Alightbreathofairblewfromthesouth，nippingtheexposedportionsoftheirbodiesanddrivingthefrost，inneedlesoffire，throughfurandfleshtothebones。So，whenthefirehadgrownlustyandthawedadampcircleinthesnowaboutit，SitkaCharleyforcedhisreluctantcomradestolendahandinpitchingafly。Itwasaprimitiveaffair，merelyablanketstretchedparallelwiththefireandtowindwardofit，atanangleofperhapsforty—fivedegrees。
Thisshutoutthechillwindandthrewtheheatbackwardanddownuponthosewhoweretohuddleinitsshelter。Thenalayerofgreenspruceboughswerespread，thattheirbodiesmightnotcomeincontactwiththesnow。Whenthistaskwascompleted，Kah—ChucteandGowheeproceededtotakecareoftheirfeet。Theiriceboundmocassinsweresadlywornbymuchtravel，andthesharpiceoftheriverjamshadcutthemtorags。TheirSiwashsocksweresimilarlyconditioned，andwhenthesehadbeenthawedandremoved，thedead—whitetipsofthetoes，inthevariousstagesofmortification，toldtheirsimpletaleofthetrail。
Leavingthetwotothedryingoftheirfootgear，SitkaCharleyturnedbackoverthecoursehehadcome。He，too，hadamightylongingtositbythefireandtendhiscomplainingflesh，butthehonorandthelawforbade。Hetoiledpainfullyoverthefrozenfield，eachstepaprotest，everymuscleinrevolt。Severaltimes，wheretheopenwaterbetweenthejamshadrecentlycrusted，hewasforcedtomiserablyacceleratehismovementsasthefragilefootingswayedandthreatenedbeneathhim。Insuchplacesdeathwasquickandeasy;butitwasnothisdesiretoendurenomore。
HisdeepeninganxietyvanishedastwoIndiansdraggedintoviewroundabendintheriver。Theystaggeredandpantedlikemenunderheavyburdens;yetthepacksontheirbackswereamatterofbutafewpounds。Hequestionedthemeagerly，andtheirrepliesseemedtorelievehim。Hehurriedon。Nextcametwowhitemen，supportingbetweenthemawoman。Theyalsobehavedasthoughdrunken，andtheirlimbsshookwithweakness。Butthewomanleanedlightlyuponthem，choosingtocarryherselfforwardwithherownstrength。AtthesightofheraflashofjoycastitsfleetinglightacrossSitkaCharley’sface。HecherishedaverygreatregardforMrs。
Eppingwell。Hehadseenmanywhitewomen，butthiswasthefirsttotravelthetrailwithhim。WhenCaptainEppingwellproposedthehazardousundertakingandmadehimanofferforhisservices，hehadshakenhisheadgravely;foritwasanunknownjourneythroughthedismalvastnessesoftheNorthland，andheknewittobeofthekindthattrytotheuttermostthesoulsofmen。Butwhenhelearnedthatthecaptain’swifewastoaccompanythem，hehadrefusedflatlytohaveanythingfurthertodowithit。Haditbeenawomanofhisownracehewouldhaveharborednoobjections;butthesewomenoftheSouthland—no，no，theyweretoosoft，tootender，forsuchenterprises。