It was midnight when he had finished. Snow had set in, and
the wind was rising with the promise of bad weather ahead.
At 4:30 he was dressed and ready for the journey. He looked out into
the darkness. The air was thick with swirling clouds of snow driven
before a gale. He made out a dim figure battling its way to the door,
and as the figure approached he discovered it was Walter, but without
the dogs.
"Where are the dogs, Walter?" he asked.
"I didn't bring un, sir," Walter stepped inside and shook the
accumulation of snow from his garments. "'Tis a wonderful nasty
mornin', and I'm thinkin' 'tis too bad to try un before daylight. I've
been watchin' the weather all night, sir. 'Tis growin' worse. We has
only a scratch team and the dog'll not work together right 'till they
gets used to each other. I'm thinkin' we'll have to wait 'till it
comes light."
"You've the team to drive and you know best," conceded the Doctor.
"Under the circumstances I suppose we'll save time by waiting."
"That we will, sir. We'd be wastin' the dogs' strength and ours and
losin' time goin' now.
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