a whoop of joy.

"Then you consent, Partner?" and Skipper Ed's eyes twinkled humorously.

"Of course I do, Partner!" exclaimed Jimmy. "It's what I've wanted to do
right along."

"Then everything is arranged," said Skipper Ed. "Abel says there are
plenty of fish for all of us around Itigailit Island. Perhaps, then,
we'd better go home, Partner, and put things in shipshape for an early
start in the morning."

And so they parted in high glee, Bobby to the cabin to break the good
news to Mrs. Abel, and Skipper Ed down the trail toward his own cabin,
with Jimmy at his heels.

CHAPTER X

A FOOLHARDY SHOT

Though the days were long now, for this was July, when dawn comes in
this land before two o'clock in the morning, it was scarce daylight when
Skipper Ed and Jimmy in their big trap boat, and with a skiff in tow in
which were stowed his seven sledge dogs, hoisted sail and bore down the
bay before a westerly breeze.

And as they passed beyond the point which separated the cove in which
Abel's cabin stood from the cove where their own cabin stood, they
discovered Abel's boat almost abreast of them, and within hailing
distance. Bobby and Jimmy exchanged vociferous greetings, and Skipper Ed
and Abel converged their courses until the boats were so close as to
permit of conversation.

It was a glorious morning. The air was crisp and fragrant with whiffs of
forest perfumes borne down to them from the near-by shore. Banks of
brilliant red and orange in the eastern sky foretold the coming of the
sun. The sea sparkled. Gulls and other wild fowl soared overhead or rode
lightly upon the swell. A school of shining caplin shimmered on the
surface of the water. Here and there a seal lifted its curious head for
a moment, and then disappeared. At intervals a grampus, with a
startling, roaring blow, raised its great black back above the surface,
and then sank again from view.

On barren hillsides patches of snow, remnants of mighty drifts, lay
against the dark moist rocks like great white sheets, and here and there
miniature ice pans rose and fell upon the swell, reminders of the long
cold winter, for winter in this far northern clime is ever reluctant to
relinquish its grasp upon the earth.

The glow in the east disappeared at length, and then the sun rose to
caress them with his warmth. Presently mirages appeared. Islands seemed
to sit upon the tops of other islands, or to hang suspended in the air,
and every distant s