o say. But we were leaving them
forever; and the dark storm-clouds, the icy sea, and snowy ledges,
seemed a pitiless fate for those whose voices had such power to touch
our feelings. What if they were savage Huskies: they had human hearts,
with all the beautiful possibilities of souls that might be made
undying.

"Give 'way!" ordered the captain.

We went off with them gazing sadly after us in silence. Kit and Wade
were in the bow, talking.

"Why need we leave them here?" I overheard Wade ask.

"Oh, nonsense, Wade!" said Kit.

"But to leave them to the cruel elements!" Wade whispered.

"Yes--I know--but they're happier here than they would be--in--in some
great cotton-factory at home."

"Too true," Wade sighed, and fell to softly whistling "Dixie."

"I suppose," said the captain as we got aboard, "that it will be too
late to get into Hudson Bay farther this season."

"Yes," replied Raed: "we are all a little home-sick, I expect. Let's
go home."

The boat was taken up, and the schooner brought round. The sails
swelled out in the stormy wind. "The Curlew" stood away, down the
straits.

"Adieu to Isle Aktok!" cried Kit, looking off toward the snowy island.
"Our reign ends here; but no one can say that we have not been kings
in our day."

We were five days going out to the Atlantic. During most of that time,
the wind blew hard and cold. We were glad to keep snug as we could in
the cabin. The ice collected along the water-line of the schooner to
the depth of several inches.

With the exception of a heavy gale of seventeen hours' duration while
off Halifax, our voyage home to Boston was, though tedious, quite
uneventful,--the mere monotony of the ocean, which has been so often
and so well described.

Arrived in Boston harbor on the forenoon of the 9th of September. Raed
went up to the bank where we had deposited our bonds, and, effecting
an exchange of $1,600 worth, came back to pay off our men; viz.:--

Capt. Mazard, three months and a half, $350
The six sailors, three months each, 720
Palmleaf, three months, 90
Schooner, 300
Damage done by shot, 100
------
In all, $1,560
Then the expense of outfit, 1,100
------
Givi