Part 42 (1/2)

”I suppose,” said the captain as we got aboard, ”that it will be too late to get into Hudson Bay farther this season.”

”Yes,” replied Raed: ”we are all a little home-sick, I expect. Let's go home.”

The boat was taken up, and the schooner brought round. The sails swelled out in the stormy wind. ”The Curlew” stood away, down the straits.

”Adieu to Isle Aktok!” cried Kit, looking off toward the snowy island.

”Our reign ends here; but no one can say that we have not been kings in our day.”

We were five days going out to the Atlantic. During most of that time, the wind blew hard and cold. We were glad to keep snug as we could in the cabin. The ice collected along the water-line of the schooner to the depth of several inches.

With the exception of a heavy gale of seventeen hours' duration while off Halifax, our voyage home to Boston was, though tedious, quite uneventful,--the mere monotony of the ocean, which has been so often and so well described.

Arrived in Boston harbor on the forenoon of the 9th of September. Raed went up to the bank where we had deposited our bonds, and, effecting an exchange of $1,600 worth, came back to pay off our men; viz.:--

Capt. Mazard, three months and a half, $350 The six sailors, three months each, 720 Palmleaf, three months, 90 Schooner, 300 Damage done by shot, 100 ------ In all, $1,560 Then the expense of outfit, 1,100 ------ Giving a total, for the voyage, of $2,660

The remaining $40 from the $1,600 we gave to Bonney in consideration of the wound received in our service.

”Wish that splinter had hit me!” laughed Donovan.

”Go with us next summer, and we will give you a chance for _one_,”