r eyes are better than mine,
see if you can make it out."

Fred took it with a trembling hand, for a strange feeling of dread had
seized possession of his heart, and he could scarcely bring himself to
look upon it. He summoned up courage, however; but at the first glance
his hand fell down by his side, and a dimness came over his eyes, for
the word "_POLE STAR_" was engraven on the handle. He would have fallen
to the ground had not Bolton caught him.

"Don't give way, lad, the ship may be all right. Perhaps this is one o'
the crew that died."

Fred did not answer, but recovering himself with a strong effort, he
said, "Pull down the stones, men."

The men obeyed in silence, and the poor boy sat down on a rock to await
the result in trembling anxiety. A few minutes sufficed to disentomb the
skeleton, for the men sympathized with their young comrade, and worked
with all their energies.

"Cheer up, Fred," said Bolton, coming and laying his hand on the youth's
shoulder; "it's _not_ your father. There is a bit of _black_ hair
sticking to the scalp."

With a fervent expression of thankfulness Fred rose and examined the
skeleton, which had been placed in a sort of sack of skin, but was
destitute of clothing. It was quite dry, and must have been there a long
time. Nothing else was found, but from the appearance of the skull and
the presence of the plate and spoon, there could be no doubt that it was
that of one of the _Pole Star's_ crew.

It was now resolved that they should proceed along the coast and examine
every creek and bay for traces of the lost vessel.

"O Bolton! my heart misgives me," said Fred, as they drove along; "I
fear that they have all perished."

"Niver a bit, sir," said O'Riley, in a sympathizing tone; "yon chap must
have died and been buried here be the crew as they wint past."

"You forget that sailors don't bury men under mounds of stone, with
pewter plates and spoons beside them."

O'Riley was silenced, for the remark was unanswerable.

"He may ha' bin left or lost on the shore, and been found by the
Esquimaux," suggested Peter Grim.

"Is that not another tomb?" inquired one of the men, pointing towards
an object which stood on the end of a point or cape towards which they
were approaching.

Ere any one could reply, their ears were saluted by the well-known bark
of a pack of Esquimau dogs. In another moment they dashed into the midst
of a snow village, and were immediately surrounded by t