PYX, B. A. 



387 



colder and more ice was seen. One night 

 when I was sound asleep on my master's 

 bed, wrapped up good and warm, I was 

 awakened by a dreadful crash, followed by 

 great confusion, and then all was still. No 

 one came to tell me what had happened, my 

 bed was very warm and comfortable, and I 

 was so sleepy I soon forgot all about it; but 

 next morning when I went up on deck I 

 saw a wonderful sight; for a few moments I 

 could see nothing — it was dazzling! for our 

 ship was surrounded by great blocks of ice; 

 we could move neither forward or back- 

 ward, the ice was everywhere. Oh, but it 

 was cold! I often lie now by the grate fire 

 and dream of that ice, and how glad I am 

 when I awake to feel the warmth from the 

 burning coal instead of the icy chill of that 

 morning. I heard the men say we were 

 caught in the ice that had begun to break 

 and melt, but owing to a change in the 

 weather had frozen up again, and that we 

 would have to stay until another thaw came. 



At first it was rather interesting to watch 

 for walrus or other sea animals that would 

 come up through the crevices in the ice, 

 but after a day or so of that I got tired and 

 restless. Some of the men had gone to hunt, 

 and I, too, began to long for some adventure. 

 So one of the other dogs and I decided we 

 would just run up and down awhile, not 

 intending to go beyond sight of the ship; 

 but suddenly I espied the head of some little 

 animal peeping out from behind a block of 

 ice and away we both went. We had been 

 on the ship for so long it seemed so good to 

 stretch our legs. We ran, we jumped, we 

 barked. Oh, what a lark! I turned to ask 

 my dog friend how he liked it, and much to 

 my dismay he was nowhere to be seen; in 

 vain I looked, in vain I barked, no answer 

 came. I looked for the ship, but there was 

 no ship in sight. — I was a lost dog and I sat 

 down and howled. 



I was hungry, too, and my feet began to 

 burn and hurt. That great white silent 

 world seemed just to contain me, poor little 

 me ; how I wished for my nice warm bed and 

 my good hot supper. I have seen times since 

 when I longed for a piece of ice, but just then 

 I would gladly have exchanged the whole 

 world of ice for one nice, warm bone from 

 my master's table. I was wretched. I howled 

 and howled, and away off I heard an an- 



swering howl, half invitation, half defian< e. 

 Somehow it made my poor little fox terrier 

 heart go down in my toes, and I wished I was 

 safe back on the Bear. I was not a, bit 

 interested just then in the "call of the wild,' 

 it was home folks I wanted. 



Have you ever seen the Northern Lights ? 

 I never had before, because I had always 

 very properly gone to bed; but that night 1 

 had no bed to go to, so, instead, I stood and 

 gazed about me. Something of the awful 

 grandeur and mystery of an Arctic night 

 crept into my little dog mind, and again I 

 howled with a sort of terror of I knew not 

 what, and again came that answering howl; 

 it seemed to me it said: "I come, little 

 brother; I come," but I had every reason 

 to believe my brothers were living safe, 

 uneventful lives many miles away, and I 

 didn't want any new relations, so I took 

 to my heels and ran and ran until exhaus- 

 ted I dropped down. 



I must have fallen asleep, for when I awoke 

 it was broad daylight and the sun was mak- 

 ing the ice seem like pinnacles of diamonds. 

 I got up cold and stiff, stretched myself and 

 looked around; ice, ice everywhere, not a 

 living being in sight ; I was very cold, and I 

 had sense enough to know I would not get 

 warm by standing still, so I started off on 

 a slow trot. I had no idea what direction 

 to take, I only knew I wanted to be going, 

 and all directions seemed alike to me. I 

 was fearfully hungry, so I kept a sharp look- 

 out for breakfast; once I caught sight of 

 some little creature scurrying along on the 

 ice and I made after it, but he was too quick 

 for me. Along about noon I came across 

 a dead bird; it was not a very dainty mor- 

 sel, but I was hungry and I crouched there 

 on the ice and tore that bird apart like some 

 wild beast, nor did I stop until every vestige 

 of flesh was gone. Then, more than ever, 

 I wanted the water I had been longing for 

 all morning ; in vain I licked the ice, it only 

 seemed to add to my thirst. I believe thirst 

 is worse to bear than hunger. I know I 

 would rather have had a nice, fresh drink of 

 water than that bird I had devoured. 



I stood and gazed in every direction, 

 hoping for a glimpse of my beloved ship, 

 but I could see nothing of it, only the white 

 glare of the icebergs. I knew that night 

 was approaching, and how I dreaded to be 



