haven't gone a mile, sir; and as for hailing _that_, sir, I'd as
soon speak the Flying Dutchman, and ask her captain aboard to dinner."

"Well, I'll try it, anyhow.--'Halloo! Light, ahoy!'" he shouted, placing
his hands so as to aid the sound against the wind, which blew across the
line of direction between them and the mysterious light. Again and again
the hail was repeated, but no answer followed.

"You may call until doomsday, but they who have lit that lamp will never
answer mortal hail again. They died thirty falls ago, amid frost and
falling snow, ay, and foaming breakers, on this very bar, and the men on
shore saw the light shiver, and swing, and disappear, as we saw it just
now."

"Well, I don't believe in that kind of light, and I, for one, am going
to see what it is. Now, don't move from your place, but watch the light,
and if you hear the report, or see the flash, of my gun, answer it once
with both barrels, counting three between the first and second shots. If
I fire a second time, call all hands and come ashore."

"Well, Master Charley, I wouldn't venture it for all on the face of the
earth; but we must do something, and the Lord be between ye and harm.
See, now," he added, in a lower tone, "you're a heretic, I know, the
Virgin pardon ye; but I'll say a Pater and two Aves, and if you never
come back--"

"There, there, Hughie, old fellow, don't go mad with your foolish fears.
Pray for yourself and us, if you please, for it is a terrible night, and
we may well stand in need of prayer; but do your duty like a man. Stand
in your place until I summon you, and then come, if a score of ghosts
stand in the way."

The next second Hughie stood alone, watching the tremulous radiance of
the mysterious beacon, which La Salle rapidly approached, not without
fear, it may be, but with a settled determination superior to the
weakness which he felt, for the danger, exposure, and settled fears of
his companion had almost transmitted their contagion to his own mind. As
he drew nearer, however, the apparition resolved itself into a large
reflecting lantern, suspended from a pole, in the hands of Captain Lund,
who had headed a party to assist their friends to find the shore. The
approach of our hero was not at first noticed, as he came up the bank a
little to the rear of the party.

"I'm sure, gentlemen, I don't know what to advise; and yet we can't let
them perish on the floes. We had better get the guns, and build a
b