But all these services must now be forgotten, when starvation was the alternative; and our adventurers began to talk seriously about which of these two faithful servants should be made the first victim.

Neither was fat.

Jeanette had never been so in all her life--at least so long as her present owners had been acquainted with her--and Marengo had grown gaunt and bony upon this lengthened expedition.

Jeanette could not be otherwise than tough, and Marengo looked anything but tender.

So far as that was concerned, it might be a toss-up which of them was first "put to the knife." But other considerations had their weight with the boys.