Even the dogs were whining and restless, impatient to get off again for the last stage of their journey.
"Father, you must help yourself," the girl cried despairingly.

"I can't possibly get you out of the tree alone, and you will just freeze to death if you are not quick." The urgency of her tone seemed to rouse him a little, and, seeing that he appeared to be coming to himself again, she rubbed his face briskly with snow, which quickened his faculties, and incidentally made the wound on his cheek smart horribly; but that was a minor matter, the chief thing being to make him bestir himself.

Then by a great effort she lifted him up again, and this time he put out his hand and clutched at the trunk of the tree, and so kept himself from slipping back into the fork, while she ran round and pulled him clear of the trees, making him lean upon her whilst she debated on her next move.
"I don't know how we shall get home; I can't walk," he said feebly.
"Of course you can't; that is entirely out of the question," she said briskly.

"I must unload the two sledges, and cache the things close to this tree, under your sledge; then the dogs can draw you home.

There is not much over three miles to be done, so we shall not be long." She made him sit on the snow while she set about her preparations, for he seemed too weak to stand alone.