Part 9 (2/2)

Soon he cae of the pan Beyond, where the pack was in s beneath it The ice was all heaving and swaying He dared not venture out upon this shi+fting ground So he ran up and down, seeking a path onward; but he discovered none Meantime, the parts of the pack had fallen into easier positions; the noise of crunching, as the one ground against the other, had somewhat abated The ice continued its course outward, under the driving force of the wind, but the pressure was relieved

The pans fell away from one another Lakes and lanes of water opened up The pan upon which Bagg chanced to find hireat break-up soon floated free There was now no escape froan to break there

”Wisht I was 'oain,” he sobbed

This tiland, but wistfully back to Ruddy Cove

The gale wasted away in the night The next day ar offshore froan to creep in with a light wind The first pans struck the coast at dusk The folk of the place were on the Head, on the lookout for the sign of a herd of seal Just before night fell they spied a black speck, as far out from shore as their eyes could see

”They'll be seals out there the reed

So they went hoht, the wind swept the whole pack in, to the last lagging pan

The ice was all ja to the horizon, and held in place by the wind, which continued strong and steady The men of Fortune Harbour went confidently out to the hunt At noon, when they were ten miles off the shore, they perceived the approach of a s ca both curious and quick to respond to need, , briskly, addressing old John Forsyth, ”yer 'aven't got no 'ahed

”Or nothink else, 'ave yer?” Bagg continued, hopefully ”I'ry”

”Sure, b'y,” said Forsyth ”I've a biscuit an' a bit o' pork”

”'Ave yer, now?” said Bagg ”Would yer iv----”

But his hands were already full A moment later his mouth was in the same condition

”How'd you co ”I say, mister,” he added, between munches, ”which ould yer say my 'ome was from 'ere?”

”Where's your ho

”'Tis fifteen et there quickest if yer 'ad to?”

”We'll take care o' you, b'y,” said Forsyth ”We'll put you t' Ruddy Cove in a skiff, when the ice goes out Seems t' me,” he added, ”you must be the boy Ezekiel Rideout took Isn't you Ezekiel Rideout's boy?”

”Bet yer life I a

CHAPTER IX

_In Which Ji Added Up and Called a Man, Are shi+pped For St John's, With Bill o'

Burnt Bay, Where They Fall In With Archie Ar, Sir Archibald's Son, and Bill o' Burnt Bay Declines to Insure the ”First Venture”_