“Itwillsmell,”Isaid,“butitwillkeepintheheatandkeepouttherainandsnow.” Weweresurveyingthecompletedseal-skinroof. “Itisclumsy,butitwillservethepurpose,andthatisthemainthing,”Iwenton,yearningforherpraise. Andsheclappedherhandsanddeclaredthatshewashugelypleased. “Butitisdarkinhere,”shesaidthenextmoment,hershouldersshrinkingwithalittleinvoluntaryshiver. “Youmighthavesuggestedawindowwhenthewallsweregoingup,”Isaid.“Itwasforyou,andyoushouldhaveseentheneedofawindow.” “ButIneverdoseetheobvious,youknow,”shelaughedback.“Andbesides,youcanknockaholeinthewallatanytime.” “Quitetrue;Ihadnotthoughtofit,”Ireplied,waggingmyheadsagely. “Buthaveyouthoughtoforderingthewindow-glass? Justcallupthefirm,—Red,4451,Ithinkitis,—andtellthemwhatsizeandkindofglassyouwish.” Itwasadarkandevil-appearingthing,thathut,notfitforaughtbetterthanswineinacivilizedland;butforus,whohadknownthemiseryoftheopenboat,itwasasnuglittlehabitation. Followingthehousewarming,whichwasaccomplishedbymeansofseal-oilandawickmadefromcottoncalking,camethehuntingforourwinter’smeatandthebuildingofthesecondhut. Itwasasimpleaffair,now,togoforthinthemorningandreturnbynoonwithaboatloadofseals. Andthen,whileIworkedatbuildingthehut,Maudtriedouttheoilfromtheblubberandkeptaslowfireundertheframesofmeat. Ihadheardofjerkingbeefontheplains,andourseal-meat,cutinthinstripsandhunginthesmoke,curedexcellently. Thesecondhutwaseasiertoerect,forIbuiltitagainstthefirst,andonlythreewallswererequired.Butitwaswork,hardwork,allofit. MaudandIworkedfromdawntilldark,tothelimitofourstrength,sothatwhennightcamewecrawledstifflytobedandslepttheanimal-likesleepexhaustion. AndyetMauddeclaredthatshehadneverfeltbetterorstrongerinherlife. Iknewthiswastrueofmyself,butherswassuchalilystrengththatIfearedshewouldbreakdown. Oftenandoften,herlast-reserveforcegone,Ihaveseenherstretchedflatonherbackonthesandinthewayshehadofrestingandrecuperating. Andthenshewouldbeuponherfeetandtoilinghardasever. Wheresheobtainedthisstrengthwasthemarveltome. “Thinkofthelongrestthiswinter,”washerreplytomyremonstrances.“Why,we’llbeclamorousforsomethingtodo.” Weheldahousewarminginmyhutthenightitwasroofed. Itwastheendofthethirddayofafiercestormwhichhadswungaroundthecompassfromthesouth-easttothenorth-west,andwhichwasthenblowingdirectlyinuponus. Thebeachesoftheoutercovewerethunderingwiththesurf,andeveninourland-lockedinnercovearespectableseawasbreaking. Nohighbackboneofislandshelteredusfromthewind,anditwhistledandbellowedaboutthehuttillattimesIfearedforthestrengthofthewalls. Theskinroof,stretchedtightlyasadrumhead,Ihadthought,saggedandbelliedwitheverygust;andinnumerableintersticesinthewalls,notsotightlystuffedwithmossasMaudhadsupposed,disclosedthemselves. Yettheseal-oilburnedbrightlyandwewerewarmandcomfortable. Itwasapleasanteveningindeed,andwevotedthatasasocialfunctiononEndeavourIslandithadnotyetbeeneclipsed.Ourmindswereatease. Notonlyhadweresignedourselvestothebitterwinter,butwewerepreparedforit. Thesealscoulddepartontheirmysteriousjourneyintothesouthatanytime,now,forallwecared;andthestormsheldnoterrorforus. Notonlywerewesureofbeingdryandwarmandshelteredfromthewind,butwehadthesoftestandmostluxuriousmattressesthatcouldbemadefrommoss. ThishadbeenMaud’sidea,andshehadherselfjealouslygatheredallthemoss. Thiswastobemyfirstnightonthemattress,andIknewIshouldsleepthesweeterbecauseshehadmadeit. Assherosetogosheturnedtomewiththewhimsicalwayshehad,andsaid: “Somethingisgoingtohappen—ishappening,forthatmatter.Ifeelit.Somethingiscominghere,tous.Itiscomingnow.Idon’tknowwhat,butitiscoming.” Sheshookherhead.“Idon’tknow,butitisthere,somewhere.” Shepointedinthedirectionoftheseaandwind. “It’saleeshore,”Ilaughed,“andIamsureI’dratherbeherethanarriving,anightlikethis.” “Youarenotfrightened?”Iasked,asIsteppedtoopenthedoorforher. Hereyeslookedbravelyintomine. “Andyoufeelwell?perfectlywell?” “Neverbetter,”washeranswer. Wetalkedalittlelongerbeforeshewent. “Good-night,Humphrey,”shesaid. Thisuseofourgivennameshadcomeaboutquiteasamatterofcourse,andwasasunpremeditatedasitwasnatural. InthatmomentIcouldhaveputmyarmsaroundheranddrawnhertome. Ishouldcertainlyhavedonesooutinthatworldtowhichwebelonged. Asitwas,thesituationstoppedthereintheonlywayitcould;butIwasleftaloneinmylittlehut,glowingwarmlythroughandthroughwithapleasantsatisfaction;andIknewthatatie,oratacitsomething,existedbetweenuswhichhadnotexistedbefore. 
