Chapter XI.
CAMPING AGAINST AN ICE WALL.
"Now what?" asked Tug, holding his head very high to prevent the snowgoing down the back of his neck. "Now what?"
"Now," Aleck answered, in a tone of command, "get the boat up thereunder the lee of that hummock. Everybody take hold."
The ropes were seized with a will, but the heavy boat could not bedragged in the snow until it had been lightened; then by greatexertion it was taken over the fifty yards that lay between the waterand the hummock. At that spot the ice had been thrust up like a smoothwall about fifteen feet high, which overhung slightly, so as to form acosey shelter from the storm. The bow of the boat was swung closeagainst its foot, while the stern was slanted away until thereremained a space of about eight feet between it and the smooth face ofthe hummock at that end. Tug and Jim went back after the sled and whatbaggage had been left behind at the "lead," while Aleck and Katy beganto contrive a shelter.
To manage this they cleared out the movable things in the boat,arranging all the cargo (except the mess chest), as fast as it wasremoved, in the shape of a wall extending across from the stern of theboat to the hummock. In this way, with the help of thwarts, two oars,and some blocks of ice, a rough wall was raised, about four feet high,enclosing a three-cornered space eight feet in width, having thehummock and starboard side of the boat for its sides, and the cargowall (through which a hole had been left as a doorway) for its end or"base."
Next, a roof must be contrived. The mast and two oars were set in aleaning position from the outer gunwale of the boat, where they restedfirmly upon the thwart-cleats, up against the hummock, to which theywere securely wedged.
It had now become dark, and Katy lighted the lantern. Tug and Jim,covered with snow, brought their last sled-load and added it to thewall, throwing all their little stock of firewood, which amounted toabout three bushels, into the hut. Then all hands set to work in thewind, which blew in sharp gusts now and then over the crest of thehummock, to stretch the sails upon the rafters formed by the mast andoars and thus form an awning-roof.
The handling of the heavy mainsail proved an extremely difficultmatter. Once it blew quite away from their grasp, and went off in thedarkness, but Jim and the dog gave chase, and soon caught it, Rexgrabbing it with his teeth, and so holding on to it till the otherscame to the rescue. At the next attempt they succeeded in fasteningone end, after which the task grew easier.
The mainsail fairly in place, the jib was next hoisted across the end,and here its leg-of-mutton shape was a great advantage, for when thebroad lower part was hung against the hummock wall the narrowing peakjust fitted between the sloping roof and the top of the wall.
When the two sails had been fastened, the party found themselvescovered rudely but pretty tightly, and the spare canvas remained toserve as a carpet, which was greatly needed. Plenty of snow and coldwere "lying round loose" yet, but to be inside was far better than tobe out of doors. That this safety and warmth were possible to theirfrail structure was owing, of course, to the fact that it stood underthe lee of the tall ice wall, which acted as a shield against theforce of the gale.
"Really, the wind does us more good than harm now," Aleck remarked,"for it drifts the snow under the boatsledge and against the wall,and, if it keeps on, will soon stop up all the holes, and leave usboxed into a tighter house than our old snow-chinked cabin back at theriver."
"Mebbe it'll bury us," said Jim, in an awful whisper.
"Guess not. Anyhow, we can have a fire first--there are holesenough left yet to let the smoke out. Tug, just shovel the driftedsnow out of the house, or pack it between the bobs under the boat,while I whittle some kindling. There won't any more blow in--thedrift's too high now."
CAMPING AGAINST AN ICE WALL.]
"Shall I boil tea or coffee?" asked Katy.
"Coffee, I guess; and give us some fried bacon and crackers--but lotsof coffee."
"Why couldn't we use our oil stove now?"
"We don't really need to. We have some wood, and can build a fire wellenough inside here, and the oil is easier carried than the wood for agreater need. Ready, Tug?"
"Ay, ay, sir."
"All right. Here are our kindlings. Katy, open your lantern, and letme set these shavings afire. Matches are too precious to be wasted oreven risked."
A minute later a brisk little fire was burning, snow was turning towater, and cold water to hot, while coffee was thinking that presentlyit would be in the pot, and slices of bacon were saying good-bye totheir fellows, as one by one they dropped into the frying-pan.
It was a strange scene, but the actors in it were too tired and hungryto notice how they looked, as they watched with eager interest theprogress of supper-getting. They were not cold, and wraps were allthrown aside, for the wind was cut off, and the fire, small as it was,made a great deal of heat in the confined space. The atmosphere of anEskimo house of ice, though there may be no better fire than a littlepool of train-oil in a soapstone saucer, where a wick of moss issmoking and flaring, will become so warm that the people remove notonly their furs, but a large part of their under-clothing, and thiswhen the temperature outside is fifty degrees or so belowfreezing-point.
"It is just about big enough for a play-house," Katy remarked, as shejostled one and another in moving about.
"I'm glad the snow blows over, and doesn't settle on the roof. If itdid, I'm afraid the canvas would sag down awfully, or the oars break."
"How will we sleep to-night?" asked Jim.
"Well," said Aleck, "I think we must all sleep in the boat somehow.Katy and you can lie on the straw in the stern-sheets, as usual, andTug and I will bunk in somewhere for'ard. If we had plenty of wood tokeep the fire going, it would be comfortable out here, but we musteconomize. If this snow keeps on, I don't know when--"
"Supper!" called Katy, and Aleck didn't finish what he was saying; butthey all felt a little more serious about their situation. Though Jimobjected, Aleck ordered him to put out every bit of the fire, andperched up in the boat they ate their supper by the light of thelantern.
"It's precious lucky we found this straw in the cabin," said Tug, ashe sat upon it, with a tin cup of coffee in one hand, and in the othera sandwich made of two pieces of cold johnny-cake and a slice ofbacon.
"That's cool! The _luck_ is that Kate had the good sense to make usbring it. I know two young fellows who objected."
"I know _three_," Katy spoke up. "Fair play. You sneered at me atfirst, Mr. Captain, as much as anybody. You needn't play goody-goodyover the rest of them."
"Go in, Katy!" they both cried. "Give it to him! He was going to leaveevery bit behind--and the rushes too."
"Well, well," pleaded Aleck, "I know now it was a good idea, and I'mnot always so--"
"--big a fool as you look, eh?" exclaimed Tug, giving them all a laughat the face made by the tall fellow, who was thus cheated out of hissmooth apology.
"Never you mind; I'll get even with you before long."
Then the Captain took out his watch and wound it. Holding it in hishand he said: "Now it's _my_ turn. I'll give you merry jesters justfour minutes to finish your supper and make your beds. Then I blow outthe lantern. Oil is precious."