they had first slaked their thirst had become choked with mud and dirt. Rocks and trees were piled in their beds.
Often the poor dogs eagerly lapped water that was thick with mud, while their drivers patted out little places in the mud and let the water settle in it before they could drink. Even so, the water was often red with blood. As the days wore on, the heat became intense and this made the thirst doubly hard to bear. One of the huskies in Pierre's team went mad in the harness and snapped at the dogs nearest him. The captain sprang to the rescue of the rest of the team and shot the afflicted dog.
"I don't blame him, Captain," said the lieutenant. "I am almost ready to go mad myself."
The din of the battle was now continu-
