Part 11 (1/2)

And he squared his shoulders and laughed his good-natured, infectious laugh, in which Jimmy joined, and the two returned to camp

There was no floe ice on the coast now, but the sea was dotted with laciers, drifting southward on the Arctic current Sonificant Others towered in h above the sea, miniature reater part of thereens and were a riot of beautiful color

One of the sailit Island attracted Bobby's attention as he and Ji, Jimmy?” he asked

”The little one close in?”

”Yes Do you know, I've got an idea That bearunless we pack it in ice or salt it, and I'd rather have it fresh than salted, wouldn't you?”

”Of course I would!” said Jier than ours--and go for a load of ice”

”It's dangerous to go digging on icebergs They're like to turn over,”

suggested Jimmy

”Oh, don't be afraid, now Co enthusiash ice to keep the meat fresh until it's all used up Coed, agreed Skipper Ed's skiff lay at the landing, and ar themselves with an ax the two pulled away unobserved

It was a s not ular, and there were several places where excellent footing could be had The boat was directed toward one of these

”You stay in the boat,” said Bobby, seizing the ax, ”and I'll go aboard her and cut the ice”

”Be careful,” cautioned Ji to the iceberg

Bobby began chopping off as large pieces as he thought he could conveniently handle The ice was exceedingly hard and brittle It had frozen centuries before, under the extreinning, perhaps, in snow deposited in some far-off Greenland valley Other snows had coht of snow pressed it, as it froze, into a glass-like hardness

And all the while the greatvalley toward the sea Perhaps a century passed, perhaps two or three, or even lacier, as these masses of ice between the hills are called, reached the sea and was at last thrust out beyond the land

And then, one day, with a report like the report of a cannon, it separated froan its southward voyage Months had passed since then--perhaps a year, or even two or three years--and all the ti away in the water until Bobby and Jiailit Island

But neither Bobby as he chopped at the ice, nor Jiht, if indeed they knew it They were intent only upon gathering enough of the aged ice to preserve the meat of a polar bear

Neither did they realize that with each stroke of the ax Bobby was disturbing the center of gravitation of the iceberg, already delicately balanced in the water, until presently Ji--very slowly and deliberately at first

”Bobby! Look out--the berg's turning!” he shouted in a terrified voice