sandy, too, felt a pang in their hearts as Sipsa’s smiling face vanished out of their ken, probably never to be seen again. But as they left the Arctic behind them, under the spring sun, all feelings of regret at parting were replaced by one great and growing joy—they were going home!
CHAPTER XXI
A PROPOSITION
It was a gala day at the trading post of Walter McClaren, Hudson’s Bay Factor; a day for feasting and story-telling. For Dick Kent and Sandy McClaren had come back from the far north.