The Ice Queen

by Ernest Ingersoll

  "Aleck," said Tug, when they were alone, "I have wanted a good chance to talk with you about the fix we're in. I feel sure that, snug as we are, it's no good to stay here."

  "How are we going to get away? Our boat is useless for ice travel, now that the sledge is gone, even if we save her in decent condition, which we must see about this afternoon."

  "I have been looking at that little scow down on the shore. She is big enough to carry us in water, and I believe we could put a couple of low runners on her bottom, so as to move over an ice-field. Come with me and have a look at her."

  So the two lads went down to the old boat, and looked her carefully over, discussing all the repairs she would need, and how they could be made.

  "But why don't you think we could stay here longer?" Aleck asked, after a time.

  "Because," his companion replied, "we have almost no ammunition and almost no fishing-tackle. In a week from now we should have to live wholly on what we could catch in fishing and by traps, and we get so little now that I think it foolish to risk it if we can get a chance to escape. I reckon it'll freeze up hard again in a few days, but for the last time this winter. Probably the ice'll break up so badly next time it thaws that we couldn't sledge on it; and after that, you know, come the long, stormy months of spring, when, if we tried sailing, our boat wouldn't keep afloat with four people in it during a journey across the lake. If we can't get away over the ice before the next break-up, I believe we're goners."

  "It can't be very far to the mainland; but the weather has always been so thick I never could see far southward," Aleck remarked.

  "It's clear to-day," said Tug. "Let's go and take a look."

  Inspired with hope, the two comrades, forgetful of everything else, hastened up the hillside, and soon reached the pinnacle of rocks that formed their lookout.

  The air was clear, the sky cloudless, and the first glance southward showed them, faint upon the low horizon, yet distinct enough to be unmistakable, the long, dark line of the mainland. Between them and it all lay white, mixed with blue—a plain of ice covered with thin patches of rain-water. They could not see more than eight or ten miles; but in no direction except on the northern horizon (towards the centre of the lake) was there any sign of open water. They hoped, and this helped them to believe, that between them and the shore lay an unbroken plain of ice.

  "If that is so," said Aleck, "and it will only come on cold before it snows, we could skate right across."

  "Take us a couple of days, you'll find," Tug replied.

  "Pshaw! it can't be more than twenty miles."

  "Yes, but we're not so strong as we were when we started. We've none of us really had a square meal for a fortnight, and some of us have been knocked on the head, you know, and that don't help a man any."

  "At any rate, it will be best to get ready right away."

  "That's my ticket," Tug replied. "By the way, can we see the Red Erik? Oh, yes, there she is—all right, I reckon."

  "Yes, she appears to be."

  * * *

  Chapter XXX.

  KATY TAMES THE WILD DOGS.

  When half-way down the hill on their return they saw Katy, who had been at the beach, wave her handkerchief, and turn to come and meet them. At the same instant they caught sight of wolfish figures stealing along among the rocks and bushes at the base.

  "The wild dogs!" both exclaimed, in the same breath, and both felt their blood stop flowing for an instant, for in a minute or two more Katy would meet the brutes, and she must do so before they could get there to help her. They shouted to her, as they hurried at neck-breaking speed down the rough ledges; but she did not hear or did not understand them, and then they lost sight of both her and the dogs behind some bushes. A moment later they saw her again, but with what surprise!

  The girl stood in the middle of a smooth, grassy plat, facing the three dogs, which were gathered in a group, the father of the family in front, and only a few feet from her. All were silent, and the big one was stretching his neck forward, as if debating whether he dared lead his mate and the pup any closer. Katy caught a glimpse of the boys, and quickly raised her right hand, as though signing to them not to advance; but she never took her eye off the animals, nor ceased to speak to them in coaxing tones, while she held out her left hand beckoning them to come nearer. Thus far this had had no effect. The big leader could not make up his mind to trust her, though as yet he showed no disposition to attack.

  "What shall we do?" Aleck whispered to Tug, in an agony of suspense. "She can't keep that up long. Let us rush in."

  "All right," Tug whispered back; "but we must get a stone or a club! 'Twon't do to go at 'em naked-handed."

  Clubs were not handy, but each took heavy stones in both hands, and began a stealthy advance. At that same instant they saw the foremost dog begin to wag his tail slowly, while, one by one, as it were, the hairs upon the back of his neck were lowered. The lads halted, and watched the scene with astonishment and anxiety. Katy still spoke coaxingly, and at last took a gentle step forward. The dog, though suspicious, still wagged his tail. She quietly walked backward three or four steps, and sat down upon a bowlder—an act which the lesser dogs behind at once imitated. "Good dog! fine fellow! come here; come, Tiger," she said, over and over, changing the name every time in hopes of hitting some one that might have been this mastiff's before he was an outcast. Finally, as she sat there with her eyes steadily on his, and beginning to feel very tired, the animal's big square face suggested a picture she had seen of a German prince, just then beginning to become famous.

  "Why, Bismarck!" she called out, in confident tones, "don't you know me? and don't you want a bone? Good old Bismarck!"

  She knew instantly that she had hit it. The dog dropped his ears and hung his head, walked slowly up, and laid his great muzzle, big as a tiger's almost, in her lap, while slowly and suspiciously his followers came nearer and nearer to her by slow advances.

  "Well, I vum!" muttered Tug, in utter amazement, while Aleck was too astounded to say even that much. "I'm 'fraid we shall spoil that very pretty tea-party unless we sneak home another way; and I 'low two or three bullets in the gun would do no harm."

  But their first movement was heard. The mastiff lifted his head, erected his mane, and with a hoarse growl sprang towards the lads. Katy was terribly frightened, but kept her presence of mind.

  "Bismarck!" she commanded sternly, "keep quiet! come back here, sir!" and the great dog, growling and showing his teeth, stopped his course, and slowly returned to his mistress.

  "Boys," the girl called out, when she saw this, "go right along, and pay no attention to the dogs. When I see you safely near the house I'll come. Don't be alarmed for me."

  "Come on, Tug," said Aleck; "the sister knows best."

  Just before they reached the door they turned and saw her walking slowly towards them, the huge, lean father-mastiff close by her side, quiet and submissive, and the mother of the wild crew following tamely in his footsteps; while the whelp, that had never known, as the older dogs had, what it was to have a human master, straggled along behind, apparently in great doubt whether his respected parents had not lost their senses.

  Tug hastily entered the house, and quickly appeared at the window with his gun at his shoulder, ready to shoot if the mastiff showed any signs of treachery; but he did nothing of the sort. Forty yards or so from the house, however, he declined to go any farther, and Katy, without once looking round, walked steadily on to the door, where her brother caught her in his arms, almost at the point of fainting, for the strain upon her nerves had nearly exhausted her strength.

  * * *

  Chapter XXXI.

  ABANDONING THE ISLAND.

  After luncheon the three boys went over to inspect their old boat, and came back towards evening, bringing the oars, some straps of iron that had guarded her keel, the drag-ropes, and one or two other things. They had succeeded in pulling the boat ashore, but she had been too badly damaged to be of any further use
to them.

  Three days were now occupied busily in shooting, fishing, and putting runners on the scow. These runners were simply strips of board (which they had taken from the house) about four inches wide and fourteen feet long—the length of the boat's bottom. With the iron from the sled runners and from their own boat they shod these boat runners rudely, and strengthened the frame.

  During this time the dogs had been almost always within sight, and their near approach during the night would frequently awaken the sleepers in the cabin, Rex quickest, of course. Katy was sure that if the animals could have been fed they would speedily have become docile; and when Tug proposed to shoot them for food, everybody resisted, at least, until they should be in a worse strait than now. Nevertheless it was probably fortunate for the mastiff family that it kept out of gun-range.

  The next and last day of their stay on the island was very cold, and a heavy wind brought hosts of birds, so that they captured twenty snow-flakes, and shot over thirty cross-bills, red-polls, and other small fry, which were placed on the roof as fast as obtained, where they froze solid, and thus kept fresh. This made Katy the most happy of all, for she alone knew that everything was gone except about two messes of coffee and one potful of corn-meal mush.

  "Now, if only we could catch a big fish, we should be fixed grandly," said Jim, as he went out to look at and bring home the lines. When he came back, however, he wore the long face and empty hands of disappointment, but left one line in hope of taking something during the night.

  At sunset the gale went down, the stars glistened like gems, and the frost showed no signs of ceasing. By the light of a great fire of drift-wood on the beach the little scow was partly loaded, and then all hands went for the last time to their mattresses of hemlock boughs. What was ahead they had little notion, but they were now used to peril, and eager to begin their journey, not only because each one felt that he could scarcely be worse off, but from the excitement of commencing new adventures.

  REPAIRING THE OLD SCOW.

  The morning of departure dawned clear and cold, continuing the promises of good weather.

  Jim's early visit to his set-line next morning yielded him one small pickerel, while the traps gave a solitary snow-bird. These, with some other feathered mites, Katy cooked, while Aleck and Tug finished the packing. It was not a bad breakfast, you may think, for shipwrecked persons, but try it once for yourself—fish fried in bacon grease, some fragments of stewed snow-bird, and weak coffee. No bread, no butter, no potatoes, no green relish, no hot cakes, no anything except pickerel and weak coffee. But they thought it the best meal they had had on the island; and after a hasty washing and stowing of dishes they buckled on their skates, took their familiar places at the drag-ropes, and with a cheer started southward, steering by the compass.

  Their old enemies came dashing down the hillside as the expedition took up its march, and stood upon the beach, seeming greatly astonished at the departure of the people at the cottage. Rex barked an angry farewell, which caused them to race out upon the ice as though to punish him for his impertinence; but they stopped short of bullet-range, greatly to Tug's disgust, and presently turned and trotted back to resume their wild career. When last seen they were prowling about the deserted house, trying to push their way into the door, or to break through the glass of the little window. I have no doubt they succeeded; and I hope that they managed to exist until the fishermen came the next summer and took them off, for, after all, these dogs knew no different way of acting, and therefore could not be blamed for their savagery, even though it was needful that our heroes should guard against it.

  The ice was in good condition, and the skaters made fair progress, so that by noon the dusky line of the mainland was plainly visible ahead.

  At last Jim called out that he couldn't skate another stroke, and threw himself down, utterly "done for." Aleck ordered a halt at once, and began to build a small fire—for fuel had not been forgotten. Nobody understood how fatigued they had become by the unwonted exercise in their weak condition, until they found that an hour's halt seemed of little account, and decided to make it two. After that they went on slowly and lamely until near sundown, by which time the island had almost disappeared, and the mainland was growing distinct. Then they camped, stewing snow-birds for supper, and making a big corn-meal cake, which they baked in the skillet. Immediately afterwards beds were made up on the cargo, underneath the canvas, and each one slept as well as he could.

  The next day several hummocks stood in the way, and just about noon they came to a channel of open water about a mile wide. It was not rough, and they slid their boat over the edge of the ice into the water without any difficulty.

  "If we had only known enough to have made us a good boat of this shape before starting, we should have got along much better," Aleck told them, and they all agreed with him, talking it over while they picked a few lean, and very cool bird-bones for luncheon before beginning the ferriage.

  The load sank the weak scow so deeply that the water ran into cracks in her side, despite their calking; and as they were afraid to embark the whole expedition, two trips were made. This was slow and freezing work; and when finally all had got across, and had skated on about a mile, everybody was so cold and tired and sore that a camp was made under the shelter of a tall hummock. Aleck comforted the pride of the younger ones, who worried over their exhaustion, by telling them it was because they were so nearly starved; but this was poor consolation, they thought, so long as there seemed no chance for any increase in their supplies, or means of regaining their strength.

  "Now," he remarked, "see what we have for supper to-night—two snow-birds and a small piece of corn-bread apiece. That would not make a full meal for one of us. If any accident prevents our getting ashore to-morrow I don't know what we shall do, for we have only enough food for breakfast, and a 'powerful weak' one at that!"

  "That's hardest on me," said Tug, "for breakfast is my strong point. If I can have only one meal a day, I want to take it in the morning."

  "That'll be your fix to-morrow, I guess," was the gloomy rejoinder.

  * * *

  The next day's run was a slow one, for the ice was bad in many places, and several hummocks had to be explored to find passable crossing-places. They could sight islands off at their left, but the nearest was several miles away; and though they knew they belonged to the Put-in-Bay group, they did not think it would pay to swerve from their course so long as the ice permitted them to advance towards the mainland. So they kept on, and the shore came nearer and nearer, until they could see that they were entering a great "bight," and that one mass of land, three or four miles towards the left, which they had taken for an island, was really a headland; so they shaped their course for it.

  Near the beach stood a little house surrounded by small fields and hemmed in by the leafless woods. Towards this cottage they made their way, and its owner evidently saw them coming, for a grizzled old man, helping himself with a cane, hobbled down to meet them as they approached the beach.

  * * *

  Chapter XXXII.

  AN ASTONISHED FARMER.

  "Wall, I swanny!" was the farmer's exclamation, as he stared at the strange-looking outfit invading his shores. "Who be ye? and where did ye come from?"

  They began to tell him, and at every sentence his "Wall, I swanny!" was thrown in, to show the astonishment with which he listened. At last he seemed to recollect himself.

  "Ye mus' be drea'ful tired—nigh about beat out—and cold, too. Come into the haouse and git suthin' to eat. There ain't nobody to hum, but I guess I can find ye suthin'."

  Something! Why, my dear reader, they found, in the buttery and milk-room and cellar of that little house on the shore, a dinner the like of which, for goodness, they believed never was equalled. They ate and ate, laughing and almost crying by turns over their good fortune, the happiness of feeling safe and warm again taking off their hearts a load, whose weight they had not appreciated until it was removed. Meanw
hile the old gentleman gossiped on in a pleasant strain.

  "My wife," he told them, "has gone down to the Port to see da'ter an' her husband, for a day or two. My son, he runs on the Lake Shore Railroad in the winter, and so I'm alone. They wanted me to go down to the Port, too, but I don't think any great things of the feller Samanthy married, and I told mother I 'lowed I'd be more comf'able stayin' home 'long with the cow and the chickens."

  "What is this Port you speak of, sir?" Aleck asked him.

  "What? Why, Port Linton, to be sure—don't ye know where that is? Oh, I forgot, ye're lost, ain't ye. He! he! Wall, Port Linton is a town on the railroad, and also on the shore, to the west'ard o' here, or, leastways, to the suthard, 'cause we're out on a pint here, and the Port is up at the head of the bay, behind the big ma'sh. Ye could see it if 'twan't for them big sycamores. 'S about five mile 'cross the water."

  "Can you let us stay with you to-night, and to-morrow we'll go on to the Port?"

  "Oh, yes, ye can stay, an' welcome. If mother was home I'd hitch up and take ye in, but I ain't got no horse to-day, so I s'pose that's the best thing ye can do. But you'll have to double up some, 'cause I ain't got four beds."

  Their rich supper and deep sleep and full breakfast made a new crew of them, and next morning they were eager to get on. It seemed as though ages had passed since they had been in civilization, and Tug began to wonder whether he would recognize a railway car when he saw it. When they were ready to go, Aleck heartily thanked the kind old farmer for his hospitality, and asked how much he should pay him for their entertainment.

  "'WA'AL, I DECLARE!'"

  "Oh, I don't want nothin'—nothin' at all," he said. "You're what they might call mariners in distress, and I just helped you as well as I could. I ain't done nothin', an' I don't want no money."