Part 9 (1/2)

The boy looked behind Ruddy Cove ithin sight He was surprised that the coast was still so near

”Got t' 'urry up a bit hly elated He thought that his old hoht's journey distant; at ht and a day, and he had h that He was elated; but froret entered in, and it was not easily cast out He remembered the touch of Aunt Ruth's lips, and her arm, which had often stolen about him in the dusk; and he remembered that Uncle Ezekiel had beaood works alike He had been well loved in Ruddy Cove

”Wisht I'd told Aunt Ruth,” Bagg thought

On he trudged--straight out to sea

”Got t' 'urry up,” thought he

Again the affection of Aunt Ruth occurred to him She had been very kind; and as for Uncle 'Zeke--why, nobody could have been kinder

”Wisht I _'ad_ told Aunt Ruth,” Bagg regretted ”Might o' said good-bye anyhow”

The ice was now drifting out; but the wind had not yet risen to that th ith it tears the pack to pieces, nor had the sea attacked it There was a gap of two hundred yards between the coast rocks and the edge of the ice, but that was far, far back, and hidden fro slowly, smoothly, still in one co, who pressed steadily on toward England, eager again, but fast groeary

”Got t' 'urry up,” thought he

But presently he th It went singing over the pack, pressing ever with a stronger hand upon its du it, everywhere, faster and faster out to sea The pack was on the point of breaking in pieces under the strain, but the wind still fell short of the power to rend it There was a greater volu clouds Hence the light of the an to fail Far away, at the ri its way in, but the swish and crash of its as too far distant to be heard

”I ain't nothink t' nobody but Aunt Ruth,” Bagg thought, as he rose to continue the tras; but at last his legs gave out at the knees, and he sat down again to rest This was in the lee of a clumper, where he was colow of heat, indeed--and his hope was still with hi save weariness So he began to dreaot hoain, to that old place where they were born The as now a gale, blowing furiously; the pack was groaning in its outlying parts

”Nothink t' nobody,” Bagg grumbled, on his way once more

Then he stopped dead--in terror He had heard the breaking of an ice-pan--a great clap and ru in the distance The noise was repeated, all roundabout--bursting fro to a fearful volu roar

The pack was breaking up Each separate part was torn froround against its neighbour on every side The weaker pans were crushed like egg-shells

Then the whole began to feel the heave of the sea

”It's a earthquake!” thought Bagg ”I better 'urry up”

He looked back over the way he had co the shadows for Ruddy Cove But the coast was lost to sight

”Must be near acrost, now,” he thought ”I'll 'urry up”

So he turned his back on Ruddy Cove and ran straight out to sea, for he thought that England was nearer than the coast he had left He was now upon a pan, both broad and thick--stout enough to withstand the pressure of the pack It was a wide field of ice, which the cold of the far North, acting through

Elsewhere the pans were breaking--were lifting the back in pieces--were being ground to finest fraghty confusion of noise and wind and snow and night, and the upheaval of the whole world roundabout,shi+ver within him It surpassed the terrors of his dreaht he