rejoin his
comrades, to set signals, burn bonfires--anything which might possibly
call the attention of those on board. Then he considered the futility of
such endeavors, and he turned to his comrade,--

"We can't signal her now, Regnar, and we won't excite in our friends
hopes which cannot fail to be disappointed. We shall see her again
soon."

Regnar looked around them, cast glances of admiration on the abundance
of animal life presented to their view, gave a look of approval to his
friend, and answered in his Esquimaux-English,--

"It is good. I fear not. That steamer sail away to-day, for wind fair.
If wind east to-morrow, she sail this way. If wind north, she go south;
but she no leave this place till she beats the pack, like a hound. Look
there--see that floe. Plenty seal there to load one vessel."

The view was indeed charming, for ice and water were alive with birds,
and among them moved in every direction the bullet heads of many seals.

About three miles to the eastward lay a large pan, and around it the
water was dark with the older amphibia, while from it came, in the
occasional calm intervals, the unceasing whine, which the baby seal
never foregos for a moment, except when asleep or feeding.

"We want more skins, master," said the boy. "We could soon fill our
boat--we two."

A cold puff came from the westward, and a slight break showed itself in
the north-west.

"We shall have clear weather and a westerly breeze after sunset," said
La Salle. "We will get ready to-night, and to-morrow we will have a
battle among the seals."

Retracing their steps, they entered their boats, and returned to their
friends, to whom they imparted the news of the proximity of the
sealing-grounds.

"We need about ten large skins, and some smaller ones. So let us get
ready to-night, and if the weather is favorable, visit the 'nursery'
to-morrow."

So saying, La Salle took one of the large floating decoys made of cork
and canvas, and painted black, and drawing a nail from the broken boat,
fastened it to the end of a strip from the bottom--in fact, one of the
runners. This was planted beside the strip, sustaining the record
contained in the copper case, and formed a beacon, easily distinguished
against the lighter ice.

Guns were cleaned, knives and axes sharpened, for the soapstone boulder
had been brought from the berg, and afforded quite a good whetstone, to
patient labor; and Peter, with his knife, finished, in the