132 BY ESKIMO DOG-SLED 



yet so few of them can swim. The boys are 

 always in the boats in the summer-time, or 

 paddling among the stones ; and yet if they 

 fall into deep water they are lost. One day, 

 while they were at their play upon the jetty, 

 a little fellow fell into the water. 



The others pluckily pulled him out, and 

 brought him, limp and half choked, to the 

 hospital. As soon as he was fit to be out of 

 doors again he showed his gratitude by elect- 

 ing himself general hospital handy-man. It 

 was impossible to talk to him, for he was 

 quite deaf, but he was always waiting about 

 looking for some sign that meant work to be 

 done. To jerk your thumbs over your shoulders 

 meant oars to Benjie, and away he would 

 scamper to the boat, grinning with delight ; 

 and by the time I got to the water's edge he 

 was in his place with the two oars in his baby 

 hands, ready to burst into the loudest of sobs 

 if I would not let him row. 



