"'Open ice conditions coming early this year, believe this plan better than route announced by McNeal, Koehler, Brunton and Linn to the east, according to their record left here. Am taking with me records of expedition which Thomas and I had been carrying, also diaries and copy of messages left here and all personal papers and letters written by Ian Thomas. On prominent headlands upon shores reached will build cairns of Aurora type containing brief reports as agreed.
"'Eric Hedon.'"
The doctor lowered the paper and looked about the quiet, dim little room. Left in order and locked without, it told no more of the long suffering there of the leader of the Aurora party now lying under the cross on the hill; it told no more of the year's vigil of Eric Hedon beside his dying comrade.
"Well," said Koehler at last, "that accounts for more than a year of the time Hedon's been missing. We knew he didn't go south from here till a year ago last June."
"Or start south," said Latham.
