CHAPTER XXIV
UNDER THE DRIFTING SNOW
Bobby and Jimmy heard the ominous booming that accompanied the parting
of the floe from the land ice, and they whipped the dogs to the utmost
exertion of which the animals were capable, but they had dallied too
long, and when they reached the rapidly widening chasm it was plain that
retreat was hopelessly cut off.
"We can swim it! We can swim!" shouted Jimmy, and but for the
restraining hand of Bobby he would have plunged into the water and made
the mad attempt, so soon forgetful was he of his recent experience.
"You'd freeze! You'd freeze! We couldn't swim in this cold!" Bobby
protested.
"I think we could have made it!" declared Jimmy, when Bobby let go his
arm.
"You know how the water treated us the other day, Jimmy," said Bobby
quietly. "We never could swim it. The cold would paralyze us before we
got half way across."
"But now we're sure to perish!" Jimmy exclaimed. "We'll be carried to
sea, and the ice will break up, and there'll be no chance for us at all.
We'd have had at least a chance if we'd tried! Now our last chance is
gone!"
"There wouldn't have been a chance if we'd tried to swim," Bobby
protested. "Here there is some sort of a chance. The ice may not break
up, and it may drift back so that we can get ashore, and if it holds
together long enough some vessel may pick us up. Anyhow we're here, and
we've got to make the best of it."
"There's Partner!" broke in Jimmy.
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