Part 16 (2/2)
Once, as they were about to cross a stretch of new ice, Phi threw hih the ice Water bubbled up, while Marian caught the wild surging rush of the current
For a second her knees trembled, her face blanched Phi saw and smiled
”Never fear,” he exclaiet back ho on the ice see-stones”
It was not long after that, however, when even this daring boy's face sobered Old Rover, who had been following the trail unhesitatingly, suddenly ca the ice
Then he turned to the left After that he looked up into the face of the boy, as if to say:
”Where's the trail gone?”
Phi examined the ice carefully
”Been a sudden ja, some north, some south It has all happened since our friends passed this way You just wait here I'll take Rover to the north and let hih to call to you May be to the south, though, but we'll soon see”
He disappeared around a giant ice-pile and, in a twinkling, was lost to view
The two girls, placing their burdens of food and Marian's sketches on an up-ended ice-cake, sat down to wait They were groeary The strain of the adventure into this puzzling, unknown ice-field was telling on their nerves
”I ere safe at Cape Prince of Wales,” sighed Marian
”Yes, or even East Cape,” said Lucile ”I think I'd be content to stay there and chance the year with the natives”
”Anyway, Phi's doing his best,” said Marian ”Isn't he a strange one, though? Do you think he has the blue envelope?”
”I don't know”
”Well, I think he has”
”I don't know,” Lucile said sleepily Fatigue and the keen Arctic air were ainst an ice-cake and fell asleep
”I'll let her sleep,” Marian th for what comes next, whatever that is”
An hour passed, but no call echoed across the silent white expanse
Marian, now pacing back and forth across a narrow ice-pan, now pausing to listen, felt her anxiety redoubled by every succeeding moment What could have happened to Phi? Had soerous crevice? Had thin ice dropped hi undercurrent? Or had he merely wandered too far and lost his way?
Whatever th, with patience exhausted, she cliazed away to the north The first glance brought forth a cry of dis from east to west, extended as far as eye could see in each direction It lay not a quarter of a mile from the spot where she stood