The Frost King, grim and
inexorable, had ascended his throne, and the world, subdued into utter
silence, lay prostrate and submissive at his feet.
Toward noon Jimmy came over, hauling behind him a sled, and upon it his
sleeping bag of caribou skin, to say that Skipper Ed had gone that
morning to his traps and would not return until the following evening,
and Jimmy was to stay at Abel's over night. This was the custom when
Skipper Ed was away, and of course Jimmy was more than welcome with both
Abel and Mrs. Abel, and Bobby was delighted.
When dinner was over Abel, with a long stick, went down to inspect the
ice. He prodded it with the stick, and finding it to his satisfaction
stepped out upon it, and still prodding ahead of him made a wide
circuit. The ice bent as he walked, but sea ice is tough, and may be
perfectly safe though it bends. And so Abel found it, for when he came
back he said "_Piovok"_ (it is good).
Bobby was wrapped well, and out he went with Jimmy for his first winter
frolic. A wonderful time they had, coasting down the steep bank and
shooting far out upon the ice, or running over the ice, with Bobby on
the sled and Jimmy hauling him, until at last, quite weary with the fun,
they returned to the cabin to play with the ivory dogs and sledge until
supper time.
After this Jimmy came often with his sled, and he and Bobby coasted the
steep bank or rolled and tumbled in the snow, or built miniature snow
_igloos_, while Bobby grew as tough and hardy as any little Eskimo boy
could have been, which was very much to the satisfaction, not only of
Mr.
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