g, think you, will it take us to reach the wigwams of your
kindred from this point?" asked Hendrick of their guide, as he prepared
to lie down for the night.

"Two days," answered the Indian.

"God grant that we may be in time," murmured Paul, "I fear a thaw, for
it would delay us greatly."

That which was feared came upon them the next day. They were yet asleep
when those balmy influences, which alone have power to disrupt and
destroy the ice-king's reign, began to work, and when the travellers
awoke, the surface of the land was moist. It was not soft, however, for
time is required to draw frost out of the earth, so that progress was
not much impeded. Still, the effect of the thaw depressed their spirits
a good deal, for they were well aware that a continuance of it would
render the low grounds, into which they had frequently to descend,
almost impassable.

It was, therefore, with anxious forebodings that they lay down to rest
that night, and Paul's prayer for strength and guidance was more fervent
than usual.

About this period of the year changes of temperature are sometimes very
abrupt, and their consequences curious. During the night frost had
again set in with great intensity. Fatigue had compelled the party to
sleep longer than usual, despite their anxiety to press forward, and
when they awoke the rays of the rising sun were sweeping over the whole
landscape, and revealing, as well as helping to create, a scene of
beauty which is seldom, if ever, witnessed elsewhere.

When rain falls with a low thermometer near the earth it becomes frozen
the moment it reaches the ground, and thus a regular deposit of pure
glassy ice takes place on every branch and twig of the leafless shrubs
and trees. The layer of ice goes on increasing, sometimes, till it
attains the thickness of half an inch or more. Thus, in a few hours, a
magical transformation is brought about. The trees seem to be hung with
glittering jewels; the larger limbs are edged with dazzling ice-ropes;
the minutest twigs with threads of gleaming crystal, and all this, with
the sun shooting on and through it, presents a scene of splendour before
which even our most vivid conceptions of fairy-land must sink into
comparative insignificance.

Such, then, was the vision presented to the gaze of the rescue party on
awaking that morning. To some of them it was a new revelation of the
wonderful works of God. To Hendrick and the Indian it was familiar
en