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For hours his feet moved swiftly and mechanically under him. Once his foot slipped. He swerved to the right. A vast black mouth yawned hungrily to receive him; then it closed behind him. The leaping team of dogs had pulled him forward. Luckily he maintained a tenacious hold to the rear upstander of his sled. Narrow chasms constantly cut their trail.
We did so, at about half past six o'clock in the morning. Forward! March! and we were off. Following the trail made by Captain Bartlett, we pushed off, every man at the upstander of his sledge to urge his team by whip and voice. It was only when we had perfect going over sheets of young ice that we were able to steal a ride on the sledges.
"See here, Golden," he went on persuasively, "you don't mean that, sure! Wot's the matter with me? I ain't weak-kneed, nor nuthin'. I ain't scared o' no man. I'd scrap the devil ef you ast me. An' say, just think wot we ken do with the dollars. You'd make a real upstander in a swell house, with folks waitin' around on you, an' di'monds an' things. Say, I'm jest bustin' to make good like that.
Ootah recognized "Olafaksoah" Olaf, the great white trader whom he had seen two seasons before at a southern village. He was noted for his brutality and hard bargaining. "What's all the noise about?" he growled. His voice was deep and gruff. Ootah staggered back. "Annadoah, Annadoah," he moaned softly, supporting himself on the upstander of his loaded sled.
"From the bosom of Nerrvik they come to greet us." Ootah, however, felt no fear. For once he felt unheedful of those in the other world. His mind was occupied with a more immediate interest that of saving the life of the woman he loved. With quick presence of mind, Ootah grasped the rear upstander of the sled, which had begun to slide to and fro, and planted his harpoon in the ice.
A chill dampness rising from the gaping abysses that sundered the ice field told them of their danger; then Ootah's heart chilled, his teeth were set chattering; but he thought of Annadoah and the grim need of food, and he gripped the upstander of his sled more determinedly.
With one hand each clung to the rough icy projections of the slope; with the other they held the rear upstander of their sleds to prevent them from sliding, with their precious loads of meat, down the mountainside. Half way down, Ootah uttered a cry. His quick ear detected a faint splitting noise, like the crack of young ice in forming, under his feet. In an instant he realized their danger.
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