I 4 4 THE CHILDREN OF THE COLD. 



and with his left fist doubled up rams it 

 into the joint between the blocks, his 

 left fist keeping a constant punching as 

 the knife runs slowly along the edge of 

 the joint. 



Of course, during the first three or 

 four courses of blocks, the boys (and 

 sometimes the girls) can "chink" the 

 joints while they are standing or kneel- 

 ing on the ground ; but after it gets 

 above and beyond the reach of their 

 arms, they have to crawl on top of the 

 house, which looks so frail that you are 

 almost certain the little fellows will 

 tumble through the thin snow walls of 

 the hut. But when it is completed and 

 made of good snow, three or four big 

 men can go on top of it, so much 

 stronger is it than it appears to be. 

 Sometimes, however, the boys are sur- 



