pression of mischief in her eyes and a satisfied look on
her face. But fortunately one's family are not apt to notice.

"If I thought there was the least chance of Cousin Appolina choosing me
to go abroad, I might not run the risk," she said to herself; "but she
wouldn't take me on any account. Besides, she'll never hear of this, and
it will be such fun to paralyze Milly. Just fancy her taking me in
earnest, and sending her poems to the fair! Oh, oh! What a dear old
innocent she is! It is a shame to tease her, but I just can't help it.
Pearl Proctor! Pearl Proctor! what naughty deed is about to be
perpetrated in thy name!"

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

SNOW-SHOES AND SLEDGES.

A Sequel to "The Fur-Seal's Tooth."

BY KIRK MUNROE,

AUTHOR OF "DORYMATES," "CAMPMATES," "RAFTMATES," "CANOEMATES," ETC.

CHAPTER XVII.

JALAP COOMBS'S FOURTEEN PAIR OF FEET.

[Illustration: Decorative O]

f course, Mr. Coombs, you can't expect us to go back to St. Michaels
now," began Phil, as a preliminary to unfolding his scheme for the
discomfiture of Simon Goldollar and his unprincipled companion.

"Why not?" demanded the sailor, who had not for a moment expected
anything else. "As soon as I found ye I were to bring ye to St.
Michaels, and keep ye there till your father comes. Them's orders, and
to disobey 'em would be mutiny, nigh as I kin make out."

"That would be all right if you had found us; but you haven't."

"Eh?" queried Jalap Coombs. "I hain't found ye?"

"Certainly not," laughed Phil. "Instead of you finding us, we have found
you. If you had struck us at Anvik, it is possible that we might have
gone back with you, but as we have found you some four hundred miles
from there, we shall certainly do nothing of the kind. You see, to begin
with, we are under the greatest of obligations to Captain Hamer, who,
by-the-way, is one of the finest men I ever met."

Here Phil told of the terrible experience he and Serge had undergone in
Bering Sea, and of their gallant rescue by Gerald Hamer, all of which
the absorbed listener now heard for the first time.

"Now," continued the lad, "we have left him just recovering from a
dangerous illness, and unfitted to travel for some months. If he can't
get word out to the coast before spring he will be a heavy loser. So
Serge and I have undertaken to carry and deliver the message for him.
Our entire outfit, down to the very clothing we wear, was furnished by
him on that condition. It i