Their dunnage sack
was tied on at Peter's feet. Not until then did she seem to notice the
five-dog sledge. She smiled at Blake. "We must be sure that in our
excitement we haven't forgotten something," she said, going over what was
on the sledge. "This is a tent, and here are plenty of warm
bearskins--and--and--" She looked up at Blake, who was watching her
silently. "If there is no timber for so long, Mr. Blake, shouldn't we
have a big bundle of kindling? And surely we should have meat for the
dogs!"
Blake stared at her and then turned sharply on Uppy with a rattle of
Eskimo. Uppy and one of the companions made their exit instantly and in
great haste.
"The fools!" he apologized. "One has to watch them like children, Mrs.
Keith. Pardon me while I help them."
She waited until he followed Uppy into the cabin. Then, with the
remaining Eskimo staring at her in wonderment, she carried an extra
bearskin, the small tent, and a narwhal grub-sack to Peter's sledge. It
was another five minutes before Blake and the two Eskimos reappeared with
a bag of fish and a big bundle of ship-timber kindlings. Dolores stood
with a mittened hand on Peter's shoulder, and bending down, she
whispered:
"Peter, if you love me, don't mind what I'm going to say now. Don't move,
for everything is going to be all right, and if you should try to get up
or roll off the sledge, it would be so much harder for me.
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