g
under the weight of a ladder which they had found close by and guessed
might be useful in some sort of an emergency.

Cuthbert held his breath.

He really had very little hope of ever seeing his new friend again, for
there did not seem to be one chance in a dozen for any one to issue
forth from that fiery furnace alive, since this was not the day of
miracles.

It was like an age to him, though in all probability but a minute had
really crept by since Owen vanished through the doorway, and yet during
that interval the fire had gained more headway, despite all efforts of
the gathered employes of the Hudson Bay Company to smother it with
water, pumped through a hose and by means of an old hand engine kept
against just such an emergency.

A hand gripped Cuthbert's arm and turning his head quickly he found that
it was Eli who had thus unconsciously caught hold of him--possibly the
tremendous excitement had weakened the backwoods lad, so that he
clutched at support; but he was staring upward toward one of the
windows, as though some movement might have caught his attention there.

His campmate naturally enough cast his eyes in the same quarter, as if
sudden hope had sprung into existence; but it was to see the flames
shoot out of the window in a manner that must have utterly precluded the
possibility of Owen making an exit there.

Cuthbert groaned aloud, filled with dismay--it was a horrible thought
thus thrust upon his mind, for there is something unusually agonizing in
a death by fire; and it seemed as though the last chance had gone when
the demon of the flames thrust his grinning visage out of that window.

Then Eli gave vent to a sudden shout close to his ear, so that he heard
what was said even above the frightful roar of the wind and crackle of
flames:

"The roof--look up yonder over the eaves--hurra, he's got her--bully
for Owen, I say!" was what Eli shrieked.

Wonderful to say, the brave Canadian lad had indeed pushed out through
some sort of trap or scuttle in the sloping roof, the presence of which
seemed to be unknown to him; and just as Eli had declared, he was
carrying a little limp figure in his stout and willing arms, none other
than his cousin Jessie, the darling of the old factor's heart.

Cuthbert was stricken dumb for the moment, it all seemed so like the
hand of Providence directing things so that the wandering boy might come
into his own.

Gregory gave out a cry that was more like a roar