mean that haze that
hangs over the water?"

"Aye," explained Toby, "'tis what we calls the sea smoke."

But this time the sign failed, and another morning dawned with the sea
still free from its wintry shackles. A gentle swell, but quite enough to
prevent the hoped for freezing, was rolling in, and the boys, quite
discouraged, returned to their fire.

"We can't stand it much longer," declared Charley, making no effort to
conceal his discouragement. "I'm getting so weak I don't believe I can
ever walk to Double Up Cove, even if it does freeze. I'm weak and I'm
sleepy all the time. We've been days without eating, and even when it
does freeze you say we'll have to wait a day or two before the ice
outside will be strong enough to bear our weight."

"Don't be talkin' that way now," counseled Toby. "We were prayin' the
Lard, and He'll fix un for us. Keep a stout heart We'll not be givin' up
hopes for another week, _what_ever."

"The Lord don't seem to be answering our prayer," retorted Charley.

And Toby, though he hid his thoughts within his breast, realized, even
better than did Charley, that their position was now desperate, and that
with another day or two without food they might become too weak to make
the journey to Double Up Cove. Even were the bay to freeze that very
night, at least two days must elapse before the water at a distance from
shore would be hard enough frozen to bear their weight, and permit them
to cross to the mainland.

XIII

THE GREAT SNOWY OWL

The cold had become intense, and in their starving condition Charley and
Toby felt it perhaps the more keenly. With the disappointment of another
morning dawning and still no sign of the longed-for ice, Charley, after
making his declaration of discouragement and hopelessness to Toby,
became quiet and morose. He had no inclination to leave the tent and the
fire, and he spent his time sitting under the shelter and brooding over
his troubles.

Toby, no less anxious, made frequent journeys along the shore. On each
return he would endeavour to engage Charley in conversation, but without
result. Charley's replies to questions were "yes" or "no," unless a
statement was necessary, and then it was given in as few words as
possible. He appeared to have suddenly developed a grudge against Toby,
as though Toby were responsible for their unfortunate position, and at
length would not respond to Toby's efforts at conversation, or reply to
him.

This w