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When the Prince Came Home, by George T. Marsh · Classic Dog Stories

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  Speaker 1: Section ten of Best Dog Stories. This is a librivaux.
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  Speaker 1: According all librivaux recordings are in the public domain. For
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  Speaker 1: more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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  Speaker 1: Section ten. When the Prince Came Home by George T. Marsh,
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  Speaker 1: the door of the trade House at Rupert was thrown open,
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  Speaker 1: admitting a blast of biting air and a flurry of
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  Speaker 1: powdery snow, followed by the rugged figure of Bruce Christie,
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  Speaker 1: son of the Factor. The Queen of Sheba's pups have come, father,
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  Speaker 1: he cried, and Michael says they're the likeliest looking litter
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  Speaker 1: he's ever seen at the Rupert House. The Factor, grinning
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  Speaker 1: with pleasure, reached for his foxskin cap. We'll have a
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  Speaker 1: good look at 'em. It's time we had some good
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  Speaker 1: dogs at Rupert now. The Queen in Ungava bread husky
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  Speaker 1: bought when a puppy from a whale river. Eskimo was
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  Speaker 1: far and away the best sled dog at the post,
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  Speaker 1: and the pride of the big Scotchman. Massive of bone
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  Speaker 1: and frame with the stamina of a cariboo, she had
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  Speaker 1: won as a yearling a place in the traces of
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  Speaker 1: the Hudson's Bay company's winter packet that took the mail
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  Speaker 1: north up the East coast. Therefore, it was with high
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  Speaker 1: hope that Christie foundered over the narrow dog trail in
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  Speaker 1: the deep snow to an unoccupied shack behind the trade house.
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  Speaker 1: In the open door of the building stood two of
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  Speaker 1: the shaggy veterans of the male teens, peering curiously with
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  Speaker 1: wolfish eyes into the interior, while from a deep throat
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  Speaker 1: within a low, menacing rumble like the muffled threats of
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  Speaker 1: a September Northwestern gathering on James Bay, held them at
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  Speaker 1: the threshold. For there was not a slant eyed husky
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  Speaker 1: at Rupert House that had not felt the white things
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  Speaker 1: of the Queen, who long since had asserted her sovereignty
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  Speaker 1: by right of the power that lay in the lunge
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  Speaker 1: and clash of her punishing jaws. As the Factor and
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  Speaker 1: his son entered the shack, the growl changed to a
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  Speaker 1: whine of recognition from the great dog, who lay on
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  Speaker 1: some old sacking in the corner with six blind whimpering
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  Speaker 1: balls of fur. Well, Queenie, old girl, you've sure done yourself, proud,
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  Speaker 1: chuckled the delighted Christie, patting the head that sought his hand.
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  Speaker 1: Let's have a look at the family. One after another,
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  Speaker 1: he picked up the squealing puppies his practiced fingers, sensing
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  Speaker 1: the bone and build of each, as if he were
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  Speaker 1: fit for the collar and traces of the winter trails. Hello,
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  Speaker 1: here's one. That's the picture of the old lady herself,
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  Speaker 1: he continued, lifting a squirmy puppy for inspection. Look, he's
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  Speaker 1: got the same white star on his chest and the
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  Speaker 1: four white socks, cried Bruce. Yes, and in bone and build,
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  Speaker 1: he's the best of the law, added his father. I
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  Speaker 1: guess we'll name him prince right here, for he's got
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  Speaker 1: the right to the title. Some day he'll lead the
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  Speaker 1: winter packet a day ahead of time into Whale River,
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  Speaker 1: and Machay'll have to find a new joke. We'll have
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  Speaker 1: some sled dogs worth their whitefish at Rupert yet lad.
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  Speaker 1: That year, the spring came early to Rupert's land. The
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  Speaker 1: melting snow of April brought to the huskies a swift
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  Speaker 1: release from the winter's thraldom to collar and traces, and
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  Speaker 1: snowshoes were discarded by the little colony for the slush
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  Speaker 1: proofed seal skin boot. Then the ice began to boom
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  Speaker 1: and churn and grind day after day past the post
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  Speaker 1: to the salt Bay. The great River, swollen by the
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  Speaker 1: floods from far Mista Sinney, crept foot by foot up
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  Speaker 1: the high shores until it seethed and hissed, almost at
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  Speaker 1: the level from which for two centuries the brave little
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  Speaker 1: fort had hurled a mute defiance at the sullen north
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  Speaker 1: Bound for the marshes of the West Coast, long lines
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  Speaker 1: of gray geese, led by veteran couriers of the air,
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  Speaker 1: crossed like caravans the blue desert of the sky. White
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  Speaker 1: hosts of wavies, their snowy wings flapping in the sun's
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  Speaker 1: rays like huge banners, passed high overhead to their nesting
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  Speaker 1: places in nameless Arctic islands. In the wake of the
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  Speaker 1: gray and white squadrons came the little brothers of the air,
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  Speaker 1: duck and yellow legs, warbler and thrush, and soon from
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  Speaker 1: the neighboring forest piped the heralds of soft days in
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  Speaker 1: Rupert's lam. With the waxing of the spring, the sons
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  Speaker 1: and daughters of the Queen grew into hulking, leggy puppies,
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  Speaker 1: always in the way of everyone, including themselves, but reckless,
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  Speaker 1: indeed of the safety of his throat, would have been
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  Speaker 1: the half breed who kicked them from his path, while
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  Speaker 1: the restless, narrow eyes of the Queen kept vigilant watch.
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  Speaker 1: And it was not long before the puppy with the
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  Speaker 1: white socks and the start and blazoned chest began to
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  Speaker 1: realize the promise of his earliest year. Soon, his fiercer spirit,
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  Speaker 1: aided by the might of his sturdier build, brought his
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  Speaker 1: kinsman into subjection, and he became the acknowledged leader in
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  Speaker 1: every puppy plot and misadventure about the trade house and
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  Speaker 1: factor's quarters. It was the Prince who was found under
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  Speaker 1: the trade house endeavoring to bolt Christie's best pair of
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  Speaker 1: sealskin boots. It was the Prince who, unobserved gnawed into
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  Speaker 1: a bag of flour, and, on appearing before his family
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  Speaker 1: an apparition in white, was set upon fiercely by his
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  Speaker 1: kinsmen in a body, who failed to recognize him in
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  Speaker 1: his new role of purity. Not until he had administered
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  Speaker 1: to them a sound drobbing, in the course of which
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  Speaker 1: activity he lost his disguise, was he readmitted to membership
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  Speaker 1: in the family circle. Again, it was the Prince who,
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  Speaker 1: at the tender age of three months, demonstrated to the
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  Speaker 1: wild half tomcat of the Christies that a husky pup
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  Speaker 1: with a star on his chest and the teeth of
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  Speaker 1: an otter was not to be cuffed with impunity. Thereafter,
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  Speaker 1: Lynx curled a tail somewhat shorter than he formerly wore,
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  Speaker 1: and affected a decided hitch in his gait. But though
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  Speaker 1: the Prince soon acquired a reputation for a peppery temper
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  Speaker 1: and the love of a brawl, Bruce Christie early discovered
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  Speaker 1: that he alone, of the children of the Queen, not
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  Speaker 1: even momentarily, could be lured from the side of his
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  Speaker 1: master by coaxing and bribery. Early he acquired the trick
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  Speaker 1: of rushing full tilt at Bruce in his lumbering puppy gait,
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  Speaker 1: yelping as he ran, only on reaching him to seize
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  Speaker 1: a hand in his open jaws, and raising his slant
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  Speaker 1: eyes to wait with fiercely wagging tail for the other
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  Speaker 1: hand to grasp his nose and roll him on his
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  Speaker 1: wriggling back. So the northern summer passed, and with the
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  Speaker 1: first bite in the air came the gray and white
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  Speaker 1: squadrons from the north to feed on the succulent goose
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  Speaker 1: grasp of the south coast marshes. Under Bruce the company,
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  Speaker 1: many Indians manned the goose boats and left for the
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  Speaker 1: annual hunt on Hannah Bay for the winter's supply. With
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  Speaker 1: the exception of Christie and some of the older post crees,
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  Speaker 1: Rupert House was devoid of man. It was a soft,
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  Speaker 1: lazy afternoon at the end of September, weather which always
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  Speaker 1: precedes the cold storm that ushers in the Indian summer
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  Speaker 1: on the bay a week of the latter, and the
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  Speaker 1: stinging winds would sweep down from the north, bringing the
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  Speaker 1: brand and the first flurry of snow. The dogs of
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  Speaker 1: the Factor's male teams were sprawled around the trade house
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  Speaker 1: asleep in the sun. But sleep this golden afternoon was
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  Speaker 1: not for the offspring of the Queen. Vainly under the
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  Speaker 1: lead of the Prince Master of Sports, they had romped
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  Speaker 1: from the trade house to river shore and back to
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  Speaker 1: the spruce forest in the rear in search of adventure.
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  Speaker 1: They had pawed and pulled at the inert anatomy of
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  Speaker 1: the Queen, only to be met with dire threats of chastisement.
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  Speaker 1: In the form of low growls and lazy exposure of
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  Speaker 1: white canines, as her head fell again in sleep. At last,
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  Speaker 1: in desperation, the hulking prince picked up a bleached caribou
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  Speaker 1: shin bone, and, shaking it as he would a rabbit,
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  Speaker 1: challenged his comrades to take it. With yelps of delight,
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  Speaker 1: the pursuit began pellmell around the tradehouse. Went the pack
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  Speaker 1: at the heels of the big puppy. Back again they came,
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  Speaker 1: scrambling over each other in wild confusion as they slid
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  Speaker 1: down the steep river bank in full cry, then up
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  Speaker 1: again and over to the forest. Raised the squealing huskies
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  Speaker 1: pardoned pursuit of one two feet to be overtaken. Soon
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  Speaker 1: out of the forest galloped the prince and headed for
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  Speaker 1: the trade house. Arriving there, he stopped and allowed his
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  Speaker 1: nearest pursuers to come almost within reach. Then, shaking his
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  Speaker 1: bone in their faces, he fled up the river shores
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  Speaker 1: toward the mission and the cabins of the post Indians
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  Speaker 1: of face few hundred yards off. The puppy had not
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  Speaker 1: covered half the distance when from the grass back of
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  Speaker 1: the mission house rose a big white husky, opening his
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  Speaker 1: mouth in a wide yawn. As he stretched for a moment,
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  Speaker 1: he surveyed the authors of the bedlam which had wakened him. Then,
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  Speaker 1: with ears erect and hair on his neck bristling, began
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  Speaker 1: to walk slowly through the long grass toward the oncoming puppies.
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  Speaker 1: Farther away, near the Indian shacks, other huskies arose, shook themselves,
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  Speaker 1: and turned in quest of the cause of this ruthless
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  Speaker 1: interference with their slumbers. When the prince and his pursuers
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  Speaker 1: had covered half the distance to the mission house, the
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  Speaker 1: white sentinel watching them, threw back his head and roused
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  Speaker 1: the post with the long drawn coll to arms of
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  Speaker 1: the half wild descendants of the timberwolves. The challenge of
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  Speaker 1: the white huskies stopped the romping puppies in their tracks.
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  Speaker 1: Young as they were, they already knew the meaning of
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  Speaker 1: the slogan. Sensing the pair into which their heedless crossing
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  Speaker 1: of the post deadline had placed them, they turned and
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  Speaker 1: fled for the safety of the trade house. At the
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  Speaker 1: same time, the prince, far in front of his pursuing comrades, stopped,
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  Speaker 1: dropped his bone, and, with ears pricked and hair on
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  Speaker 1: neck and back stiffly erect stood for an instant, watching
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  Speaker 1: the white husky as he trotted toward him, repeated the
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  Speaker 1: long howl of battle. Immediately from the Indian shacks came
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  Speaker 1: the answer of the supporting columns. Then, realizing the phaeton
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  Speaker 1: store for a half grown husky from the Factor's corridors,
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  Speaker 1: caught alone near the mission house, he lifted his head
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  Speaker 1: with a yelp of defiance and turned back. But the
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  Speaker 1: delay due to this momentary active bravado cost him dear.
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  Speaker 1: As they raced, the white dog, followed at a distance
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  Speaker 1: by his comrades, gained on the puppy at every bound.
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  Speaker 1: Now he crossed the frontier, but the trade house still
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  Speaker 1: lay two hundred yards away. On came the big hus
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  Speaker 1: yelping as he ran until hardly one hundred feet separated them. Then,
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  Speaker 1: aware of the hopelessness of his attempt to escape, the
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  Speaker 1: puppy gave poignant proof of the blood royal that raced
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  Speaker 1: in his veins. Suddenly swerving, he checked himself and crouching
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  Speaker 1: with lowered head and feet braced widely apart, the fighting
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  Speaker 1: rage of a hundred wolfish forbearers blazing in his narrow eyes,
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  Speaker 1: he awaited the rush of the white husky with a snarl.
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  Speaker 1: The big dog, surprised at being met jawed to jaw
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  Speaker 1: by his quarry when he anticipated pulling down from behind,
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  Speaker 1: and unable to stop himself, leaped as he reached the puppy,
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  Speaker 1: while the prince, springing forward at the same moment, slashed
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  Speaker 1: with his teeth a deep gash in the white body
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  Speaker 1: as it passed over him. Gathering himself like a flash,
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  Speaker 1: the big dog turned and jumped back, sinking his long
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  Speaker 1: things into the shoulder of the infuriated son of the Queen,
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  Speaker 1: But no yelp of fear or pain left the throat
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  Speaker 1: of the puppy as he closed in what would have
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  Speaker 1: been a death grapple with his heavier and more skillful adversary,
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  Speaker 1: had not at the instant that the white husky's superior
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  Speaker 1: weight bore him down. A gray streak shot through the
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  Speaker 1: air from behind, and a great slate colored body catapulted
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  Speaker 1: into the white one, rolling it over and over while
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  Speaker 1: punishing things slashed again and again into the white shoulders
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  Speaker 1: and chest, seeking the throat, then over the three like
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  Speaker 1: tides on a reef, the yelping pack from the cree cabins,
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  Speaker 1: and the sled dogs of the male teens, hurrying to
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  Speaker 1: support the queen, met instantly there arose over rupert house,
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  Speaker 1: the wild din of two score huskies, mad with the
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  Speaker 1: lust for blood, battling to the death, leaving the white
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  Speaker 1: husky gasping out his life through a ripped throat. The queen,
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  Speaker 1: infuriated with the sight of the blood of her own
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  Speaker 1: body welling from the wounds of her puppy, stood over him,
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  Speaker 1: fighting like a demon, plunging slashing right and left with
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  Speaker 1: her knife like fangs. She battled with her comrades against
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  Speaker 1: overwhelming odds for the life of her son. But though
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  Speaker 1: the dogs of the male teams were far outnumbered, they
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  Speaker 1: were picked animals chosen for strength and endurance, veterans of
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  Speaker 1: a score of similar phrase and fighting together as is
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  Speaker 1: their custom, they were more than holding their own when
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  Speaker 1: the big factor, striking right and left with an axe
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  Speaker 1: held in each hand, sprang into the middle of the yelping,
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  Speaker 1: blood smeared riot of enraged huskies. Yet not until reinforced
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  Speaker 1: by the krees left at the post, and after a
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  Speaker 1: merciless use of the club, did Christie finally separate the
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  Speaker 1: maddened brutes and stop the fight. Snarling their smothered rage
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  Speaker 1: as they lived, at times stopping to lick their wounds. Slowly,
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  Speaker 1: the dogs of the crees were driven to their quarters,
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  Speaker 1: and behind them in the grass they left the stiffening
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  Speaker 1: bodies of five of their number that never again would
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  Speaker 1: mingle in the fur. Post brawl, the battle over Christie
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  Speaker 1: turned anxiously to the Queen, who lay oblivious to her
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  Speaker 1: own wounds, beside the limp body of her son, washing
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  Speaker 1: with her healing tongue the ugly slashes in chest and shoulder.
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  Speaker 1: How did this thing start? In twin? I wouldn't lose
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  Speaker 1: this puppy for a dozen black fox skins, he asked
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  Speaker 1: his half breed clerk as he carried the torn body
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  Speaker 1: of the prince to the trade house. First time I
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  Speaker 1: heard the puppy shout. I look and see the white
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  Speaker 1: dog chase the prince pop. The others run with the pup.
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  Speaker 1: He stop and make fight. Then the queen she traveled
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  Speaker 1: black timberwool for the white husky. That prince he very
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  Speaker 1: cross for a pup. I think he makes some big
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  Speaker 1: fight when he grow up, fullest lead like bull moose.
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  Speaker 1: So it was the queen who killed the white husky aha.
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  Speaker 1: She kid him like he was snowshoe rabbits. When they
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  Speaker 1: had walked, rushed, and dressed the wounds of the prince,
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  Speaker 1: they placed him on the sacking in the shack where
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  Speaker 1: he had come into the world. There the queen, hurt
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  Speaker 1: but superficially, kept guard night and day. Then the goose
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  Speaker 1: boats returned from the bay with their feathered freight of
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  Speaker 1: gray geese, wavy and brand On. Hearing the news, Bruce
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  Speaker 1: hurried to his hurt puppy. In the doorway of the
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  Speaker 1: shack stood the Queen, who put her great paws on
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  Speaker 1: his chest in an endeavor to lick his face, then
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  Speaker 1: led him to the sacking in the corner of the room.
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  Speaker 1: At the sound of Bruce's voice, the fevered puppy raised
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  Speaker 1: his head with a feeble yelp, struggling to get to
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  Speaker 1: his feet, but his bandaged chest and shoulders held him helpless.
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  Speaker 1: So he lay with wrinkling nose extended toward his master,
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  Speaker 1: his bushy tail beating the floor. The stalwart young Scott,
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  Speaker 1: with more than a suspicion of mist in his eyes, kneeling,
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  Speaker 1: pressed his bronzed face against that of the over so
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  Speaker 1: they chewed up my prince, pub did they, he whispered
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  Speaker 1: into a pointed ear. Well, they got what they deserved.
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  Speaker 1: He fought the white husky with the red eyes, didn't he? Yes,
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  Speaker 1: he did. Another year, and they won't bother this pup much,
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  Speaker 1: I guess. Under the careful nursing of Bruce, the wounds
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  Speaker 1: of the prince soon healed. But the November's noose had
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  Speaker 1: whitened the wastes of Rupert's land before he had regained
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  Speaker 1: his strength, and the winter was far advanced when his
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  Speaker 1: chest could bear the pull and drag of his first
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  Speaker 1: collar and harness. With June returned the red fur hunters
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  Speaker 1: from the upper Rupert and Notaway River country to trade
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: at the post. Teepees now dotted the cleared ground, while
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: bark canoes like mushrooms covered the shore, and the buoys
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: of nets set for the whitefish that came in with
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: the flood tide floated in lines on the river's surface.
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  Speaker 1: Rupert House had suddenly wakened with life and color. By day,
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  Speaker 1: the swarthy children of the forest traded their winter's hunt
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  Speaker 1: for the supplies of the great Company, or lounged around
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  Speaker 1: the trade house, smoking and exchanging the gossip of the
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  Speaker 1: north at twilight, the laughter of women and the voices
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  Speaker 1: of children at play build the air for the dread
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  Speaker 1: moons of the long snow, with their cold and famine,
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  Speaker 1: were passed, and the days of plenty at hand. One evening,
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: two French half breeds leaned from provision, with clothes and
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: moccasins worn to ribbons, turned a shattered Peterborough canoe into
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: the post. The strangers said that in the previous summer
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: they had crossed the height of land from Lake Saint
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: John Country by way of the robber Ville River and
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  Speaker 1: the Sinking Lakes on the Labrador border, where they had
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  Speaker 1: trapped their furs. It was the most voluble winter's hunt
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  Speaker 1: that the two men had brought to the post in
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  Speaker 1: the memory of the oldest Indian, and the suspicions of
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  Speaker 1: Christie were aroused. Part of their furs. The breeds traded
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  Speaker 1: for a canoe, provisions and ammunition, but refused to barter
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  Speaker 1: the fox skins. This convinced the factor that they intended
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  Speaker 1: to return to Lake Saint John, where the free traders
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  Speaker 1: would pay them cash. One morning, Rupert House walked in
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  Speaker 1: to find the strangers gone. That night, when Bruce fed
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  Speaker 1: the sled dogs. The prince was missing. Then he knew
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: that the husky had been taken from Rubert in the
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: canoe of the half breeds. Quickly the post was aroused,
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: gathering his best voyagers in the trade room. Christie addressed
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  Speaker 1: them in Cree the last sleep. The strangers from the
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  Speaker 1: south left rupert house with them. They took the light
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  Speaker 1: of my eyes, and the heart of my son is sad.
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  Speaker 1: They journeyed far to trade their furs at the Big Water.
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  Speaker 1: This they did because they feared the heavy hands of
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  Speaker 1: the fathers at Ottawa, where they have broken the law. Tonight,
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  Speaker 1: a canoe takes the river trail to Mustassini, another follows
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  Speaker 1: the coast to Moose, and the third journeys up the
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  Speaker 1: Big Water to East Maine Fort. To bring back these
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  Speaker 1: men and the dog which I prize. There is much
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  Speaker 1: flour and tea for the canoe that brings back the dog,
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  Speaker 1: and the company debt of the crew shall be forgotten.
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  Speaker 1: The voyagers launched the canoes with supplies for the pursuit,
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  Speaker 1: and disappeared in the dusk. Far into the night, the
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: Factor and his son sat speculating as to how the
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: thieves had managed to overpower the great puppy and spear
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: him away without arousing the camp. While at intervals outside
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: where the dog slept in the grass, the deep throat
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: of the queen voiced her grief at the absence of
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: her son in a long mournful howl. Early in August,
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: a packet from Moose Factory with god government dispatches from
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: Ottawa told the story. The posts on the east coast
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: were ordered to arrest two French half breeds accused of
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: the murder on the upper robber vault of a Montaigne
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: and the wounding of several others in a successful attempt
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: to rob a party of trappers of their winter's hunt.
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: Then the fur brigade arrived from Miss de Seini, and
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: with it Michael and his tattered voyagers. They had searched
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: the length of the rouper and the Martin Lakes trailed
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: to the south, but only once had found signs of
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: the dog and the fleeing bees. The factor at Miss
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: Dessini wrote that he was crippled with rheumatism and asked
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: for assistant. Well, here's where you get your chance to
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: see some of the height of land country, said his father.
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: Handing Bruce the letter. Three days later, Bruce Christie bade
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: his family goodbye and started with the returning fur Brigade
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: for the Great Lake, in whose half mythical waters the
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: white man's paddle has seldom dipped. Stepping into a birch
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: bark manned by four crees, he placed his Winchester in
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: its skin case at his feet and turned grimly to
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: his father, who stood on the shore. If they are
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: hunting in the Mistosini country this winter and we don't
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: get them, it won't be because I've hugged the fire
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: at the post. And if I'm ever within rifle shot
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: and don't burn some powder, it won't be because I've
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: forgotten my dog. Good Bye, lad take care of yourself.
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: We'll see you in the summer, called his father, as
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: the stalwart hero seized his paddle and gave the signal
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: to start. The five blades, driven by the toil hardened
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: backs and shoulders of the crew, churned the water in
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: the wake of the brigade, and the long craft, followed
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: by cries of bojo bojo from the little group of
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: krees on the shore, shot forward on its three hundred
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: mile journey on Arriving at Mistssini in September, Bruce found
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: the factor Crag unable to walk, so he took active
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: charge of the post. While most of the Crees were
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: as yet in their summer camps on the lakes, daring
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: fish for the winter. He sent canoes warning them to
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: keep a sharp lookout for the renegades from Lake Saint John,
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: and promised a reward for the daw, but the couriers
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: returned with no news of the prince. In October, the
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: stinging winds brought the snow to the lonely post far
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: on the height of land, and the thoroughfares began to
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: close with the early ice. Then for a month the
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: little settlement was marooned in the snow swept solitudes, while
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: the ice was making on the wide lakes and swift
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: rivers strong enough for men and dog teams to travel.
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: With the coming of the freezing November moon, Bruce left
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: the post with two dog teams for the sinking lakes.
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: Christmas found him in the forests of the Labrador border,
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: traveling from camp to camp of the Cree and the
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: Montaigner trappers who traded at Miss Dassini, searching for news
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: of two half breed strangers and a big husky with
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: star emblazoned chest. Finally, disheartened after two months fruitless wandering,
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: he turned back on the Mistassini trail. It was a
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: bitter January day on the wind harried level of the
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: Great Lake, with the air filled with powdery snow that
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: cut the faces of the men like wiplashes. Gradually, the
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: traveled trail ice hardened at Christmas by the friction of
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: many feet and runners filled with drift, and the brisk
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: trot of the dog slowed to a walk as the
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: light waned and the early dusk crept out from the
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: deeply shadowed spruce shores. Jean, the French cree driver at
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: the geepool of the slowly moving sled, was searching the
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: neighboring forest for a place to camp, while behind him
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: walked Christie, occupied with his thought. Suddenly, the lead dog yelped,
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: starting the team forward on a trot. Looking up, Bruce
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: saw a dog team far ahead on the trail. They
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: must be our boys, he said. Stir up those huskies,
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: Jean eat or may have news. The driver cracked his
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: whip at the leader's ears and the pursuit began from
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: the first they gained rapidly. Soon hardly a mile separated
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: the teams. Then, catching a side view where the trail
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: turned at right angles to round a point of the shore,
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: Christie's heart leaped with a sled ahead, on which the
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: driver road was drawn by a lone husky. Bruce scripped
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: the arms of the cree. There's only one dog on
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: that sledge. Jean come on. Springing in front of the team.
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: He ran up the trail at Christie's approach. The huddled
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: figure on the sled gave no sign. At intervals in arm,
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: rose and fell, flashing the dog forward to the unequal task.
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: Hardly rifle shot separated them. When the exhausted dog, after
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: repeated attempts to drag the sled through a drift, lay
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: down on the trail again. The whip rose and fell,
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: rose and fell, but the husky did not move Slowly,
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: the driver got up from the sled and, reeling forward,
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: struck the dog savagely on the head with the butt
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: of the whip, then carried off his balance by the blow,
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: fell headlong to the snow at the dog's side. Like
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: a flash. The husky turned and before the man could
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: regain his feet, lunched at his throat, forcing him struggling
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: backward upon the trail. Once, twice, three times, the fangs
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: of the maddened brute tore at the throat of the
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: helpless driver. Then, while the infuriated beast still worried, the
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: crumpled figure in the snow bruce reached them. The gaunt tusky,
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: bearing his white things with a snarl, turned from the
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: lifeless body, raising his massive head across which from nose
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: to ears in great walts left by the dog whip.
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: He glared with narrow, bloodshot eyes at the new enemy,
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: and on the shaggy chest the frozen ooze from a
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: harnessed sword stained with a crimson smear a large white star. Prince, Prince,
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: don't you know me? Boy, cried his master, dropping his
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: mittens and reaching out with palms upward toward the angered dog,
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: whose blood was still hot with the rage of battle.
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: The husky, expecting a blow from a dog whip and
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: receiving no attack, stood for an instant confused, but the
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: approach of the yelping team again aroused his fighting blood,
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: and he faced around in his traces to defend himself
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: harown back, bristling, good old Prince, don't you remember me, boy?
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: Don't you remember the Queen, the Queen, your old mother? Prince? Gradually,
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: as Bruce repeated the words once so familiar to the wanderer,
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: the bared fangs were covered. The pointed ears of the
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: husky laid back against the skull slowly righted themselves as
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: the soothing tones of the voice he once loved stirred
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: the ghosts of big memories of other days blurred by
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: months of cruelty and starvation. As his lost master continued
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: to talk, the dog thrust forward his bruised muzzle and,
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: with ears pricked, sniffed at Bruce's hand. Good old Prince,
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: we found him at last. Bruce continued, his fingers, now
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: touching the extended nose of the puzzled dog, then with
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: a long with memory returned, and the husky recognized the
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: beloved hand of his master of the happy days. With
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: a yelp. The starved prince par feet uplifted, threw himself
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: at Bruce. A pair of strong arms circled the shaggy neck,
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: and a wind burnt face sought the scarred head while
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: into a furry ear amid whines of delight, or poured
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: the things a man says only to his dog. A
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: slash of the knife freed the prince from the harness.
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: Kneeling on his snow shoes, Christie ran his fingers over
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: the lumps and bruises on the great, emitiated body that
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: told the story of long months of slavery under brutal masters.
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: Finding no broken bones, he turned to the dead man
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: in the snow, who had paid so dearly for every welt.
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: For a moment, as Bruce gazed on the face distorted
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: in death, with glazed, sunken eyes staring sightless into the
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: bitter night, Kitty held him until the touch of a
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: badder nose seeking his hand again hardened his heart. When
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: their grub gave out, said Bruce, I suppose he knifed
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: the other one and started for the post. They buried
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: the murderer in the deep snow of the shore and
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: left him to the tender mercies of his kind, the
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: furred assassins of the forest. Then they made camp and
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: fed the famished dog. When the Prince had regained his
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: strength back at the post, Bruce decided not to wait
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: until the thoroughfares feared for canoe travel in May, but
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: to leave for home on the first crust. So one
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: March afternoon found the Prince leading the dog teams slowly
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: over the lump ice marking the long stretch of the
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: Kettle rapids far down the Ruper River. Whirlpools, huts and
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: cross currents define the inexorable cold long after the swift
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: river closes elsewhere. Keep the river house trail broken here
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: until January. Then, succumbing to the fierce temperature of the
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: midwinter nights, the rapids freeze throughout their length in irregular
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: mounds and ridges. For an hour, they had been hugging
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: the shore, avoiding the treacherous footing of mid stream. At last,
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: on turning a bend, the white shell of the Rufer
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: again stretched level before them. With a cheery MARKA Prince
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: Christie broke into the snowshoe swing, half walk, half trot,
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: which eats up the miles as does no gate on
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: bare ground. In answer to the command, the willing leader
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: started the team at a fast trot out into mid river,
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: where the going was good on the hard crust. Swung
• 30:18
  Speaker 1: Christie followed by his dogs. Then as they left the
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: foot of the rapids. Without warning, the ice sank under them,
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: plunging driver and yelping dogs into the water. With a
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: few powerful strokes, Christie fought his way to the sound ice.
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: Behind him, the Prince and the second dog struggled desperately
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: against the draft of the sinking sled, holding the rear
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: dogs under. Supporting himself on one arm, Bruce called to
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: the panting husky, straining every nerve to reach his master.
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: Come on, Prince, Come on, Prince, he cried, working desperately
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: with numbed fingers to get at his knife. Then the
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: swift current carried sled and helpless huskies downstream under the
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: struggling Prince, momentarily easing the strain on the traces which
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: bound him to them, and he reached and got his
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: fore feet on the ice at his master's side. At
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: the same instant, Christie freed his knife from its sheath,
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: and as sled and drowning dogs were sucked under the
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: ice and the nails of the Prince's clinging forefoot slipped
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: slowly toward the edge, while the doomed dog hoisted his
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: despair in a smothered wine, The traces were slashed freed
• 31:32
  Speaker 1: from the deadly weight with a heave of his shoulders.
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: The husky erased himself out of water when the body
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: of his master at his side burnished a foothold for
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: a hind leg, and the dog was out. Stiffening under
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: the paralyzing chill and hampered by skin caupo and snow shoes,
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: Christie was weakening rapidly when the prince, sensing his master's gerill,
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: raised himself at the slippery edge of the firm ice
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: and seized an arm in his strong teeth. Then, as
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: he strained for a foothold, with four legs planted wide
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: apart and nails biting deep into the treacherous surface, the
• 32:08
  Speaker 1: thick back of the great husky bowed slowly into an arc,
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: and the freezing man was dragged to safety. The dazed
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: Christie got to his feet and staggering to the shore,
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: where he stood for a while, staring helplessly at the
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: grave of his faithful huskies. At length, he turned to
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: the dog at his side, who held in his half
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: open jaws his master's unmittened hand, begging with beating tail
• 32:34
  Speaker 1: for recognition. Silently, the man knelt and seizing in his arms.
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: The shaggy neck crushed his face against the great head.
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: We're square now, boy, I won't forget, and you won't forget,
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: he said hoarsely, as the happy prince sat motionless. But
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: were a hundred miles from homeboy, and not an ounce
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: of grub or a blanket, And the winds rising, and
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: it'll go twenty below before daylight. It's travel day and
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: night for us if we ever see Whoper again, and
• 33:05
  Speaker 1: there'll be no white fish and tea and bannocks on
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: the way. Poor answer, A cold nose and a hot
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: red tongue, sought the man's face. While shivering. Christie threw
• 33:16
  Speaker 1: off his ice caked capote and squeezed the water as
• 33:19
  Speaker 1: best as he could from his freezing clothes. Then man
• 33:24
  Speaker 1: and dog, side by side, started down the desolate river,
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: guarded by the pitiless hills, in the race against cold
• 33:32
  Speaker 1: and starvation. Somewhere below, he knew there was an old
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: company cash. The bitter wind drawing upstream between the ridges
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: was strengthening. No man might face its stinging drive that
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: night and save his face and hands. Already the blood
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: was leaving his fingers in the frozen mit ends, so
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: he hurried to make the cash before dusk. White mile
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: after mile the man and dog left behind them with
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: no sign of the cash. Christie wondered if he had
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: passed it buried in the snow. It had been there
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: in the fall, not far below the Kettle rapids, and
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: he must find it soon. He was traveling head down
• 34:11
  Speaker 1: to avoid the sting of the wind, but his fingers
• 34:14
  Speaker 1: might go at any time, and he thought of what
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: that would mean. Finally, he decided to plunge into the
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: first timbered hollow and make camp. What a mockery that
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: would be for man and dog without food. Still, a
• 34:28
  Speaker 1: roaring fire would help, but without an axe unless he
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: found down timber, he couldn't hope for much of a
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: fire without an axe, and the night would be bitter.
• 34:38
  Speaker 1: The heart of the half frozen youth sank. He thought
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: of the family at Rupert that would not know his
• 34:43
  Speaker 1: fate until the spring canoe from Miss Dassini reached the
• 34:46
  Speaker 1: post with the news that he had left the lake
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: in March, or possibly the sled with the dogs would
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: be washed ashore and found by the Nemeskat creese on
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: their way to the spring tray. So he mused as
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: his snow shoes crunched the brutal crust. Then he pulled
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: himself together. Men had traveled in the north farther without food,
• 35:07
  Speaker 1: and in midwinter two when the wind was worse, and
• 35:10
  Speaker 1: the night's forty and fifty below. Out of the wind,
• 35:14
  Speaker 1: it wouldn't be so bad. A thaw was due any time,
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: and the wind never blows long in march in the north.
• 35:21
  Speaker 1: But they must get into the first thick spruce soon
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: or then. Half buried on the shore, he saw the cash.
• 35:29
  Speaker 1: Come on. Boy, he cried, and shortly was shoveling an
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: entrance through the low door. Inside some snow had drifted
• 35:36
  Speaker 1: through chinks in the walls, but the roof was wind
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: proofed by the crust, and his spirits rose, for there
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: at the end of the shack stood a rusty tent stove.
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: When he had gathered birch bark and dry spruce sticks,
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: his stiffened fingers fumbled for his matchbox with an exclamation
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: of fear. He swiftly searched each of his pockets. As
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: he did, the lean face went pale under the weather
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: tanned skin. Turning to the dog, he cried. The matches
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: went down with the sled boy were done for we'll
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: never see rupert now. As a last resort, he carefully
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: explored the shack, but it had been unused for years,
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: and he found no matches, but stumbled upon what the
• 36:17
  Speaker 1: wood mice had left of an old company blanket. Again,
• 36:21
  Speaker 1: he searched the room for that which meant warmth and life,
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: but in vain. Then the desperate youth set to work,
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: banking in the walls of the cash with snow to
• 36:31
  Speaker 1: make it wind proof. This accomplished, he sealed the low
• 36:35
  Speaker 1: doorway and prepared to fight through the bitter hours for
• 36:38
  Speaker 1: his life. His woolen clothes, thanks to the severe exercise,
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: were partially dry, so were the socks he wore next
• 36:45
  Speaker 1: to his feet. The outer ones he took off leaded
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: until they were soft, wrung out what moisture he could,
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: and put on again, scraping and pounding the heavy ice
• 36:56
  Speaker 1: from the coat of the prince, who, owing to the
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: thick underfur of soft tear and the hardihood of his breed,
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: was immane to cold. Christie made the dog lie down, and,
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: wrapping the blanket around them, clasped the great beasts closely
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: to him Through the bitter hours. The warmth of the
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: dog's body alone kept the heart of his master beating
• 37:16
  Speaker 1: and the blood moving in his hands and feet. At Last,
• 37:20
  Speaker 1: the blue march dawn broke over the cash on the rooper,
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: and with it the wind fell. Later, the rising sun
• 37:27
  Speaker 1: overtook on the river trail a traveler with a ragged
• 37:30
  Speaker 1: blanket slung on his back and a slate gray husky.
• 37:34
  Speaker 1: Once the dog ran ahead and turning rushed yelping back
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: to take in his jaws, a mittened hand, and march
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: swishing a bushy tail beside the man, as if urging
• 37:44
  Speaker 1: him to a faster pace. But the traveler, with head
• 37:47
  Speaker 1: down and haggard eyes, swung stiffly at the same stride
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: where Rupert House lay ninety white miles away, and one
• 37:54
  Speaker 1: who starves must save his strength. Three days later, Old
• 37:59
  Speaker 1: Michael opened the door of the tradehouse at Rover, stepped
• 38:03
  Speaker 1: into the caribou thongs of his snow shoes, and shuffled
• 38:06
  Speaker 1: up the high river shore toward his cabin. The strong,
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: marched sun reflected from the sparkling white level of river
• 38:13
  Speaker 1: and bay barely blinded the eyes. The tough old breed
• 38:17
  Speaker 1: had not deigned to slip on the rabbit skin midst
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: that hung from his neck by a cord, and in
• 38:22
  Speaker 1: the sun his cap of cross box, with its bushy
• 38:25
  Speaker 1: tail dangling jauntily behind, seemed too warm. Yet lately the
• 38:30
  Speaker 1: knights had been bitter with much wind in a week.
• 38:34
  Speaker 1: Perhaps the snow would melt a little each day at noon,
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: to freeze hard again at sunset. Then in a few
• 38:40
  Speaker 1: sleeps would come the big march thaw, and the trails
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: would close for a moon, so he mused, as his
• 38:46
  Speaker 1: snow shoes lazily creaked on the crust. Suddenly the tall
• 38:50
  Speaker 1: figure stopped in its tracks, a lean hand shading the
• 38:53
  Speaker 1: keen eyes. Aha. The exclamation was followed by a long
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: silence as he stood motionless. Game up the river. Kure
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: come in, he muttered after a time, and shortly added
• 39:05
  Speaker 1: the rabbit he give out in his country for shore.
• 39:09
  Speaker 1: With narrowed eyes still shaded, the watcher followed the moving
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: spots on the snow far up the river trail. Very
• 39:16
  Speaker 1: strange ding, he finally said aloud. He traveled all over
• 39:19
  Speaker 1: the river Lakisi with malde. The old man slowly shook
• 39:25
  Speaker 1: his head the husky while he jumped the trail very
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: strange ding. Presently, the approaching objects on the wide river
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: enlightened the keen eyes Aha, this time with more vehemence.
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: Where the black spots were beginning to assume shape. There
• 39:41
  Speaker 1: is no sled, decreased starvout for shore. Nearer came the
• 39:46
  Speaker 1: one seeking the sucker of Rupert House from the pitiless north.
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: Then the old man expelled his breath with a long ha.
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: The mystery of the uncertain course of the stranger was solved.
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: Snow blind, he said, and turned back to the trade
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: house to reappear with the Factor and two company men.
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: A snow blind creek with a lone husky. You say,
• 40:08
  Speaker 1: Michael inquired Christie, his eyes following the pointing finger. Snow blind,
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: right enough and starved, poor devil. While the dog's pulling
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: him back, he's leading him. He's hitched to the husky.
• 40:22
  Speaker 1: For a moment in silence, they watched the uncertain progress
• 40:25
  Speaker 1: of man and dog. Then the Factor exclaimed, there he's
• 40:29
  Speaker 1: gone down. Michael harness the team to the carryall. We'll
• 40:32
  Speaker 1: go and get him. Stunned for too weak to rise,
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: The snow blind stranger lay where he fell while the
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: dog nosed the prostrate form. Then the dog threw back
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: his head and roused the dogs of Rupert House with
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: a long howl. Christie and a posed half breed were
• 40:50
  Speaker 1: rapidly approaching when the fallen man, with an effort, got
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: to his feet, and, clinging to a trace that circled
• 40:56
  Speaker 1: the dog's neck again, staggered forward. The big husky, excited
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: by the answering howls of the post dogs, appearing from
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: all directions, dragged his reeling master up the trail. On
• 41:09
  Speaker 1: came the strange pair Stripien Voyager and faithful Dog. But
• 41:13
  Speaker 1: as Christie reached them, the legs of the man doubled
• 41:16
  Speaker 1: under him, and he lurched forward on the snow with
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: a wine. The husky turned to the motionless figure. Then
• 41:23
  Speaker 1: he faced the strangers with a warning growl, and the
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: astonished Christie saw on his broad chest a large white star. Prince,
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: by heaven, it's the pup, cried the amazed factor, on
• 41:35
  Speaker 1: guard over the body of his master, whose face was invisible.
• 41:38
  Speaker 1: The huge husky, narrow eyes blazing, held the two men
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: in their tracks. Don't you know me, Prince, good old Prince,
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: coaxed Christie, reaching a hand toward the dog, who stood
• 41:50
  Speaker 1: perplexed by the voice of the Factor, and the familiar
• 41:52
  Speaker 1: white buildings grouped on the shore ahead. With a moan,
• 41:57
  Speaker 1: the one in the snow turned and raised himself on
• 41:59
  Speaker 1: an elbo across the lean, bearded face. A strip of
• 42:03
  Speaker 1: torn shirt was bound to shield the inflamed eyes from
• 42:06
  Speaker 1: the sun glare. On the crust. A mittenless hand, blew
• 42:10
  Speaker 1: from frost, reached up and touched the dog. Then the
• 42:14
  Speaker 1: wanderer said weakly, I hear the huskies, Prince, we must
• 42:18
  Speaker 1: be home at last. Bruce, Bruce, my lad, cried his father,
• 42:23
  Speaker 1: rushing to his stricken son with a bound. The dog
• 42:26
  Speaker 1: met the Factor half way, but the great things did
• 42:29
  Speaker 1: not strike, for he had recognized his old friend. Tenderly,
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: the starved and half delirious youth was placed in the
• 42:37
  Speaker 1: carril sled and brought to the post. Huskies, hurrying from
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: far and near at the challenge from the river, already
• 42:45
  Speaker 1: had been driven away. When the queen appeared. They were
• 42:48
  Speaker 1: climbing the shore trail when she came trotting up to
• 42:51
  Speaker 1: the great dog, who marched beside the carril sled within
• 42:54
  Speaker 1: reach of his master's hand. The prince pricked up his ears,
• 42:58
  Speaker 1: whined uncertainly, and saluted her with a loud bark. With
• 43:01
  Speaker 1: a low rumble of resentment in her throat. At the
• 43:04
  Speaker 1: presence at Rupert of a strange husky whose shoulders topped
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: her own by inches, she gingerly approached nearer. For a moment,
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: slant eyes looked into slant eyes as mother and son
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: stood motionless. Then yelping wildly, the prince sprang toward her. Surprised,
• 43:21
  Speaker 1: the queen stood on the defensive when her bulky puppy
• 43:25
  Speaker 1: kiumed into her shoulders, rolling her over and over, But
• 43:28
  Speaker 1: as they met her nose like a flash caught the
• 43:31
  Speaker 1: glad news. Then there followed a medley of yelps, leaps, caresses,
• 43:36
  Speaker 1: and acrobatic expressions of unbounded canine delight, such as Rupert
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: House had witnessed in the memory of no living man.
• 43:45
  Speaker 1: Bereft of their senses, mother and son raced up the
• 43:48
  Speaker 1: high shores round the trade house, over to the factor's quarters,
• 43:52
  Speaker 1: and returned barking like mad. When Bruce Christie's mother took
• 43:57
  Speaker 1: him into her arms at the factor door, there happened
• 44:00
  Speaker 1: to the proud Queen in the presence of the post
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: that which no husky before had had either strength or
• 44:06
  Speaker 1: daring to attempt. Running at her side, the joy maddened
• 44:10
  Speaker 1: prince beakened by three days fast, though he was suddenly
• 44:14
  Speaker 1: seized the Queen by the back of her great neck,
• 44:16
  Speaker 1: and with a wrench, threw her on the snow, and,
• 44:20
  Speaker 1: to the amazement of the onlookers. Instead of the swift
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: punishment which they anticipated would be meted out to him
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: for his audacity, his cold nose felt the swift lick
• 44:29
  Speaker 1: of a hot tongue as she gained her feet and
• 44:32
  Speaker 1: again joined him in a mad frolic. So did the
• 44:36
  Speaker 1: Queen welcome her lost son. That night, Bruce Christie lay
• 44:40
  Speaker 1: in bed with snow compresses cooling the inflamed eyes and
• 44:44
  Speaker 1: aching head, while at intervals his mother fed him nourishing broth.
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: He briefly told the story of the finding of the Prince,
• 44:53
  Speaker 1: his fight for life at the Kettle Rapids, and the
• 44:55
  Speaker 1: long struggle home without fire or food. Later, as his
• 45:00
  Speaker 1: worn out son slept, Christie tiptoed to the door, and,
• 45:04
  Speaker 1: slipping into his snow shoes, sought the shack behind the
• 45:07
  Speaker 1: trade house. Softly entering on moccasined feet, he smiled at
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: the picture that the light from the low moon shining
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: through the door revealed. For there, lines sprawled upon the
• 45:18
  Speaker 1: sacking in the corner where he came into the world,
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: lay the Wanderer, sleeping deeply after a bountiful supper. While
• 45:25
  Speaker 1: at his side, with her nose resting on the big boned,
• 45:29
  Speaker 1: hairy forepaws of her son, the Queen kept guard at times.
• 45:34
  Speaker 1: As she slept, Her deep chest swelled and then contracted
• 45:38
  Speaker 1: as she heaved a contented sigh in her dreams, which
• 45:41
  Speaker 1: were sweet, for at last the Prince had come home.
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: End of Section ten.