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all。 Maybe we'd been pretty lucky to achieve what we had。
We walked across to the eastern edge of the lead； scrambled up onto the ice pack proper； and turned around to get our bearings； to line up on the unwavering white finger of the searchlight that reached straight up into the gloom of the sky。 No chance of getting lost this time。 While the wind stayed quiet and the spicules stayed down； you could see that lamp in the window ten miles away。
We didn't even need to take any bearings。 A few steps away and up from the edge of the lead and we could see it at once。 Drift Station Zebra。 Three huts； one of them badly charred； five blackened skeletons of what had once been huts。 Desolation。
〃So that's it；〃 Swanson said in my ear。 〃Or what's left of it。 I've e a long way to see this。〃
〃You nearly went a damned sight longer and never saw it；〃 I said。 〃To the floor of the Arctic； I mean。 Pretty； isn't it？〃
Swanson shook his head slowly and moved on。 There were only a hundred yards to go。 I led the way to the nearest intact hut； opened the door； and walked inside。
The hut was about thirty degrees warmer than the last time I had been there； but still bitterly cold。 Only Zabrinski and Rawlings were awake。 The hut smelled of burnt fuel； disinfectant； iodine； morphine and a peculiar aroma arising from a particularly repulsive…looking hash that Rawlings was industriously churning around in a large iron pot on the low stove。
〃Ah； there you are；〃 Rawlings said conversationally。 He might have been greeting a neighbor who'd phoned a minute previously to see if he could e across to borrow the lawn mower； rather than greeting men he'd been fairly certain he'd never see again。 〃The timing is perfectjust about to ring the dinner bell； Captain。 Care for some Maryland chickenI think？〃
〃Not just at the moment； thank you；〃 Swanson said politely。 〃Sorry about the ankle； Zabriaski。 How is it？〃
〃Just fine； Captain； just fine。 In a plaster cast。〃 He thrust out a foot； stiffly。 〃The doc hereDr。 Jollyfixed me up real nice。 Had much trouble last night？〃 This was for me。
〃Dr。 Carpenter had a great deal of trouble last night；〃 Swanson said。 〃And we've had a considerable amount since。 But later。 Bring that stretcher in here。 You first； Zabrinski。 As for you； Rawlings； you can stop making like Escoffier。 The 〃Dolphin's〃 less than a couple of hundred yards from here。 We'll have you all aboard in half an hour。〃
I heard a shuffling noise behind me。 Dr。 Jolly was on his feet； helping Captain Folsom to his。 Folsom looked even weaker than he had yesterday； his face； bandaged though it was； certainly looked worse。
〃Captain Folsom；〃 I said by way of introduction。 〃Dr。 Jolly。 This is mander Swanson； captain of the 〃Dolphin〃。 Dr。 Benson。〃
〃'〃Dr〃。' Benson； you said； old boy？〃 Jolly lifted an eyebrow。 〃My word； the pill…rolling petition's getting a little fierce in these parts。 And 'mander。' By Jove； but we're glad to see you fellows。〃 The bination of the rich Irish brogue and the English slang of the twenties fell more oddly than ever on my ear； he reminded me of educated Singhalese I'd met with their precise； lilting； standard southern English interlarded with the catch phrases of forty years ago。 Topping； old bean； simply too ripping for words。
〃I can understand that。〃 Swanson smiled。 He looked around at the huddled； unmoving men on the floor； men who might have been living or dead but for the immediate and smoky condensation from their shallow breathing； and his smile faded。 He said to Captain Folsom； 〃I cannot tell you how sorry I am。 This has been a dreadful thing。〃
Folsom stirred and said something； but we couldn't make out what it was。 Although his shockingly burnt face had been bandaged since I'd seen him last； it didn't seem to have done him any good； he was talking inside his mouth； all right； but the ravaged cheek and mouth had bee so paralyzed that his speech didn't emerge as any recognizable language。 The good side of his face； the left； was twisted and furrowed； and the eye above almost pletely shut。 This had nothing to do with any sympathetic neuro…muscular reaction caused by the wickedly charred right cheek。 The man was in agony。 I said to Jolly； 〃No morphine left？〃 I'd left him； I'd thought； with more than enough of it。…
〃Nothing left；〃 he said tiredly。 〃I used it all。 All of it。〃
〃Dr。 Jolly worked all through the night；〃 Zabrinski said quietly。 〃Eight hours。 Rawlings and himself and Kinnaird。 They never stopped once。〃
Benson had his medical kit open。 Jolly saw it and smiled； a smile of relief； a smile of exhaustion。 He was in far worse shape than he'd been the previous evening。 He hadn't had all that much in him when he'd started。 But he'd worked。 He'd worked a solid eight hours。 He'd even fixed up Zabrinski's ankle。 A good doctor。 Conscientious。 Hippocratic； anyway。 He was entitled to relax。 Now that there were other doctors here； he'd relax。 But not before。
He began to ease Folsom into a sitting position and I helped him。 He slid down himself； his back to the wall。 〃Sorry and all that； you know；〃 he said。 His bearded frost…bitten face twisted into the semblance of a grin。 〃A poor host。〃
〃You can leave everything to us now； Dr。 Jolly；〃 Swanson said quietly。 〃You've got all the help that's going。 One thing。 All those men fit to be moved？〃
〃I don't know。〃 Jolly rubbed an arm across bloodshot； smudged eyes。 〃I don't know。 One or two of them slipped pretty far back last night。 It's the cold。 Those two。 Pneumonia； I think。 Something an injured man could fight off in a few days back home can be fatal here。 It's the cold；〃 he repeated。 〃Uses up ninety per cent of his energy； not in fighting illness and infection； but just generating enough heat to stay alive。〃
〃Take it easy；〃 Swanson said。 〃Maybe we'd better change our minds about that half…hour to get you all aboard。 Who's first for the ambulance； Dr。 Benson？〃 Not Dr。 Carpenter。 Dr。 Benson。 Well； Benson was his own ship's doctor。 But pointed； all the same。 A regrettable coolness； as sudden in its onset as it was marked in degree； had appeared in his attitude toward me； and I didn't have to be beaten over the head with a heavy club to guess at the reason for the abrupt change。
〃Zabrinski； Dr。 Jolly； Captain Folsom； and this man here；〃 Benson said promptly。
〃Kinnaird； radio operator；〃 Kinnaird identified himself。 〃We never thought you'd make it； mate。〃 This to me。 He dragged himself somehow to his feet and stood there swaying。 〃I can walk。〃
〃Don't argue；〃 Swanson said curtly。 〃Rawlings； stop stirring that filthy mush and get to your feet。 Go with them。 How long would it take you to run a cable from the boat； fix up a couple of big electric heaters in here； some lights？〃
〃Alone？〃
〃All the help you want； man。〃
〃Fifteen minutes。 I could rig a phone； sir。〃
〃That would be useful。 When the stretcher bearers e back； bring blankets； sheets； hot water。 Wrap the water containers in the blankets。 Anything else； Dr。 Benson？〃
〃Not now； sir。〃
〃That's it； then。 Away you go。〃
Rawlings lifted the spoon from the pot； tasted it； smacked his lips in appreciation； and shook his head sadly。 〃It's a crying shame；