evening.

At this point, which is at the eastern end of the Belle Isle Strait, is
a resident population of some two hundred souls, a hospital, a church,
a schoolhouse, and a prosperous mercantile establishment. Here our
lads found a large steamer loading with dried fish for Gibraltar, and
here Cabot became greatly interested in the rose-tinted quartz that
forms so striking a feature of Labrador scenery.

At Battle Harbour they were still advised to push farther on, and so,
bidding farewell to this outpost of civilisation, the "Sea Bee" again
spread her dusky wings and set forth for the mission stations of the
far North, where it was hoped a profitable market might be found.

CHAPTER XVII.

IMPRISONED BY AN ICEBERG.

The brief northern summer was nearly ended. Its days were growing
short and chill, its nights long and cold. The month of October was
well advanced, and flurries of snow heralded the approach of winter.
Most of the Labrador fishing fleet had already sailed away, and the few
boats still left were preparing for a speedy departure. The last
steamer of the season had come and gone, and the few permanent
residents of the country were moving back from the coast into winter
quarters. Great flocks of geese streamed southward, and with harsh
cries gave warning of the icy terrors that had driven them from their
Arctic nesting places. Night after night the wonderful beauties of the
aurora borealis were flashed across the northern heavens with ever
increasing brilliancy. Every one predicted a hard winter, and
everything pointed to its early coming.

Nearly two months had elapsed since the little schooner "Sea Bee,"
manned by a couple of plucky lads, sailed out of Battle Harbour on a
trading venture to the northern missions, and from that day no tidings
had been received concerning her. The few who remembered her,
occasionally speculated as to what success she had met and why she had
not put in ah appearance on her return voyage, but generally dismissed
the subject by saying that she must have been in too great a hurry to
get south, as any one having a chance to leave that forsaken country
naturally would be. But the "Sea Bee" had not gone to the southward,
nor was there any likelihood of her doing so for many long months to
come.

On one of the mildest of these October days, when the sunshine still
held a trace of its summer warmth, a solitary figure stood on the crest
of a bald headland, some h