zenith. Now and again he caught the black speck clearing the hills of
ice and sinking into the intervening hollows; but he dared not permit
himself more than the most cursory glances for fear of rousing his
enemy's suspicion. Once, when Jacob Kent rose to his feet and searched
the trail with care, Cardegee was frightened, but the dog-sled had struck
a piece of trail running parallel with a jam, and remained out of sight
till the danger was past.

"I'll see you 'ung for this," Cardegee threatened, attempting to draw the
other's attention. "An' you'll rot in 'ell, jes' you see if you don't.

"I say," he cried, after another pause; "d'ye b'lieve in ghosts?" Kent's
sudden start made him sure of his ground, and he went on: "Now a ghost
'as the right to 'aunt a man wot don't do wot he says; and you can't
shuffle me off till eight bells--wot I mean is twelve o'clock--can you?
'Cos if you do, it'll 'appen as 'ow I'll 'aunt you. D'ye 'ear? A
minute, a second too quick, an' I'll 'aunt you, so 'elp me, I will!"

Jacob Kent looked dubious, but declined to talk.

"'Ow's your chronometer? Wot's your longitude? 'Ow do you know as your
time's correct?" Cardegee persisted, vainly hoping to beat his
executioner out of a few minutes. "Is it Barrack's time you 'ave, or is
it the Company time? 'Cos if you do it before the stroke o' the bell,
I'll not rest. I give you fair warnin'. I'll come back. An' if you
'aven't the time, 'ow will you know? That's wot I want--'ow will you
tell?"

"I'll send you off all right," Kent replied. "Got a sun-dial here."