It turned out to be even more truthful than they imagined. They had
little more than left the shore and ventured out upon the ice, when the
gentle east wind developed into a gale, that presently wrapped them in
the blinding folds of a snow-storm. The ice became invisible a step
ahead of their feet. They had retained their staffs when they left their
skees upon the bank; but even feeling their way step by step was by no
means secure. It was not long before Alwin went through, up to his neck;
and if he had been uncomfortable before, he was in wretched plight now,
drenched to the skin with ice-water.

"If you also get in this condition, we shall both perish," he chattered,
when he had managed to clamber out again by the fortunate accident of
his staff's falling crosswise over the hole. "I will continue to go
first; and do you hoard your strength to save us both when I get too
stiff to move." It proved a wise precaution; for in a few minutes he
broke through again, and it took all his companion's exertions to pull
him out. Before they reached the opposite shore, he had been in four
times, and was so benumbed with cold that Sigurd was obliged to drag him
up the bank and into the hut of Aran Bow-Bender.

One low room was all there was of it, and that was smoky and dirty, the
air thick with the smells of stale cooking and musty fur garments. Dogs
were lying about, and there was a goat-pen in the corner; but a fire
roared in the centre, a ring of steaming hot drinks stood around it, and
behind them sat a circle of jovial-hearted sportsmen, who seemed to ask
no greater pleasure than to pull off a stranger's drenched garments, rub
him to a tingle, and pour him full of hot spicy liquids.

To return that night was out of the question. Alwin was too exhausted