time he tried to lift the sled he crashed through fresh ice, finally
bearing the next pair of dogs with him, and then the two animals in the
lead. All of them became hopelessly entangled.

He could have won his way back to the permanent ice as Fraser was doing,
but there was no way of getting his team there and he would not sacrifice
those dumb brutes now growing frantic. One of them pawed the sheath-knife
from his hand. He had become almost numb with cold and despair when he
heard the jingle of many small bells, and a sharp command uttered in a new
voice.

Out of the snow fog from the direction in which they were headed broke a
team running full and free. At a word they veered to the right and came to
a pause, avoiding the danger-spot. Even from his hasty glance Emerson
marvelled at the outfit, having never seen the like in all his travels
through the North, for each animal of the twelve stood hip-high to a tall
man, and they were like wolves of one pack, gray and gaunt and wicked. The
basket-sled behind them was long and light, and of a design that was new
to him, while the furs in it were of white fox.

The figure wrapped up in them spoke again sharply, whereupon a tall Indian
runner left the team and headed swiftly for the scene of the accident. As
he approached, Emerson noted the fellow's flowing parka of ground-squirrel
skins, from which a score of fluffy tails fell free, and he saw that this
was no Indian, but a half-breed of peculiar coppery lightness. The man ran
forward till he neared the edge of the opening where the tide had caused
the floes to separate and the cold had not had time as yet to heal it;
then flattening his body to its full length on the ice, he crawled out
cautiously and seized the lead dog. Carefully he wormed his way backward
to security, then leaned his weight upon the tugline.