It was nearing 5 A.M. as they plodded home. They took a break for a while around the camp fire, as much for Luke as for Matt, before killing the flames and moving on. Luke had donned his father’s thermal parka, and still he was wrapped in the emergency blanket, which looked like foil. So he might as well have had a target painted on his back for predators, but they had been remarkably lucky so far. Jack and Nanook still kept an eye out. Ben and Silla kept the dogs in order.
Matt saw that Luke wasn’t looking so great. He kept him steady with his arm around his waist as they hiked back.
And then Luke bent over. He threw up. His father still held him steady. He spit until nothing but thick saliva came out, his head hammered ferociously. They moved on. Luke wished only for one thing - to be
