First at the North Pole; Or, Two Boys in the Arctic Circle — John Shaqi
First at the North Pole; Or, Two Boys in the Arctic CircleStratemeyer, Edward
General
First at the North Pole; Or, Two Boys in the Arctic Circle
Stratemeyer, Edward
Adventure stories; Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration -- Juvenile fiction; North Pole -- Juvenile fiction
"I suppose we ought to have a doctor for him," said Chet, as he made an
examination of the unfortunate one's wounds. "But I don't know of any
around here."
"Nor do I. We can't leave him here,--he'll freeze to death. Where do you
suppose we ought to take him?"
"I don't know of a single place within a mile,--and I don't suppose we
ought to carry him as far as that. He may be hurt inside, and if he is,
it won't do to move him too much."
Much perplexed by the situation which confronted them, the two boys
talked the matter over. It was so cold at the foot of the cliff that to
remain there was out of the question. At last Chet suggested moving to a
clump of pine trees, where they might fix up some sort of temporary
shelter and build a fire. They picked up their guns and the belongings
of the man, and Chet took the unfortunate over his shoulder. He groaned
several times, but did not speak or open his eyes.
"He is certainly hurt quite seriously," said Andy. "I hope he doesn't
die on our hands."
"Do you know his name, or where he comes from?"
"No, but I guess we can find that out by looking in his pockets. He must
have cards or a notebook, or something."
"He looks as if he was well off. That gun is an A No. 1 piece."
"Yes, and look at the fine clothing he is wearing."
It was a hard walk, and they had to take turns in carrying the
unconscious man. To add to the gloom of the situation, it now commenced
to snow again.
Presently they reached a spot that looked good to them. There were a
series of rocks to the northward, backed up by a thick growth of pines.
At the foot of the rocks grew some brushwood.
Chet had calculated to spend some time hunting, and had with him a
hatchet, with which to cut firewood. In a very few minutes he had cut
out some of the brushwood, leaving a cleared space about eight feet
square. Over the top of the cleared space he threw some saplings and
pine branches, and then "wove in" pine branches around the sides. By
this means he soon had a shelter ready, which, while it was by no means
air-tight, was a great deal better than nothing. On the floor of the
shelter he placed other pine branches, and there he and Andy made the
suffering man as comfortable as possible. As soon as they had reached
the spot, Andy had started up a fire, right in front of the opening, and
this now gave out a warmth that was much appreciated.
With some warm water made from melted snow, the lads washed the wounds
of the man, and then bound them up with strips torn from their shirts.
They used other water for making coffee, and poured some of this down
the man's throat. They also rubbed his hands and wrists, doing what they
could think of to revive him.
In the meantime the snow continued to come down, lightly at first, and
then so thickly that the entire landscape around the shelter was blotted
out.
"It's going to be a corker of a storm," announced Chet, as he gazed out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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