eat, were drawn on shore; and then they recast the
net.

"Up, man and beast!" thundered Ivan, as, after selecting two dozen of
the finest, he abandoned the rest to the dogs.

The animals, faint and weary, greedily seized on the food given them,
while Sakalar and the Kolimsk men could scarcely believe their senses.
The hot coals were at once brought into requisition, and the party
were soon regaling themselves on a splendid meal of tea and broiled
fish. I should alarm my readers did I record the quantities eaten. An
hour later, every individual was a changed being, but most of all the
lovers. Despite their want of rest, they looked fresher than any of
the party. It was determined to camp at least twenty hours more in
that spot; and the Kolimsk men declared that the river must be the
Vchivaya, they could draw the seine all day, for the river was deep,
its waters warmer than others, and its abundance of fish such as to
border on the fabulous. They went accordingly down to the side of
the stream, and then the happy Kolina gave free vent to her joy.
She burst out into a song of her native land, and gave way to some
demonstrations of delight, the result of her earlier education, that
astonished Sakalar. But when he heard that during that dreadful night
he had found a son, Sakalar himself almost lost his reason. The old
man loved Ivan almost as much as his own child, and when he saw the
youth in his yourte on his hunting trips, had formed some project of
the kind now brought about; but the confessions of Ivan on his last
visit to Mioure had driven all such thoughts away.

"Art in earnest, Ivan?" said he, after a pause of some duration.

"In earnest!" exclaimed Ivan, laughing; "why, I fancy the young men of
Mioure will find me so, if they seek to question my right to Kolina!"

Kolina smiled, and looked happy; and the old hunter heartily blessed
his children, adding that the proudest, dearest hope of his heart was
now within probable realization.

The predictions of the Kolimsk men were realized. The river gave them
as much fish as they needed for their journey home; and as now Sakalar
knew his way, there was little fear for the future. An ample stock was
piled on the sledges, the dogs had unlimited feeding for two days, and
then away they sped toward an upper part of the river, which, being
broad and shallow, was no doubt frozen on the surface. They found it
as they expected, and even discovered that the river was gradual