CHAPTER VIII 



ZAKKI THE JOURNEY 



Now hope beat high in Zakki's heart. 



The ice was firm and smooth ; the long sledge 

 was ready, with its canvas shelter firmly upon it ; 

 the dogs were keen for work. And little Zakki 

 seemed brighter too. He seemed to listen keenly 

 to his father's chatter as the work went on ; he 

 watched the packing of the food for the journey 

 dried fish and queer hard dough-cakes of Zakki's 

 baking for themselves, and a bottle of cod-liver oil 

 for a relish, and for the dogs a bag of hard dry seal- 

 meat, chopped into proper pieces and as hard as 

 stone ; he even laughed when Zakki told him how 

 he should travel in his own bed upon the sledge 

 lying snug on the deer-skins in his canvas shelter. 

 "But," said the father, "when we come home 

 you shall run beside the sledge like a man, for you 

 will be well and strong ; and I will teach you how 

 to drive the dogs and how to build a house of 

 snow." 



It was a bright, cold winter's morning when the 

 little party started. The child was too weak to 

 walk, so Zakki carried him to the sledge and placed 

 him tenderly in the box, and wrapped him well with 

 dry, warm skins. Then Zakki took the whip, and 

 with a crack of the long lash and a shrill ' ' Hoo- 



55 



