Roy Norton

“ I agreed, “if he tries to run you can shoot.”
When, after the brief halt, we prepared to start, the shaman recklessly abandoned our sled and much of its contents and hitched our dogs in with his own team. He and each of his men strapped our and their rifles across their backs, and we tore along at a trying pace. The shaman's two runners seemed tireless, and the shaman himself displayed a marvelous endurance, but both Jack and I were compelled to cling to the sled handles and occasionally to throw ourselves on the sled rails for rest. ”

“ I muttered rapidly. “It's our only chance. I've given my word that we will not try to run or fight; that we will go with them wherever they take us. When the time comes that we can talk alone I'll tell you a lot of things you don't know.” And then I turned to the shaman and said, “I speak for my friend. Let him loose.”
For quite an appreciable time Peluk hesitated, and then, almost unwillingly, crossed over and cut Jack's bonds.
“Thanks!” Jack growled as he moved his cramped limbs; but the shaman ignored him and turning to me said, “Me take your word. But if he try run away mus' shoot.” ”

“ Their drivers took turns in lounging on the rails of the sleds, recovering breath, or in running ahead, The lean hips of the runner always worked rhythmically as with long forward fling of narrow snowshoe, arms bent to sides, and backward-thrown head he lunged forward. ”

“ He immediately took off all my lashings save those round my knees and feet and called to one of his men, who brought me a steaming cup of tea and a huge slab of smoked salmon that had been skin-grilled and was hot from the fire. I started to eat with prodigious relish, and then thought of poor Jack. I interceded for him with the shaman who was reluctant to extend favors to one who had put up such a fight and was endowed with such great strength.
“He'll promise and will keep his word,” I insisted. “Peluk, I give you my word this is so. ”

“ They counted out enough more for but barely one or two additional meals for man and beast, made them into a bundle, took from the grub box the tea and sugar, and rolled the remainder of the food into a rubber ground sheet. With the sled lashings they tied this into a bundle and one of the natives, with the loose end of the rope in his teeth, climbed the dead tree until he came to a branch well above the ground, after which he hoisted the bundle upward and lashed it into a crotch. ”