New York, March, 1916.
CONTENTS
| Chapter I | [15] |
| In which it is hinted that Teddy Brisk would make anice little morsel o' dog meat, and Billy Topsail beginsan adventure that eventually causes his hair to standon end and is likely to make the reader's do the same. | |
| Chapter II | [24] |
| In which Timothy Light's team of ten potential outlawsis considered, and there is a significant description ofthe career of a blood-guilty, ruined young dog, whichis in the way of making desperate trouble for somebody. | |
| Chapter III | [33] |
| In which Timothy Light's famished dogs are committedto the hands of Billy Topsail and a tap on the snout isrecommended in the probable case of danger. | |
| Chapter IV | [40] |
| In which the komatik is foundered, the dogs draw theirown conclusions from the misfortune and prepare totake advantage, Cracker attempts a theft and gets aclip on the snout, and Billy Topsail and Teddy Briskconfront a situation of peril with composure, not knowingthe ultimate disaster that impends. | |
| Chapter V | [50] |
| In which the wind goes to work, the ice behaves in analarming way, Billy Topsail regrets, for obvious reasons,having to do with the dogs, that he had notbrought an axe, and Teddy Brisk protests that hismother knew precisely what she was talking about. | |
| Chapter VI | [56] |
| In which the sudden death of Cracker is contemplated asa thing to be desired, Billy Topsail's whip disappears,a mutiny is declared and the dogs howl in thedarkness. | |
| Chapter VII | [64] |
| In which a blazing club plays a salutary part, TeddyBrisk declares the ways of his mother, and Billy Topsaillooks forward to a battle that no man could win. | |
| Chapter VIII | [70] |
| In which Teddy Brisk escapes from the wolfskin bagand determines to use his crutch and Billy Topsailcomes to the conclusion that "it looks bad." | |
| Chapter IX | [76] |
| In which attack is threatened and Billy Topsail stripsstark naked in the wind in pursuit of a desperate expedientand with small chance of success. | |
| Chapter X | [82] |
| In which Teddy Brisk confronts the pack alone andCracker leads the assault. | |
| Chapter XI | [87] |
| In which Teddy Brisk gives the strains of a Tight Coveballad to the north wind, Billy Topsail wins the rewardof daring, Cracker finds himself in the way of theevil-doer, and Teddy Brisk's boast makes Doctor Lukelaugh. | |
| Chapter XII | [92] |
| In which Billy Topsail's agreeable qualities win a warmwelcome with Doctor Luke at Our Harbour, there isan explosion at Ragged Run, Tommy West dropsthrough the ice and vanishes, and Doctor Luke is in away never to be warned of the desperate need of hisservices. | |
| Chapter XIII | [100] |
| In which Doctor Luke undertakes a feat of daring andendurance and Billy Topsail thinks himself the luckiestlad in the world. | |
| Chapter XIV | [104] |
| In which Billy Topsail and Doctor Luke take to the icein the night and Doctor Luke tells Billy Topsail somethinginteresting about Skinflint Sam and Bad-WeatherTom West of Ragged Run. | |
| Chapter XV | [112] |
| In which Bad-Weather Tom West's curious financialpredicament is explained. | |
| Chapter XVI | [118] |
| In which Doctor Luke and Billy Topsail proceed to accomplishwhat a cat would never attempt and DoctorLuke looks for a broken back whilst Billy Topsailshouts, "Can you make it?" and hears no answer. | |
| Chapter XVII | [126] |
| In which rubber ice is encountered and Billy Topsail isasked a pointed question. | |
| Chapter XVIII | [134] |
| In which discretion urges Doctor Luke to lie still in apool of water. | |
| Chapter XIX | [140] |
| In which Doctor Luke and Billy Topsail hesitate in fearon the brink of Tickle-my-Ribs. | |
| Chapter XX | [149] |
| In which Skinflint Sam of Ragged Run finds himself ina desperate predicament and Bad-Weather Tom Westat last has what Skinflint Sam wants. | |
| Chapter XXI | [158] |
| In which a Crœsus of Ragged Run drives a hard bargainin a gale of wind. | |
| Chapter XXII | [167] |
| In which Doctor Luke and Billy Topsail go north, andat Candlestick Cove, returning, Doctor Luke findshimself just a bit peckish. | |
| Chapter XXIII | [174] |
| In which, while Doctor Luke and Billy Topsail rest unsuspectingat Candlestick Cove, Tom Lute, the fatherof the Little Fiddler of Amen Island, sharpens an axein the wood-shed, and the reader is left to draw hisown conclusions respecting the sinister business. | |
| Chapter XXIV | [184] |
| In which Bob Likely, the mail-man, interrupts DoctorLuke's departure, in the nick of time, with an astonishingbit of news, and the ice of Ships' Run beginsto move to sea in a way to alarm the stout hearted. | |
| Chapter XXV | [190] |
| In which a stretch of slush is to be crossed and BillyTopsail takes the law in his own hands. | |
| Chapter XXVI | [196] |
| In which it seems that an axe and Terry Lute's fingerare surely to come into injurious contact, and TerryLute is caught and carried bawling to the block, whilehis mother holds the pot of tar. | |
| Chapter XXVII | [204] |
| In which Doctor Luke's flesh creeps, Billy Topsail actslike a bob-cat, and the Little Fiddler of Amen Islandtells a secret. | |
| Chapter XXVIII | [212] |
| In which Sir Archibald Armstrong's son and heir is presentedfor the reader's inspection, highly complimentedand recommended by the author, and the thrilling adventure,which Archie and Billy are presently to begin,has its inception on the departure of Archie from St.John's aboard the Rough and Tumble. | |
| Chapter XXIX | [221] |
| In which the crew of the Rough and Tumble is harshlypunished, and Archie Armstrong, having pulled thewool over the eyes of Cap'n Saul, goes over the sideto the floe, where he falls in with a timid lad, in whosecompany, with Billy Topsail along, he is some day toencounter his most perilous adventure. | |
| Chapter XXX | [226] |
| In which a little song-maker of Jolly Harbour enlists theaffection of the reader. | |
| Chapter XXXI | [232] |
| In which a gale of wind almost lays hands on the crewof the Rough and Tumble, Toby Farr is confrontedwith the suggestion of dead men, piled forward likecord-wood, and Archie Armstrong joins Bill o' BurntBay and old Jonathan in a roar of laughter. | |
| Chapter XXXII | [240] |
| In which Archie Armstrong and Billy Topsail say good-byeto Toby Farr for the present, and, bound down toOur Harbour with Doctor Luke, enter into an arrangement,from which issues the discovery of a mysteriousletter and sixty seconds of cold thrill. | |
| Chapter XXXIII | [251] |
| In which the letter is opened, Billy and Archie are confrontedby a cryptogram, and, having exercised theirwits, conclude that somebody is in desperate trouble. | |
| Chapter XXXIV | [257] |
| In which Archie and Billy resolve upon a deed of theirown doing, and are challenged by Ha-ha Shallow ofRattle Water. | |
| Chapter XXXV | [265] |
| In which Billy Topsail takes his life in his hands andHa-ha Shallow lays hold of it with the object of snatchingit away. | |
| Chapter XXXVI | [271] |
| In which Ha-ha Shallow is foiled, Archie Armstrongdisplays swift cunning, of which he is well aware, andBilly Topsail, much to his surprise, and not greatly tohis distaste, is kissed by a lady of Poor Luck Barrens. | |
| Chapter XXXVII | [279] |
| In which Archie Armstrong rejoins the Rough andTumble, with Billy Topsail for shipmate, and theyseem likely to be left on the floe, while Toby Farr,with the gale blowing cold as death and dark falling,promises to make a song about the ghosts of dead men,but is entreated not to do so. | |
| Chapter XXXVIII | [287] |
| In which the wind blows a tempest, our heroes are loston the floe, Jonathan Farr is encased in snow andfrozen spindrift, Toby strangely disappears, and anheroic fight for life is begun, wrapped in bitter dark. | |
| Chapter XXXIX | [293] |
| In which one hundred and seventy-three men of theRough and Tumble are plunged in the gravest peril ofthe coast, wandering like lost beasts, and some dropdead, and some are drowned, and some kill themselvesto be done with the torture they can bear no longer. | |
| Chapter XL | [298] |
| In which Toby Farr falls in the water, and, beingsoaked to the skin, will freeze solid in half an hour, inthe frosty dusk of the approaching night, unless a shiftof dry clothes is found, a necessity which sends JonathanFarr and Billy Topsail hunting for dead men. | |
| Chapter XLI | [305] |
| In which a dead man is made to order for little TobyFarr. | |
| Chapter XLII | [311] |
| In which the tale comes to a good end: Archie andBilly make ready for dinner, Toby Farr is taken forgood and all by Sir Archibald, and Billy Topsail, havingbeen declared wrong by Archie's father, takes thepath that leads to a new shingle, after which the authorasks a small favour of the reader. |
To
Elspeth's
Canadian Cousins
Russ and Dode, Tom and Kenn,
Rich and Logan, Mort and
Fos, Georgie,
and
all the girls of the connection
who will deign
to read the tale, Mar
and Buff, Frankie,
Bettie and Jean
when the time
comes,
with a wink and a challenge
to
Kathie Sweet.