At length the lake was reached.

In summer it was a sheet of muddy yellow water abounding in fish, and many acres in extent.

Now it was a wide snowfield, except at one end, where for some unexplained reason it was open water still.

This was the part at which they arrived, and Katherine halted on the bank with an exclamation of surprise.

"Why, we shan't need the saw at all; it is open water!" "The ice at the edge is too thin to stand upon, and we mustn't take risks here, for Father says there is a whirlpool at this end, and it is the constant motion of the water that keeps it from freezing," Miles answered; and taking the saw from Katherine he commenced making a hole in the ice a few yards from the open water.
The dog's were lying panting on the bank as if quite exhausted, but their ears were perked up, and their eyes were very wide open, for they quite understood what was going on, and the prospect of fish freshly caught was very welcome after their months of living on the dried article.