mfortably seated
in their snowy encampment.

Next morning before dawn Robin awoke them.

"Ho!" he cried, "get up, lads, look alive! A happy New Year to 'ee all,
young an' old, red an' white. Kiss me, Nell, dear--a shake o' yer paw,
Roy. An' it's a good New Year's day, too, in more ways than one, praise
the Almighty for that."

The whole party was astir immediately, and that feeling of kindly
brotherhood which usually pervades the hearts of men on the first day of
a new year, induced them to shake hands heartily all round.

"You'll eat your New Year's dinner at home, after all," said Walter to
Nelly.

"Sure, an' it's a happy 'ooman yer mother'll be this good day," said
Larry, as he stirred up the embers of the fire, and blew them into a
flame.

The kettle was boiled, and a good breakfast eaten, because, although it
is usually the custom for hunters to start on their day's journey, and
accomplish a good many miles of it before breakfast, they had
consideration for Roy and Nelly, both of whom were still suffering a
little from the fatigue of the previous day. They hoped to be at Fort
Enterprise in about four hours, and were anxious to arrive fresh.

The sun was rising when they reached the top of a ridge, whence they
could obtain a distant view of the Fort.

"Here we are _at home_, Nelly," said Robin, stooping down to kiss his
child on the forehead.

"Darling, _darling_ mother!" was all that poor Nelly could say, as she
tried in vain to see the Fort though the tears which sprang to her eyes.

"Don't you see it, Nell?" said Roy, passing his arm round his sister's
waist.

"No, I don't," cried Nelly, brushing the tears away; "oh, _do_ let us go
on!"

Robin patted her on the had, and at once resumed the march.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

That morning Mrs Gore rose from her bed about the saddest woman in the
land. Her mind flew back to the last New Year's day, when her children
were lost to her, as she feared, for ever. The very fact that people
are usually more jocose, and hearty, and happy, on the first day of the
year, was sufficient to make her more sorrowful than usual; so she got
up and sighed, and then, not being a woman of great self-restraint, she
wept.

In a few minutes she dried her eyes, and took up her Bible, and, as she
read its blessed pages, she felt comfort--such as the world can neither
give nor take away--gradually stealing over her soul