"Oh, it was nothing for me to do! I was safe on the end of the line! I
was sure of getting out--but Jimmy!"
"Here," said Skipper Ed, "is some fine tender seal meat and a hard
biscuit. Drink down this hot tea. It's good for you. And stop talking. I
know what you did, you young husky."
Bobby laughed, and sipped the steaming tea.
Jimmy always insisted that he would have gone into the water anyhow when
the ice turned over, and therefore had no choice, and deserved no credit
for what he did, but that Bobby did a very brave act. And Bobby insisted
that Jimmy had risked his life to save his, and was the bravest chap in
the world. And Skipper Ed insisted that both lads were wonderful heroes.
So it comes about that you and I will have to decide for ourselves which
was right, and who was the hero.
CHAPTER XXII
A STORM AND A CATASTROPHE
True to his promise, Bobby was up the next morning bright and early, and
awoke Skipper Ed as he moved about, lighting the lamp and hanging the
kettle of snow to melt for tea, and the kettle containing cooked seal
meat, to thaw, for it had frozen hard in the night. Then, while he
waited for these to heat, he crawled back into his sleeping bag.
"How are you feeling after your Arctic dip?" inquired Skipper Ed.
"As fine as could be!" answered Bobby. "My fingers were nipped a little,
and they're a bit numb. That's the only way I'd know, from the way I
feel, that I'd been in the water."
"You're a regular tough young husky!" declared Skipper Ed.
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