t that moment Angut
observed the little eyes of Kannoa peering at him wistfully.

"Come," he said, holding out a hand.

The old woman's visage beamed with joy, as she seized the hand, and
scrambled on the sledge. Then the lash came round with the wonted
crack. The dogs winced, but did not suffer, for Angut was merciful to
his beasts, and away they went at full speed--Okiok having dashed off in
similar fashion with his two sons and Simek in another direction a few
minutes before them.

North, south, east, and west, on land and sea, did those Eskimos search
for tracks of the fugitives; but the whole immediate neighbourhood was
so cut up in all directions by the daily out-going and in-coming of
their own hunters, that the discovering of a special track was not
easy--indeed, almost impossible. All day they sped over the ice and
snow in widening circles. When night came, they waited till the moon
arose, and then continued the search. It was not till the forenoon of
the following day that the unsuccessful searchers began to drop in one
by one, worn-out and disheartened.

Nuna and the other women had breakfast ready for them. Little was said,
for the women were depressed, and the men, after eating, immediately
sought much-needed repose. It was nearly evening before Okiok and his
sons returned.

"No sign anywhere," he said in reply to his poor wife's mute inquiry.
"Ippegoo," he added, turning to the youth, whose woe-begone expression
at another time would have been ludicrous, "I will sleep for some time.
Let the dogs be well fed all round, and be ready to start with me when
the moon rises."

Without another word, he stretched himself on the floor, pillowed his
head on a deerskin, and went to sleep almost on the instant.

Meanwhile Angut had driven straight to Moss Bay. His search was not one
of a wild haphazard nature. Despite the agitation of his breast, his
mind was clear and his head cool. Judging that Nunaga must at least
have started for her intended destination, whatever might afterwards
have induced her to change her mind, he drove slowly along, observing
with a lynx eye everything that looked in the slightest degree like a
divergence from the route. The consequence was, that on reaching the
place where the divergence had actually taken place, he pulled up, and
got off the sledge to examine.

"You're right," remarked Rooney, who accompanied his friend, while old
Kannoa remained with the dogs. "It's