The Magnetic North

l saw a great chaunge betweene the fashion of the Court as it was now, and of y in ye Queene's, for

ry, that first day that t

the wrangling and the smouldering danger of the camp behind, that alone, as the Boy said, was "worth the price of admission." Exhilarating, too, to men of their temperament, to have cut the Gordian knot of

gainst you." "Nobody in the North owns anything that's heavy," had been said in one fashion or another so often that

nd pan. These last, General Lighter had said, could be obtained at Minóok

st to God Almighty." They were taking barely two weeks' rations, and a certain amount of stuff to trade with the up-river Indians, when their supplies should be gone. They carried a kettle, an axe, some quinine, a box of the carbolic ointment all miners use for foot-soreness, O'Flynn's whisky, and two rifles

any hours of going ahead to break trail, if the snow was soft, while the other dragged the sled; or else while one pulled in front, the other pushed from behind, in regular shifts by the watch, turn and turn about. The Colonel had cooked all winter, so it was the Boy's turn at that-the C

t day was a pure chance, not likely to recur,

alt about seven miles off from the Big Chimney, that they might quickly despatch a litt

te at Pymeut," observes t

hful of cold bacon and corn-bread, and cheerfully surveyed the waste. "Who says it's cold, even if the wind is up? A

it would be." But the Boy

y to get the wind in your face,

not complai

elion-down all the way to Minóok. Gee! the wi

lish

split. And it'll be a good excuse for not stopping,

sed the Bay of Toronto in that fashion, and began to wonder if such a mode of p

as the Colonel came back with his mast. Between them, with no better tools than axe, ja

perstitious feeling that only slumbers in most breasts, that Mother Nature is still a mysterious being, who has her favourites whom she guards, her born enemi

rn-bread crumbs out of his pocket, and saw, delighted, how the gale, grown keener, snatched eagerly at them and hurried them up the trail. The ice-boat careened and strained eagerly to sail away. The two gold-seekers, laughing like schoolboys, sat astride the pack; the Colonel shook out the canvas, and th

! Pardner, we'll be in

cloud of steam rising up from the ice-that dim danger-signal that flies above an

Blow-hole!" g

pack turning over and over on the

r side, and slid along with a

he sled's sudden swerve to the left broke his angle sharply. He was flung forward on the new impetus, spun over the s

ad come rush

went swiftly, but gingerly, forward nearer the perilous edge. He had flung himself down on his stomach just as the Boy rose again. Nicholas lurched his body over the brink, his arms outstretched, straining farther, farther yet, till it seemed as if only the counterweight of the rest of the population at the other end of the canvas prevented his joining the Boy in the hole. But Nicholas had

one of intense surprise. He looked ro

is tone was so angry that, as they stared

what I was going to say"; and Ken

Colonel was not far behind, and several of the bucks were bringing the disabled sled. Before reaching the Kachime, they were joined by the women and children, Muckluck much concerned at the sight of her friend glazed in ice from head to heel. Nicholas and Yagorsha half dragged, half pulled him into the Kachime. The entire escort followed, even tw

cut and stripped him, rubbed him and wrapped him in a rabbit-blanket, the fur turned inside, and a wolverine skin over that. The Colonel at intervals poured small doses of O'Flynn's whisky down the Boy's throat in spi

as so cold-it burnt!) But I'd rather-be-in a blow-hole-th

more whisky down the unthankful throat. "Pretty sort o' Klondyker you are-go and get nearly drowned first day out!" Seve

naked-no, nor wrapped in a r

h the Colonel and offering

es. You come. Me show"; and they

time," said one of the youn

t. Who are y

agorsha's

less attractive, chiefly on account of her fat and her look of ill-temper. She was on specially

feet, thick as herrings on a thwart. They all leaned forward and regarded him with a beady-eyed sympathy. He had never been so impressed by the fact before, but all these nat

crawling in

thing the

raned his head as

fire-light. She set the tin down, looked round, a littl

der the rabbit-skin once more-

e again and nodded reassur

in' up

She spoke di

et an Oran

him up

pe

ng so close on the sleeping-bench, stretched their

r wait til

e fire as one who takes careful n

the time for s

x' summer,

like anything worn by the Lower River natives, or by the coast-men either: well cut, well m

amed the Boy. "Whe

ef-he ke

ng eyes, while the raw whisky hummed in his head. In the dim light of seal-lamps vague visions visited him of stern and noble chiefs out of the Leather Stocking Stories of his childhood-men of daring, whose legs were invariably cased in buck-skin with dangling fringes. But the dashing race was not all Indian, nor all dead. Famous cowboys reared before him on bucking bronchos, their leg-fringes streaming

ey

w m

r pardne

'll know the worst

nal clutch at economy before the warmt

sn't the Ol' Chief got any-less

ey

g little

says Ni

whole. Fate had a mind to see him in chap

of Yagorsha's yarning by the fire, and the occasio

em, solacing himself by adding to the

community into louder grunts of applause and a general chuckling. The C

o had not laughed, smoothed his lank, iron-gray locks down on either side o

Chief's fa

tragic, or, at least, of serious interest, ranging from bereaved parents who turned into

ntertained as the rest, but quite willing to l

rsha began again, laying down his sinew-thread a m

" interrupted the Colonel, offering his pouch

ian blood," in

ut veins, just then in came Yagorsha's daughter with some message to her father. He grunted acquiescence, and she turned to go. Joe called something after her, and she snapped back. He jumped up to bar her exit

only notice the Colonel took of him was to set the kettle on the fire.

Boy called after him. The ans

serving how the Colonel's pardner was scalding him

out as fast as he could. There was the sled nearly packed for the journey, and watching over it, keeping the dogs at bay, was an indescribably

The child only stared, ha

yes suddenly gleamed. Anna was coming up from the river with her dripping pail. He set off with an affectation of leisurely indifference, but he made straight for his enemy. She seem

oy ran down a few yards to bring her within range again. For all his affectation of leisureliness and her obvious fluster, no doubt about it, Joe was gaining on her. She dropped her hurried wal

woman, had gone on and on, watching the race down to the river, and even across the ice a little way. He stood still an instant staring as Joe, going now as hard as he could, caught up with her at last. He took hold of the daughter of the highly-respected Yagorsha,

ear? Stop it!" th

his time, and lay there as if stunned. Her enemy caught hold of her, p

o shield her bleeding face from his fists. "Don't you hit her again, or it'll be the worse for you." But again Joe's hand was lifted. The Boy plunged forward, caught the blow as it descended, and flung the arm aside, wrenched the

ld expect. But she was no doubt still dazed. They all stood looking rather sheepish, and like actors "stuck" who cannot think of the next line, till Joe turned on the girl with some mumbled question. She answered angril

trouble betw

ge. Not a word out of Anna as she returned by the side of her protector, but every now and then she looked at him

topped to

th's that w

las' s

Muckl

no

dressed li

summer. Me, too-me g

d left the Boy without a word to go and recover her pail. The Boy stood a moment, looking for some sign of

n ighloo. As he looked back, to steer straight for the entrance-hole, he caught sight of the Boy, dropped his prey, and d

onder your own people give it up if you have to be rescued every half-hour. What's the matter with you and Joe?" She ke

noth

e want to kil

her eyes on the ground. Then, as the Boy still stood there waiting, "Jo

back an ast

etty way o' sayin' so. Why

seemed never to ha

Yagorsha p

oubtfully and then

s ighloo,"

ody interfere? Muckluck was coming down from the direction of the Kachime. The Boy went to meet her, throwing over his shoulder, "You'd better stick to me, Anna, as long as

oy with none of the kindness a woman ought to

ou see

. "See tha

at the thought of woman in

he flung out tow

kluck firmly;

morning?" Muckluck declined to take the

hu

ew her down, as hard a

et up

Muckluck in

y to see another

sm

it had

ot do tha

? You ca

spoke with unru

time." The Boy took a brutal pleasure

unmoved. "Joe savvy

lack of sequence. "Poor Anna do

uck n

zed of her sex. He walked on to find the Colonel. Muckluck fol

girls now, huh?" No answer, but she kept up with him. "See?" She held up p

ornament was tarnished silver, a little bigger than an American dollar, and bore no device familiar to hi

ou ever comin'?

and speaking hurriedly, "has been trying to drag Yagorsha's girl into his ighloo. They've just had a fight out yonder on th

ighloo. There, sauntering calmly past the abhorred trap, was the story-teller's da

the apparition of her father, up at the Kac

retched girl into the brute's lair. It was all over in a flash. A moment's paralysis of astonishment, and the involuntary rush forward was arrested by Muckluck, who fastened herself on to the rescuer's parki-tail and refused to be detached. "Yagorsha!" shouted the Boy. But it was only the Colonel who hastened towards them at the summons. The poor girl's own father stood calm

give him nice mitts-

pair of mitts he sells hi

. Muffled screams and yells issued with the smoke. Muckluck turned sharply to the Colonel, who was following, and said something that se

u go first, then. Quick! as mo

ve been interruptin' t

hem, and Yagorsha was advanci

ke Joe-like him best of all." Then, as the Boy gaped incr

hrieks issued from under the snow. "You've been an officious interferer, an

but he was far from convinced. The Colon

try?" inquired Muckluck of

not ex

ike girl-wh

muttered the Bo

n tellin' Ann

he hat

ike Joe-be

go on like t

e know Jo

mall at his own lack of

her incredulously-"will it be"

marry

tory, presenting as little surface to the cold as possible, but grinning still with rapture at the spirited last act of the winter-long drama. As

when girl marry

not usually

t-" Muckluck stood still with as

d irritably. "They don't

eeply this matter o

ou squaw, you n

ed away to cut short these excur

thirst for the str

t yo

o betray his

-all same

no a

l like you best-yo

Be qu

u marry you

re the Colonel, so he stopped, and said shortly: "In o

e know,

ree, I t

She dropped her jaw, and stared. "No fight a

ined the Colonel. Muckluck stood s

ymeuts out, for these queer guests of

kluck in her chilly "Holy Cross clo'es" stood sorrowfu

hat the Pymeut air-hol

owards the river as the travellers looked back. "Him no like. Him got heap plenty m

from the group, and ran bri

ld of the Boy's hand, and shook it warmly

embarrassment, "my pardner here can hold up that end. Don't you

Cross clo'es," staring after them, and sad

glad to leave Pymeut be

e he

ix up with anything that has to do with

nd I don't believe she's

o hard on his pardne

, observing his friend's marked absence of hi

o gay the last tw

that. I think myself we've had advent

that idea o' yours. Other fellas have n

the worst," drawled the Col

on roused no

ence. Yes, sir, I reckon I could

ter this"; and the Boy's good spirits retu

, and continued steadily all the night. What did it matter? They

red, but promising all the wood they needed, old as well as new. He made his camp fire on the

or the Boy to follow suit and make the change into dry things. The smoky background was presently ornamented with German socks, and Arctic socks (a kind of felt slipper), and mucklucks, each with a stick run through them to the toe, all neatly planted in a row, like monstrous products of a snow-gar

ng spark from the dying fire had set their stuff ablaze. No. But surely the fire had been made

r!" he began. "

is

much. But what b

sed, as he could see now, in her native clothes again, an

eviving blaze, glancing towards the Colonel. He seemed to be sleeping very soun

help you find

a deliberate lowering of the note. His great desire not to

ead, and showed her beautiful teeth an instant in the faint light

r on their hands, all this way from Pymeut, on a snowy night,

y me ni

at?" He clutched h

e. When Shamán make

t remem

es

misunderstood

nce fell, but more

s-of course-you

m to the sentiment, she lifted the mittened hand to her eyes, and from under it scanned the white face through the lightly fallin

the Boy, with the air of one wandering in his head.

ike her fight like Anna. Heh? So, me-I come

I-you see, I could never find tha

hy

help to find an Orange Grove

h?

ttle to be impressed

n the Orange Grove's all-all ready for 'em. N

was very grave.

a week or two, Nicholas said,

es

ey leave you at home. It's exactly the same with

ip tr

can

lifted her head with an air of sudden protest he quashed her. "From the beginning the

ng now-"while you hunt. Good sup

his head

earn sew up at Holy Cross. Sew up your socks for you when they open their mo

tle wildly as if instantly to illustrate. "Never tired,"

e patted her on the shoulder. "Of course you're a nice girl. The nicest girl in the Yukon"-he caugh

he hid

me all that way at this time of n

when she met his frowning looks, and turned away. He stooped and picke

in the dimness. But for the sound of sobbing, he could not have told just where, in the softly-falling snow

e cold-very sorry." Her sobs burst out afresh, and louder now, away from the Colonel's restr

nk me die,"

tell the Colonel you're going to stay by

eadily on. "N

uckluck. You can'

as summer. I can hunt!" She turned on him fiercely. "Once I hunt a o

with a severity that might seem excessive. "B

stop. G

was quite possible that the Pymeuts, discovering her absence, would think he had lured her away, and there might b

that she used so skillfully, when some sudden thought cried halt. She eve

e devil do

n, seeming busy in taking something

e." She burst into a fresh flood of tears. In a moment the dim sight of her, the faint trail of crying left in her wake, had so wholly vanished that,

siness. What was it he had wound round one hand? What was it dangling in the acrid smoke? That, then-her trinket, the crowning ornament of her Holy Cross holiday attire, that was what she was offering the old ogre of the Yukon-for his unworthy sake. He stirred up the

, as it looked, with a throwing-stick and all complete. But she, too, would strike the Yukon eye as lamentably chilly about the legs. How had these ladies out of Russia and Olympus come to lodge in Ol' Chief's ighloo? Had Glovotsky won this guerdon at Great Katharine