THE WORLD OF ICE. 237

“S’pose we may sup first?” said Summers in a
whining tone of mock humility.

“Tn coorse you may,” answered Tom Green, giving
the lad a push that upset him in the snow.

“Come here, Buzzby, I want to speak to ’ee,” said
Saunders, leading him aside. “It seems to me that
the Esquimaux canna be very far off and I observe
their tracks are quite fresh in the snow leadin’ to the
southward, so I mean to have a night march after
them ; but as the men seem pretty weel tired I'll only
take two o’ the strongest. Who d’ye think might
go?”

“Tl go myself, sir.”

“Very good; and who else, think ’ee? Amos Parr
seems freshest.”

“JT think Tom Green’s the man wot can do it. I
seed him capsize Davie Summers jist now in the snow;
an’ when a man can skylark, I always know he’s got
lots o’ wind in im.”

“Very good. Then go, Buzzby, and order him to
get ready, and look sharp about it.”

“ Ay, ay, sir,” cried Buzzby, as he turned to prepare
Green for the march.

In pursuance of this plan, an hour afterwards Saun-
ders and his two followers left the camp with their
sleeping-bags and a day’s provisions on their shoulders,
having instructed the men to follow with the sledge
at the end of five hours, which period was deemed
sufficient time for rest and refreshment.

For two hours the trio plodded silently onward over