ast
of the hunters was gone. This would not be until the day after New
Year's, so she postponed her request to her father, to take her over,
until New Year's day. Then she watched for a favourable opportunity
when she was alone with him and her mother. Finally it came late in
the afternoon, when he stepped into the house for something, and she
asked him timidly:

"Father, I'm wantin' t' go on a cruise t' Wolf Bight--t' see
Emily--can't you take me over with th dogs an' komatik?"

"When you wantin' t' go, lass?" he asked.

"I'm wishin' t' be goin' to-morrow."

"I'm t' be wonderful busy for a few days. Can't un wait a week or
two?"

"I'm wantin' t' go now, father, if I goes. I'm not wantin' t' wait."

"Bob's t' be home," suggested Mrs. Blake.

"Oh, ho! I see!" he exclaimed. "'Tisn't Bob instead o' Emily you're
wantin' so wonderful bad t' see now, is un?"

"'Tis--Emily--I'm wantin'--t'--see," faltered Bessie, blushing
prettily and fingering the hem of her apron in which she was suddenly
very much interested.

"Bob's a fine lad--a fine lad--an' I'm not wonderin'," said her father
teasingly.

"Now, Tom," interceded Mrs. Black, "don't be tormentin' Bessie. O'
course 'tis just Emily she's wantin' t' see. She's not thinkin' o' th'
lads yet."

"Oh, aye," said he, looking slyly out of the corner of his eye at
Bessie, who was blushing now to the very roots of her hair, "I'm not
blamin' she for likin' Bob. I likes he myself."

"Well, Tom, be tellin' th' lass you'll take she over. She's been kept
wonderful close th' winter, an' the cruise'll be doin' she good,"
urged Mrs. Black.

"I wants t' go _so_ much," Bessie pleaded.

"Well, I'll ask Mr. MacDonald can he spare me th' day. I'm thinkin'
'twill be all right," he finally assented.

And it was all right. When the last hunter had disappeared the next
morning, the komatik was got ready. A box made for the purpose was
lashed on the back end of it, and warm reindeer skins spread upon the
bottom for Bessie to sit upon. Then the nine big dogs were called by
shouting "Ho! Ho! Ho!" to them, and were caught and harnessed, after
which Tom cracked a long walrus-hide whip over their heads, and made
them lie quiet until Bessie was tucked snugly in the box, and wrapped
well in deerskin robes.

When at last all was ready the father stepped aside with his whip, and
immediately the dogs were up jumping and straining in their harness
and giving short impatient howls, over eager