she had the best chance.  She never engaged in this sport by herself, but always enticed out her attendant cavaliers, Fix and Lasse; these, however, were less active, and had to be content with looking on.  While she jumped inside the wall —­ which she only succeeded in doing once or twice —­ they ran round yelling.  As soon as we heard their howls, we knew exactly what was happening, and one of us went out, armed with a stick.  It required some cunning to catch her in the act, for as soon as one approached, her cavaliers stopped howling, and she understood that something was wrong.  Her red fox’s head could then be seen over the top, looking round.  It need scarcely be said that she did not jump into the arms of the man with the stick, but, as a rule, he did not give up until he had caught and punished her.  Fix and Lasse also had their turns; it was true they had done nothing wrong, but they might.  They knew this, and watched Snuppesen’s chastisement at a distance.  The tent where we kept the dried fish stood always open; none of them attempted to take fish.

The sun continued its daily course, lower and lower.  We did not see much of it after the return from the last depot journey; on April 11 it came, and vanished again at once.  Easter came round on the Barrier, as in other parts of the globe, and had to be kept.  Holidays with us were marked by eating a little more than usual; there was no other sign.  We did not dress differently, nor did we introduce any other change.  In the evening of a holiday we generally had a little gramophone, a glass of toddy, and a cigar; but we were careful with the gramophone.  We knew we should soon get tired of it if we used it too often; therefore we only brought it out on rare occasions, but we enjoyed its music all the more when we heard it.  When Easter was over, a sigh of relief escaped us all; these holidays are always tiring.  They are tedious enough in places which have more amusements to offer than the Barrier, but here they were insufferably long.

Our manner of life was now completely in order, and everything worked easily and well.  The chief work of the winter would be the perfecting of our outfit for the coming sledge journey to the South.  Our object was to reach the Pole —­ everything else was secondary.  The meteorological observations were in full swing and arranged for the winter.  Observations were made at 8 a.m., 2 p.m., and 8 p.m.  We were so short-handed that I could not spare anyone for night duty, besides which, living as we did in a small space, it would have a disturbing effect if there were always someone moving about; there would never be any peace.  My special aim was that everyone should be happy and comfortable, so that, when the spring came, we might all be fresh and well and eager to take up the final task.  It was not my intention that we should spend the winter in idleness —­ far from it.  To be contented and well, a man must always be occupied.  I therefore expected