Blake stared at her and then turned sharply on Uppy with a rattle of
Eskimo. Uppy and one of the companions made their exit instantly and in
great haste.

"The fools!" he apologized. "One has to watch them like children, Mrs.
Keith. Pardon me while I help them."

She waited until he followed Uppy into the cabin. Then, with the
remaining Eskimo staring at her in wonderment, she carried an extra
bearskin, the small tent, and a narwhal grub-sack to Peter's sledge. It
was another five minutes before Blake and the two Eskimos reappeared with
a bag of fish and a big bundle of ship-timber kindlings. Dolores stood
with a mittened hand on Peter's shoulder, and bending down, she
whispered:

"Peter, if you love me, don't mind what I'm going to say now. Don't move,
for everything is going to be all right, and if you should try to get up
or roll off the sledge, it would be so much harder for me. I haven't even
told you why we're going to Port Confidence. Now you'll know!"

She straightened up to face Blake. She had chosen her position, and Blake
was standing clear and unshadowed in the starlight half a dozen paces
from her. She had thrust her hood back a little, inspired by her feminine
instinct to let him see her contempt for him.

"You beast!"

The words hissed hot and furious from her lips, and in that same instant
Blake found himself staring straight into the unquivering muzzle of her