86 My Dogs in the Northland 



to allow the guide, who was several hundred 

 yards ahead of me, to cross over it in safety. 

 When my train reached it, the new ice held 

 until Koona had just barely reached the 

 firm old ice on the other side. At that in- 

 stant it broke under Jack, and down he went 

 in the cold water. Poor fellow! he was 

 completely submerged, and although but for 

 an instant, it was quite bath enough under 

 such a temperature. It was astonishing to 

 see how well the dogs knew how to act in 

 such an emergency. Koona held on to his 

 grip on the ice, with all the strength he had, 

 while the dogs behind Jack at once pulled 

 back, as well as their collars and traces 

 would allow. The result was, these taut 

 traces before and behind Jack kept him well 

 up in the water. 



Speedily we moved to get him out with- 

 out permitting any other dogs to fall in. A 

 sled was at once unloaded and unfastened. 

 This the cautious Indians shoved out on the 

 unbroken ice at one side of Jack, taking 

 care that one end of it reached to the firm 

 ice in front, while the rear end was on old 

 ice sufficiently firm to keep it from break- 

 ing through. Then two of the Indians cau- 

 tiously went out on this improvised bridge, 



