Костер

           Thecoldofspacesmotetheunprotectedtipoftheplanet,andhe,beingonthatunprotectedtip,receivedthefullforceoftheblow. Thebloodofhisbodyrecoiledbeforeit. Thebloodwasalive,likethedog,andlikethedogitwantedtohideawayandcoveritselfupfromthefearfulcold. Solongashewalkedfourmilesanhour,hepumpedthatblood,willy-nilly,tothesurface;butnowitebbedawayandsankdownintotherecessesofhisbody. Theextremitieswerethefirsttofeelitsabsence. Hiswetfeetfrozethefaster,andhisexposedfingersnumbedthefaster,thoughtheyhadnotyetbeguntofreeze. Noseandcheekswerealreadyfreezing,whiletheskinofallhisbodychilledasitlostitsblood. 

           Buthewassafe. Toesandnoseandcheekswouldbeonlytouchedbythefrost,forthefirewasbeginningtoburnwithstrength. Hewasfeedingitwithtwigsthesizeofhisfinger. Inanotherminutehewouldbeabletofeeditwithbranchesthesizeofhiswrist,andthenhecouldremovehiswetfoot-gear,and,whileitdried,hecouldkeephisnakedfeetwarmbythefire,rubbingthematfirst,ofcourse,withsnow. Thefirewasasuccess. Hewassafe. Herememberedtheadviceoftheold-timeronSulphurCreek,andsmiled. Theold-timerhadbeenveryseriousinlayingdownthelawthatnomanmusttravelaloneintheKlondikeafterfiftybelow. Well,herehewas;hehadhadtheaccident;hewasalone;andhehadsavedhimself. Thoseold-timerswereratherwomanish,someofthem,hethought. Allamanhadtodowastokeephishead,andhewasallright.