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known the man to speak in such way before。 Something was the matter；
and its suspicious nature sensed danger；it knew not what danger but
somewhere； somehow； in its brain arose an apprehension of the man。 It
flattened its ears down at the sound of the man's voice； and its restless；
hunching movements and the liftings and shiftings of its forefeet became
more pronounced but it would not come to the man。 He got on his hands
and knees and crawled toward the dog。 This unusual posture again
excited suspicion； and the animal sidled mincingly away。
The man sat up in the snow for a moment and struggled for calmness。
Then he pulled on his mittens； by means of his teeth； and got upon his feet。
He glanced down at first in order to assure himself that he was really
standing up； for the absence of sensation in his feet left him unrelated to
the earth。 His erect position in itself started to drive the webs of
suspicion from the dog's mind； and when he spoke peremptorily； with the
sound of whip…lashes in his voice； the dog rendered its customary
allegiance and came to him。 As it came within reaching distance； the
man lost his control。 His arms flashed out to the dog； and he experienced
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genuine surprise when he discovered that his hands could not clutch； that
there was neither bend nor feeling in the lingers。 He had forgotten for
the moment that they were frozen and that they were freezing more and
more。 All this happened quickly； and before the animal could get away；
he encircled its body with his arms。 He sat down in the snow； and in this
fashion held the dog； while it snarled and whined and struggled。
But it was all he could do； hold its body encircled in his arms and sit
there。 He realized that he could not kill the dog。 There was no way to
do it。 With his helpless hands he could neither draw nor hold his sheath…
knife nor throttle the animal。 He released it； and it plunged wildly away；
with tail between its legs； and still snarling。 It halted forty feet away and
surveyed him curiously； with ears sharply pricked forward。 The man
looked down at his hands in order to locate them； and found them hanging
on the ends of his arms。 It struck him as curious that one should have to
use his eyes in order to find out where his hands were。 He began
threshing his arms back and forth； beating the mittened hands against his
sides。 He did this for five minutes； violently； and his heart pumped
enough blood up to the surface to put a stop to his shivering。 But no
sensation was aroused in the hands。 He had an impression that they hung
like weights on the ends of his arms； but when he tried to run the
impression down； he could not find it。
A certain fear of death； dull and oppressive； came to him。 This fear
quickly became poignant as he realized that it was no longer a mere matter
of freezing his fingers and toes； or of losing his hands and feet； but that it
was a matter of life and death with the chances against him。 This threw
him into a panic； and he turned and ran up the creek…bed along the old；
dim trail。 The dog joined in behind and kept up with him。 He ran
blindly； without intention； in fear such as he had never known in his life。
Slowly； as he ploughed and floundered through the snow； he began to see
things againthe banks of the creek； the old timber…jams； the leafless
aspens； and the sky。 The running made him feel better。 He did not shiver。
Maybe； if he ran on； his feet would thaw out； and； anyway； if he ran far
enough； he would reach camp and the boys。 Without doubt he would
lose some fingers and toes and some of his face； but the boys would take
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care of him； and save the rest of him when he got there。 And at the same
time there was another thought in his mind that said he would never get to
the camp and the boys； that it was too many miles away； that the freezing
had too great a start on him； and that he would soon be stiff and dead。
This thought he kept in the background and refused to consider。
Sometimes it pushed itself forward and demanded to be heard； but he
thrust it back and strove to think of other things。
It struck him as curious that he could run at all on feet so frozen that
he could not feel them when they struck the earth and took the weight of
his body。 He seemed to himself to skim along above the surface and to
have no connection with the earth。 Somewhere he had once seen a
winged Mercury； and he wondered if Mercury felt as he felt when
skimming over the earth。
His theory of running until he reached camp and the boys had one flaw
in it： he lacked the endurance。 Several times he stumbled； and finally
he tottered； crumpled up； and fell。 When he tried to rise； he failed。 He
must sit and rest； he decided； and next time he would merely walk and
keep on going。 As he sat and regained his breath； he noted that he was
feeling quite warm and comfortable。 He was not shivering； and it even
seemed that a warm glow had come to his chest and trunk。 And yet；
when he touched his nose or cheeks； there was no sensation。 Running
would not thaw them out。 Nor would it thaw out his hands and feet。
Then the thought came to him that the frozen portions of his body must be
extending。 He tried to keep this thought down； to forget it； to think of
something else； he was aware of the panicky feeling that it caused； and he
was afraid of the panic。 But the thought asserted itself； and persisted；
until it produced a vision of his body totally frozen。 This was too much；
and he made another wild run along the trail。 Once he slowed down to a
walk； but the thought of the freezing extending itself made him run again。
And all the time the dog ran with him； at his heels。 When he