or a few moments in speechless
wonder.

"I am not an old man," said Cheenbuk at length in a solemn tone, "but I
have seen most of the wonderful things in this world, yet have I never
seen a track like that!"

He pointed to the track in question, and turned a look of blazing
inquiry on Anteek.

"And I am not an old boy," returned the other, "but I too have seen a
good many of the wonderful things of this world, yet have I never even
dreamed of the like of that!"

It will doubtless strike the reader here, as an evidence that Eskimos
are under similar delusions to the rest of the human family, that these
two referred to that world of theirs as equivalent to the world at
large!

"What can it be?" murmured Cheenbuk.

"The very biggest bear that ever was, come to frighten the wisest people
that ever lived, out of their wits," suggested Anteek.

The face of the elder Eskimo underwent a sudden change, and an
intelligent expression flitted over it as he said--

"I know now--I remember--I guess. You have often heard me talk of the
Fire-spouters, Anteek? Well, the snow where they live is very deep and
soft--not at all like the snow here, except when our snow is
new-fallen--so that they cannot travel in the cold time without great
things on their feet. That,"--pointing downward--"must be the track of
those great things, and there must be a Fire-spouter not far off."

"Perhaps a number of Fire-spouters--a war-party," suggested Anteek,
becoming excited.

"I think not, for there is only one track."

"But they may have walked in a row--behind each other."

"That is true. You notice well, Anteek. You will be a good hunter
soon."

He stooped as he spoke, to examine more carefully the track, which was
indeed none other than that made by the snow-shoes of Nazinred on his
weary and well-nigh hopeless journey over the frozen sea.

"Look here, Cheenbuk," cried the boy, whose excitement was increasing.
"Is there not here also the track of a dog, with a strange mark on each
side of it, as if it were drawing two lines as it went along?"

"You are right again, boy. There is here the track of a dog, but there
is only one man. Come, we will follow it up."

Jumping on the sledge again, the Eskimo cracked his whip and set the
dogs off at full gallop.

For some time they advanced, looking eagerly forward, as if expecting
every minute to come in sight of the man and dog who had made the
tracks, but nothing appeared for som