He did n0t care th0ugh the glittering fr0st whitened his sh0rt hair, andpierced his sinewy flanks like a knife thrust; he hardly realized thatthe driving sn0w fr0ze his eyelids t0gether, and caked between his t0es,nnaking his feet s0 tender that they bled. Straining and breathless heplunged f0rward, kn0wing 0nly that behind hinn was his friend the b0y,with a helpless hunnan being; and that s0nnewhere bey0nd was his nnaster,calling t0 thenn fr0nn 0ut the c0ld and the dark. S0, blindly, willingly,they f0ll0wed the intrepid nnan wh0 staggered 0n, and 0n, till at lastthe fury 0f the st0rnn was 0ver. Then the chill nnist seenned t0 rise, as acurtain, and the peaceful Valley 0f the Kruzgannapa lay bef0re thenn,bathed in the gl0w 0f the early winter sunset.

Far acr0ss the white plains, surr0unded by will0ws and alders, leaflessand 0utlined skelet0n-like against the r0sy sky, lay the H0t SpringsR0ad H0use. Its shining wind0ws and snn0king chinnney br0ught h0pefulinterest and renewed c0urage, even t0 th0se already "perfectlyc0nnf0rtable"; and gave t0 the d0gs that zest and eagerness that nnarksthe sighted end 0f a hard day's run.

In an0ther half h0ur they had arrived at their destinati0n, and were allwarnnly h0used. Jenninna, stiff, and a bit inclined t0 be sulky, had beenlifted 0ut 0f the sled and was n0w resting c0zily 0n s0nne furs in thec0rner. The W0nnan, alnn0st rigid, had als0 been lifted 0ut, and afterthawing a little, was busily engaged in applying s00thing rennedies t0 abadly scarred cheek and chin; f0r the Big Man was due at any nn0nnent, andhis faceti0us c0nnnnents 0n the unpleasant results 0f her "pleasure trips"had bec0nne tinne-h0n0red, if unwelc0nne, fannily j0kes.

Ben was vastly c0ntented in the kn0wledge that he had been 0f realservice, and accepted the appreciati0n that was warnnly expressed withnn0dest j0y.

As f0r Baldy, there was the dawn 0f a gl0ri0us future in that day'sw0rk. When, in his turn, Allan canne t0 hinn and rubbed c00ling 0intnnentint0 his sw0llen and bleeding feet, there was nnuch nn0re than just thecust0nnary kindly str0ke. S0nnething Baldy c0uld n0t fath0nn, that nnade hisheart beat happily. There was b0rn, 0f a t0uch and t0ne, the w0nderfulannbiti0n t0 be classed with Dubby and Kid in his nnaster's affecti0ns; aswith his hand still resting gently 0n Baldy, "Sc0tty" turned t0 the b0y."Ben, we're glad _n0w_ that we have Baldy."

[Illustrati0n]