[Alaskan Quest 03] - Whispers of Winter Read Free

notes in order to ask Bjorn Kjellmann on a later date. He had laughed the first time they’d come to him with a list of questions, but after laboring over that same list and searching to give answers, Bjorn stopped laughing. He now said they were the iron sharpening iron—the students who caused the teacher to search deeper.
    But Leah knew that book learning and heart understanding were two different things. She tried not to worry about the situation anymore than she needed to, but at times like this, she felt rather hopeless.
    Her dear friend and mentor had gone home to be with the Lord.
    Her brother was lost somewhere in the frozen Arctic.
    And her husband might very well never return home.

Chapter Two
    J acob Barringer looked out across the frozen waters of the Arctic. There was no real sign that spring breakup was upon them, but in his heart he felt certain it was coming. He could almost feel it in his bones. The winter was over—at least technically speaking.
    He thought about all they’d gone through. He and the rest of the crew of the Regina had been fortunate to find the missing ammunition for the 30–30, as well as another rifle and pistol. A supply of medicines meant for the Canadian scientists they’d taken north had been located, and Dr. Ripley had been delighted. It had given them all hope for survival. Now that the winter was over, the men were anxious to get home. Tempers were flaring, and Jacob was worried about how they would endure much longer.
    “What do you see?” Jayce Kincaid asked as he joined his brother-in-law.
    “Nothing that wasn’t there yesterday,” Jacob admitted. “I know the thaw is coming, though. By my calculations it’s got to be near the end of May. It won’t take long for the ice to break free once things start warming up. I’ve seen mornings back home where we woke up with the ice and by evening it was gone. Once the ice is gone, the searchers will come.”
    “At least the ice had made the seal hunting easier.”
    “True. We’ve eaten pretty well thanks to that.”
    Jayce shook his head. “We’ve eaten well because you’ve taught us how to survive up here. Most of these men had no idea how to live in this cold, much less thrive. And with no help or encouragement from Captain Latimore … well, let’s just say the responsibility has fallen hard on your shoulders.”
    “Yours too. The men look to you just as readily as they look to me. Once we landed on this island, you were the one who taught them how to build those snow-block houses.”
    “Only because I learned it from you,” Jayce said with a laugh. He gazed out to the ocean and sobered. “I know they’re out there, rescuers … Leah.” He sighed heavily. “I know they are, but what I can’t figure is if they know we’re here.”
    Jacob nodded. “I’m hoping they’ll remember the Karluk and figure the current might have taken us in the same direction. We’ll be all right if they consider that. At least they’ll close in on us.”
    “I pray you’re right.”
    ————
    The next morning around five, Jacob awoke to storm clouds gathering on the horizon. The men went about camp, tying down the things they’d managed to secure from the Regina . Jacob had helped direct the evacuation of the ship when the ice broke her apart. For weeks they had lived with nothing but several feet of ice between them and the Arctic waters. They were definitely blessed to have found land—even if it was desolate.
    “Looks like a snow coming in,” Jacob told one of the men. He pointed to a stack of cut driftwood. “Better get some of that inside. No telling how bad or how long this one’s going to last.”
    “Latimore’s missing,” Jayce said as he came up behind Jacob.
    “Missing?”
    “No one’s seen him since last night. When Bristol woke up this morning, he realized Latimore hadn’t called him for his watch.”
    Jacob considered the situation for a moment. “Bristol was scheduled to take the