"Of course--I can't bear raw fish, I suppose that's from living in civilization so long. I find that a little lemon juice on my tail makes the canned varieties bite splendidly." "How wonderful," murmured Billy. "Well, well, Billy Bounce, what have you been doing with yourself since I saw you last? How you've grown." "I've been pretty well, I thank you--what are you doing now?" "Nothing much," said Fuzzy sadly. "I came up here to go in the ice business, but I found that old Boreas was the ice man and had a corner on the market, so I'm just looking about for something to turn up. What are you doing?" "I'm carrying a message to Bogie Man," said Billy. "You're nearly there then," said Fuzzy, pointing out over the ice fields, "it's just beyond Aurora Borealis and back again ten thousand miles." "Back again ten thousand miles--isn't that pretty far?" "Not very, they are imaginary miles, much shorter than the regular kind." "Who is that whistling?" interrupted Billy. "That's old Boreas--he must have just made a good deal in ice and is whistling over it--by the way, he's a good friend to Bogie Man and Nickel Plate." "Then he's no friend of mine." "I shouldn't fear him," said Fuzzy, "he's a fearful blow-hard, and though he's certainly cold blooded, he makes more noise than anything else." "Talking about me, were you?" said Boreas, arriving in a swirl of snow and clicking the ice tongs he held in his hand. "We--we merely mentioned your name," said Billy, trying to turn his back on him. But that was useless, for old Boreas faced him whichever way he turned. "You can't escape me that way," and he threw a handful of snow in Billy's face. "Stop it!" cried Billy, "it's no joke to treat a fellow this way." "Of course it is," said Boreas, jumping over Billy's head. "Is what?" asked Billy. "Snow joke, of course--I feel frisky this morning and I must have my joke." "You're always frisky," said Fuzzy White sulkily. "Who wouldn't be--I just exchanged my old bicycle for an icicle this morning and it works like a charm," said Boreas. "I suppose you travel rather fast," said Billy, hoping to keep his mind off of Nickel Plate and Bogie Man. [Illustration: _"Talking about me, were you?" said Boreas, arriving in a swirl of._--Page 172.] "Fast," answered Boreas, puffing his chest way out, "fast--why, while you are jumping three miles, I will have run a hundred." "That's blowing," murmured Fuzzy White. "Then you recognize me?" said Billy. "Of course I do--South Wind blew in here one day and warned me that you were coming." "Let's change the subject," said Fuzzy White nervously. "Yes," said Billy eagerly, "you, you whistle very well, Mr. Boreas." "I pride myself on my whistling," said Boreas, lifting up a block of ice with his tongs and throwing it over his shoulder. "But to return to yourself, Billy Bounce--you will have to go back home." "I'd like to oblige you," said Billy sturdily, "but I can't."