sion save that of
astonishment.

Such were the pair that stood on the edge of the ice-belt gazing down
upon Dumps and Poker. And no sooner did Dumps and Poker catch sight of
them than they sprang hastily towards them, wagging their tails--or,
more correctly speaking, their tail and a quarter. But on a nearer
approach those sagacious animals discovered that the woman and her child
were strangers, whereupon they set up a dismal howl, and fled towards
the ship as fast as they could run.

Now it so happened that, at this very time, the howl of the dogs fell
upon the ears of two separate parties of travellers--the one was a band
of Esquimaux who were moving about in search of seals and walrus, to
which band this woman and her baby belonged; the other was a party of
men under command of Buzzby, who were returning to the ship after an
unsuccessful hunt. Neither party saw the other, for one approached from
the east, the other from the west, and the ice-belt, on the point of
which the woman stood, rose up between them.

"Hallo! what's yon," exclaimed Peter Grim, who was first to observe the
woman.

"Dunno," said Buzzby, halting; "it looks like a bear."

"Faix an it is, then, it's got a young wan on its back," cried O'Riley.

"We had better advance and find out," remarked West, as he led the way,
while several of the men threw up their arms in token of their friendly
intentions. O'Riley capered somewhat extravagantly as he drew near,
partly with the intention of expressing his feelings of good-will
towards the unknown, and partly in order to relieve the excitement
caused by the unexpected apparition.

These demonstrations, however, had the effect of terrifying the woman,
who wheeled suddenly round and made off.

"Och! it _is_ a man. Hooray, boys! give chase."

"Men don't usually carry babies on their backs and tie their hair up
into top-knots," remarked Grim, as he darted past in pursuit.

A few seconds sufficed to enable Grim to overtake the woman, who fell on
her knees the instant she felt the sailor's heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be afeard; we won't hurt ye," said Buzzby in a soothing tone,
patting the woman on the head and raising her up.

"No, avic, we's yer frinds; we'll not harm a hair o' yer beautiful head,
we won't. Ah, then, it's a swate child, it is, bless its fat face!"
said O'Riley, stroking the baby's head tenderly with his big hand.

It was with difficulty that the poor creature's fears