Page:A Wild-Goose Chase - Balmer - 1915.djvu/275

Rh Eric turned upon him directly. "Exactly what do you mean by that?"

"That the thing to do is for some one to take that food and fuel and make a try for the Kadiack," Latham replied.

"Take it?" repeated Hedon. "How?"

"Take it," iterated Latham indefinitely.

"When you ask the Eskimos to give you that food and fuel, the first that they've had ahead for weeks, what's the inducement you're going to offer them? Assuming they give you enough to see a man through to the ship, does he bring back from the Kadiack relief for all the Eskimos too? Or when we get our own food from the ship is it the idea to say: 'Thanks, savages, we've finished your food. Here's some of our own for us. Good-bye'?"

"Of course we can't bring enough for them," Latham answered angrily.

"Then how do you get their meat to take you to the ship?"

"Any way!" Latham defied.

You"You [sic] mean?"

"We'll starve here!"