Shall we have dinner here ?" "Not until we hit the trail," replied Howland.

"I'm anxious to know about that one chance in a hundred you've given me hope of, Croisset.

If they have passed--" "If they are ahead of us you might just as well stand out there and let me put a bullet through you, M'seur." He went to the head of the dogs, guiding them down the rough side of the ridge, while Howland steadied the toboggan from behind.

For three-quarters of an hour they traversed the low bush of the plain in silence.

From every rising snow hummock Jean scanned the white desolation about them, and each time, as nothing that was human came within his vision, he turned toward the engineer with a sinister shrug of his shoulders.