Again they went on in silence. The light of Toma’s campfire gradually grew brighter as they advanced. Presently Dick discerned the lonely figure of the Indian guide and after a time, five blotches in the snow, five furry forms that snarled and howled as they waited impatiently for the return of their master.
“We’ve made it!” howled Dick, unable to suppress his exultation. “We’ve made it, Toma, old boy. Yip! Yip!”
Toma’s answering shout was drowned out by a deafening chorus from the huskies.
CHAPTER XIV
AN UNWELCOME VISITOR
The cabin of Raoul Testawich, which stood in a sheltering grove of spruce a few miles back from Bad Heart river, loomed up through the darkness several hours later as Toma, Raoul and Dick, with the team of huskies in the lead, crossed a narrow coulee about thirty yards away from the house and plunged on through heavy drifts to the narrow, cleared space immediately in front of the door.
Wrapped in blankets, Sandy still lay on the hastily improvised sled. As his three comrades gathered about him, a heavy door squeaked open and a sleepy voice, in Cree, called out a welcome. In an incredibly short time they had lifted Sandy from the sled and had carried him within, gently placing him in a bunk at one end of the room.
A young Indian girl, whom Dick judged to be Raoul’s wife or sister, closed the door after them and advanced swiftly to the mud fireplace where, over crackling spruce logs, a heavy iron pot sent forth the pleasant aroma of steaming moose meat. Close by, with growing interest and enthusiasm, Dick beheld a small table laden with food.
“We eat this time for sure,” grinned Toma, nudging Dick’s arm. “Mebbe you no want eat now.”
“Like fun, I don’t,” laughed the other. “There are two things I want—food and sleep. I’m so blamed tired that Raoul will have to wait until sometime tomorrow before I buy his dog team. I believe I could sleep for three days.”
“You sleep long you like,” conceded Toma, as Raoul left the room to look after the dogs. “Him, Raoul, my very good friend. Fine fella. Like ’em sister, too. Mebbe some day marry girl.”