Abel's two teams, together with an extra dog or two to fill the place of any that might be injured, numbered eighteen, while Skipper Ed kept seven.

This made a total of twenty-five dogs to be provided for, and twenty-five big wolf dogs will consume a vast amount of food during a winter.
So they held a consultation, and Skipper Ed decided that he could do very well without dogs if Abel would permit him the use of a team now and again.
"Partner and I have kept dogs only these last two years, anyhow," said Skipper Ed.

"Our hunting and trapping is chiefly inland, and we haven't much use for them.

I don't want to see any of the dogs suffer for the want of something to eat, and if Partner is willing we'll kill them, and let you have the carcasses to feed to your teams.

What do you say, Partner ?" "We'll kill them." Jimmy agreed, regretfully.
Abel also decided that it would be wise to reduce the number of his own dogs to fifteen, and thus the problem was solved.
Winter settled with almost unexampled cold, and with a succession of fearful storms.