134 AT THE POLE 



wishes, which we suddenly discovered, put us in very 

 good spirits. They were signed by Beck and Ronne. 

 They had good faith in us. When we had finished this 

 we came out, and the tent-door was securely laced 

 together, so that there was no danger of the wind getting 

 a hold on that side. 



And so good-bye to Polheim. It was a solemn 

 moment when we bared our heads and bade farew^ell to 

 our home and our flag. And then the travelling tent 

 was taken down and the sledges packed. Now the 

 homeward journey was to begin — homeward, step by 

 step, mile after mile, until the w^hole distance was 

 accomplished. We drove at once into our old tracks 

 and followed them. Many were the times we turned to 

 send a last look to Polheim. The vaporous, white air 

 set in again, and it was not long before the last of 

 Polheim, our little flag, disappeared from view. 



