et, opened the door of the hut, and went
outside. To his intense relief, the fog had drawn off, and the stars
were shining brightly. Not a sound was to be heard, save the sighing
of the wind in the trees behind the hut, and the clinking of the ice on
the northern side of the bay. To the southward it was all clear water,
and it was there that Mason had arranged to send the boat.

"To be or not to be?" murmured Browne, as he struck the match and
applied it to the rocket. There was an instant's pause, and then a
tongue of fire flashed into the darkness, soaring up and up, until it
broke in a myriad of coloured lights overhead. It seemed to Browne,
while he waited and watched, as if the beating of his heart might be
heard at least a mile away. Then suddenly, from far out at sea, came a
flash of light, which told him that his signal had been observed.

"They see us," he cried in a tone of delight. "They are getting the
boat under way by this time, I expect, and in less than an hour we
shall be on board. We had better get ready as soon as possible." With
that they turned into the hut once more, and MacAndrew shook the
sleeping man upon the bed.

"Wake up, little father," he cried in Russian. "It's time for you to
say good-bye to Saghalien."

The instantaneous obedience, which had so long been a habit with him,
brought the man to his feet immediately. Browne, however, could see
that he scarcely realized what was required of him.

"Come," said Browne, "it is time for us to be off. Your daughter is
anxiously awaiting you."

"Ah, to be sure--to be sure," replied the other in French. "My dear
daughter. Forgive me if I do not seem to realize that I shall see her
so soon. Is it possible she will know me after all these long years?
When last I saw her she was but a little child."

"Her heart, however, is the same," answered Browne. "I can assure you
that she has treasured your memory as few daughters would have done.
Indeed, it is to her, more than any one else, that you owe your escape.
But for her endeavours you would be in Dui now. But let us be off; we
are wasting our time talking here when we should be making ourselves
scarce."

"But what about these things?" asked MacAndrew, pointing to the books
on the table, the crockery on the shelf, and the hundred and one other
things in the hut. "What do you intend doing with them?"

"I scarcely know," replied Browne. "The better plan would be for us to
take