“We must get him to the sledges quick!” ordered Corporal McCarthy. “There’s blankets up there, and we’ll make some hot tea for him. Just our luck to have him pass in his checks just after we’ve saved him.”
It was a hard struggle to climb out of the cavern with the almost helpless man, but they finally accomplished the task.
Once Corporal Thalman had been wrapped in blankets and furs and treated to a few cups of piping hot tea, he showed signs of returning strength. However, the policemen were in favor of returning with him immediately to the base of supplies where everything necessary for his complete recovery could be obtained.
“I guess you boys are elected for the job of hauling Corporal Thalman to the main camp,” Corporal McCarthy told them. “Sloan and I will stay here for another try at trapping that sly fox, Mistak.”
“But with only one sledge, and that loaded with Corporal Thalman, we can’t haul in the cache of meat on the back trail,” Dick explained.
“That’s alright,” retorted the policeman. “Come back after it when you have Thalman safe in a warm igloo with plenty of hot tea and food nearby.”
It was with much regret that the boys bade good-bye to the policemen once more and started out on the back trail, Corporal Thalman snugly tucked in on the sledge.
Two days later, having traveled slow, for the comfort of their passenger, the boys reached the base of supplies. Sipsa and the other natives seemed overjoyed to see their young white friends again, and they held a feast in honor of the occasion, since hunting had been so good and they had more meat than they needed for the winter.
The day after the home-coming, Sandy was left to care for Corporal Thalman, while Dick and Toma returned to haul in the cache of musk-ox meat. They found the meat unmolested, and in fine condition, however, the signs in the snow about the cache showed that numerous foxes had made a vain effort to scratch away the stones and get at the meat.
A high wind was blowing upon their backs when Dick and Toma pulled in at the supply base with their precious load of meat. Two hours later the wind had risen to cyclonic velocity, sweeping tons and tons of snow through the air until the sun was blotted out and the igloos trembled to their strong foundations.