In the course of the next two hours he came upon several similar traps.  Usually the snow above the hidden pools had a sunken, candied appearance that advertised the danger.  Once again, however, he had a close call; and once, suspecting danger, he compelled the dog to go on in front.  The dog did not want to go.  It hung back until the man shoved it forward, and then it went quickly across the white, unbroken surface.  Suddenly it broke through, floundered to one side, and got away to firmer footing.  It had wet its forefeet and legs, and almost immediately the water that clung to it turned to ice.  It made quick efforts to lick the ice off its legs, then dropped down in the snow and began to bite out the ice that had formed between the toes.  This was a matter of instinct.  To permit the ice to remain would mean sore feet.  It did not know this.  It merely obeyed the mysterious prompting that arose from the deep crypts of its being.  But the man knew, having achieved a judgment on the subject, and he removed the mitten from his right hand and helped tear out the ice-particles.  He did not expose his fingers more than a minute, and was astonished at the swift numbness that smote them.  It certainly was cold.  He pulled on the mitten hastily, and beat the hand savagely across his chest.

At twelve o’clock the day was at its brightest.  Yet the sun was too far south on its winter journey to clear the horizon.  The bulge of the earth intervened between it and Henderson Creek, where the man walked under a clear sky at noon and cast no shadow.  At half-past twelve, to the minute, he arrived at the forks of the creek.  He was pleased at the speed he had made.  If he kept it up, he would certainly be with the boys by six.  He unbuttoned his jacket and shirt and drew forth his lunch.  The action consumed no more than a quarter of a minute, yet in that brief moment the numbness laid hold of the exposed fingers.  He did not put the mitten on, but, instead, struck the fingers a dozen sharp smashes against his leg.  Then he sat down on a snow-covered log to eat.  The sting that followed upon the striking of his fingers against his leg ceased so quickly that he was startled, he had had no chance to take a bite of biscuit.  He struck the fingers repeatedly and returned them to the mitten, baring the other hand for the purpose of eating.  He tried to take a mouthful, but the ice-muzzle prevented.  He had forgotten to build a fire and thaw out.  He chuckled at his foolishness, and as he chuckled he noted the numbness creeping into the exposed fingers.  Also, he noted that the stinging which had first come to his toes when he sat down was already passing away.  He wondered whether the toes were warm or numbed.  He moved them inside the moccasins and decided that they were numbed.