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Then he sat down on a snow…covered log to eat。 The sting that followed
upon the striking of his fingers against his leg ceased so quickly that he
was startled； he had had no chance to take a bite of biscuit。 He struck the
fingers repeatedly and returned them to the mitten； baring the other hand
for the purpose of eating。 He tried to take a mouthful； but the ice…muzzle
prevented。 He had forgotten to build a fire and thaw out。 He chuckled
at his foolishness； and as he chuckled he noted the numbness creeping into
the exposed fingers。 Also； he noted that the stinging which had first come
to his toes when he sat down was already passing away。 He wondered
whether the toes were warm or numbed。 He moved them inside the
moccasins and decided that they were numbed。
He pulled the mitten on hurriedly and stood up。 He was a bit
frightened。 He stamped up and down until the stinging returned into the
feet。 It certainly was cold； was his thought。 That man from Sulphur
Creek had spoken the truth when telling how cold it sometimes got in the
country。 And he had laughed at him at the time！ That showed one must
not be too sure of things。 There was no mistake about it； it was cold。
He strode up and down； stamping his feet and threshing his arms； until
reassured by the returning warmth。 Then he got out matches and
proceeded to make a fire。 From the undergrowth； where high water of
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the previous spring had lodged a supply of seasoned twigs； he got his
firewood。 Working carefully from a small beginning； he soon had a
roaring fire； over which he thawed the ice from his face and in the
protection of which he ate his biscuits。 For the moment the cold of space
was outwitted。 The dog took satisfaction in the fire； stretching out close
enough for warmth and far enough away to escape being singed。
When the man had finished； he filled his pipe and took his comfortable
time over a smoke。 Then he pulled on his mittens； settled the ear…flaps of
his cap firmly about his ears； and took the creek trail up the left fork。
The dog was disappointed and yearned back toward the fire。 This man
did not know cold。 Possibly all the generations of his ancestry had been
ignorant of cold； of real cold； of cold one hundred and seven degrees
below freezing…point。 But the dog knew； all its ancestry knew； and it had
inherited the knowledge。 And it knew that it was not good to walk abroad
in such fearful cold。 It was the time to lie snug in a hole in the snow and
wait for a curtain of cloud to be drawn across the face of outer space
whence this cold came。 On the other hand； there was keen intimacy
between the dog and the man。 The one was the toil…slave of the other；
and the only caresses it had ever received were the caresses of the whip…
lash and of harsh and menacing throat…sounds that threatened the whip…
lash。 So the dog made no effort to communicate its apprehension to the
man。 It was not concerned in the welfare of the man； it was for its own
sake that it yearned back toward the fire。 But the man whistled； and
spoke to it with the sound of whip…lashes； and the dog swung in at the
man's heels and followed after。
The man took a chew of tobacco and proceeded to start a new amber
beard。 Also； his moist breath quickly powdered with white his
moustache； eyebrows； and lashes。 There did not seem to be so many
springs on the left fork of the Henderson； and for half an hour the man saw
no signs of any。 And then it happened。 At a place where there were no
signs； where the soft； unbroken snow seemed to advertise solidity beneath；
the man broke through。 It was not deep。 He wetted himself half…way to
the knees before he floundered out to the firm crust。
He was angry； and cursed his luck aloud。 He had hoped to get into
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camp with the boys at six o'clock； and this would delay him an hour； for he
would have to build a fire and dry out his foot…gear。 This was imperative
at that low temperaturehe knew that much； and he turned aside to the
bank； which he climbed。 On top； tangled in the underbrush about the
trunks of several small spruce trees； was a high…water deposit of dry
firewoodsticks and twigs principally； but also larger portions of seasoned
branches and fine； dry； last…year's grasses。 He threw down several large
pieces on top of the snow。 This served for a foundation and prevented the
young flame from drowning itself in the snow it otherwise would melt。
The flame he got by touching a match to a small shred of birch…bark that
he took from his pocket。 This burned even more readily than paper。
Placing it on the foundation； he fed the young flame with wisps of dry
grass and with the tiniest dry twigs。
He worked slowly and carefully； keenly aware of his danger。
Gradually； as the flame grew stronger； he increased the size of the twigs
with which he fed it。 He squatted in the snow； pulling the twigs out from
their entanglement in the brush and feeding directly to the flame。 He
knew there must be no failure。 When it is seventy… five below zero； a
man must not fail in his first attempt to build a firethat is； if his feet are
wet。 If his feet are dry； and he fails； he can run along the trail for half a
mile and restore his circulation。 But the circulation of wet and freezing
feet cannot be restored by running when it is seventy…five below。 No
matter how fast he runs； the wet feet will freeze the harder。
All this the man knew。 The old…timer on Sulphur Creek had told him
about it the previous fall； and now he was appreciating the advice。 Already
all sensation had gone out of his feet。 To build the fire he had been
forced to remove his