ving 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 himself in the great
break-up soon floated free. There was now no escape from it.

Bagg retreated from the edge, for the seas began to break there.

"Wisht I was 'ome again," he sobbed.

This time he did not look towards England, but wistfully back to Ruddy
Cove.

* * * * *

The gale wasted away in the night. The next day was warm and sunny on
all that coast. An ice-pack hung offshore from Fortune Harbour. In the
afternoon it began 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 morrow," the men were all agreed.

So they went home and prepared to set out at dawn of the next day. In
the night, the wind swept the whole pack in, to the last lagging pan.
The ice was all jammed against the coast--a firm, vast expanse,
stretching 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 small, black figure.

The meeting came soon afterwards, for the folk of Fortune Harbour,
being both curious and quick to respond to need, made haste.

"I say, mister," said Bagg, briskly, addressing old John Forsyth, "yer
'aven't got no 'am, 'ave yer?"

The men of Fortune Harbour laughed.

"Or nothink else, 'ave yer?" Bagg continued, hopefully. "I'm a bit
'ungry."

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

"'Ave yer, now?" said Bagg. "Would yer mind giv----"

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

"How'd you come out here?" said Forsyth.

"Swep' out," said Bagg. "I say, mister," he added, between munches,
"which way would yer say my 'ome was from 'ere?"

"Where's your home?"

"Ruddy Cove," said Bagg.

"'Tis fifteen mile up the coast."

"'Ow would you get 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 Ezekie