," said West, shading his eyes with his
hand, and gazing earnestly in the direction indicated by Meetuck.

"So do I, be the mortial," said O'Riley in a hoarse whisper. "I see the
mountains and the sky, I do, as plain as the nose on me face!"

"Hush! stop your nonsense, man," said Fred. "I see a deer, I'm certain
of it."

Meetuck nodded violently to indicate that Fred was right.

"Well, what's to be done? Luckily we are well to leeward, and it has
neither sighted nor scented us."

Meetuck replied by gestures and words to the effect that West and
O'Riley should remain with the dogs, and keep them quiet under the
shelter of a hummock, while he and Fred should go after the reindeer.
Accordingly, away they went, making a pretty long detour in order to
gain the shore, and come upon it under the shelter of the grounded
floes, behind which they might approach without being seen. In hurrying
along the coast they observed the footprints of a musk-ox, and also of
several Arctic hares and foxes; which delighted them much, for hitherto
they had seen none of these animals, and were beginning to be fearful
lest they should not visit that part of the coast at all. Of course Fred
knew not what sort of animals had made the tracks in question, but he
was an adept at guessing, and the satisfied looks of his companion gave
him reason to believe that he was correct in his surmises.

In half-an-hour they came within range, and Fred, after debating with
himself for some time as to the propriety of taking the first shot,
triumphed over himself, and stepping back a pace, motioned to the
Esquimau to fire. But Meetuck was an innate gentleman, and modestly
declined; so Fred advanced, took a good aim, and fired.

The deer bounded away, but stumbled as it went, showing that it was
wounded.

"Ha! ha! Meetuck," exclaimed Fred, as he recharged in tremendous
excitement (taking twice as long to load in consequence), "I've improved
a little, you see, in my shoot--oh bother this--ramrod!--tut! tut!
there, that's it."

Bang went Meetuck's musket at that moment, and the deer tumbled over
upon the snow.

"Well done, old fellow!" cried Fred, springing forward. At the same
instant a white hare darted across his path, at which he fired, without
even putting the gun to his shoulder, and knocked it over, to his own
intense amazement.

The three shots were the signal for the men to come up with the sledge,
which they did at full gallop, O'Riley driving