onfire on the cape below; perhaps they may see it; but it wasn't for
nothing that I saw those men the other night. Poor La Salle laughed at
it, but if he was here now--"

[Illustration: CAPT. LUND HEADED A PARTY TO ASSIST THEIR FRIENDS. Page
32.]

"He is here, captain, thanks to your lantern, although Hughie, who is
out on the ice yonder, shivering with fright and fear, vowed that it was
the 'Packet Light,' and would scarcely let me come to see what it was.
But this is no time to tell long stories; so I'll give the signal at
once."

Creamer, fearfully watching the luminous spot, saw suddenly beside a jet
of red flame, as the heavy gun roared the welcome signal that all was
well; and scarcely a half moment later a still heavier report called the
perplexed and wearied party to the shore, where they found themselves
but about ten minutes' walk from the house.

Half an hour later, the bustling housewife summoned them to the spacious
table, which was crowded with a profusion of smoking-hot viands, among
which two huge geese, roasted to a turn, attracted the attention of all.
Mr. Risk saw the inquiring looks of the others, and "rose to explain."

"Davies and I claim 'first blood,' as you see, having killed this pair,
which, early in the morning, flew in from the westward, and were just
lighting among our decoys, when we each dropped our bird. We came in
early, seeing the storm brewing, and, being warned by Indian Peter, we
escaped much inconvenience, if not danger, and were able to supply a
brace of hot geese for supper. We shall expect a similar contribution to
the general comfort from each party in rotation, in accordance with the
ancient usage of professors of our venerable and honorable mystery.

"Well, Lund," he continued, "the omen is not yet verified, although the
party was nearly lost, and would have been altogether, if Hughie here
had had his way, when he took your lantern for a ghost."

"Well, it does seem foolish, now that it is all over; but I have seen
the 'Packet Light' myself too often not to believe in it, and so I was
as simply frightened at the captain's lantern as the people of Loughrea
were at Matthew Collins's ghost."

La Salle noted the look of annoyance which clouded the usually placid
brow of their host, and hastened to allay the threatened storm. Rising
from his seat, he begged the attention of the company.

"As we are to spend our evenings together for some weeks, it seems to me
that it wou