Tom Barry knew that he had to reach Dawson City at all costs, before the thaw set in. His freedom, perhaps even his life, depended upon it. He had left White Horse some time before, following the cold and tortuous route along the frozen Yukon river. At Selkirk he had traded his weary dogs for fresh ones, and had pushed on in the face of a blizzard that at times made him feel that his efforts were hopeless. But his fierce determination drove him on towards his goal, until alone, utterly weary from cold and hunger, he reached an outlying cabin on Beaver Creek...