d closed in we could have jumped on it, and carried the
canoe to the nearest open water."

"But what if a lump had dropped into the canoe and sunk it?" asked
Adolay.

"We should have had to scramble on the floes and wait there till--till
we died together."

He said this with some degree of solemnity, for it was an uncomfortable
reflection.

"I would prefer,"--she stopped suddenly, for in the haste of the moment
she was going to have said--"that we should live together rather than
die together,"--but maiden modesty, not unfamiliar even among savages,
restrained her, and Cheenbuk, who was not observant in the matter of
imperfect speech, took no notice of the abrupt pause.

The evening was far advanced, for it had taken them the whole day to
reach the islet, owing to the windings of the lanes of water and the
frequency with which they had to turn back in consequence of having run
into what may be termed blind alleys. It was resolved, therefore, that
they should rest there for the night.

As there was no fear, by that time, of their being pursued by Indians,
Cheenbuk resolved that they should have a good warm supper to recruit
their somewhat exhausted energies. Of course Adolay was only too glad
to fall in with this arrangement, and said that she would go along the
shore and collect small masses of drift-wood for the fire, while her
companion lifted up the canoe and made the encampment.

"You will not find much drift-wood, I think," said Cheenbuk, as she was
about to set off, "for the currents don't set upon this island much.
The long point of the bigger island over there turns the currents off
from this one, but perhaps you may find a little."

Adolay found this to be true, for she wandered several miles along
shore--indeed, went nearly round the islet, which was a low rocky one,
almost devoid of verdure--before she had collected a good bundle of dry
sticks.

Meanwhile the Eskimo set to work with characteristic enthusiasm to
arrange the camp. Choosing a spot where a low wall of rock sheltered
him from the north, he laid a few stones in a heap to mark the place for
the fire. Then he carried up the canoe, and laid it down bottom up, so
as to face the fire. Underneath it he made a snug nest of twigs and
leaves for Adolay to rest in. Then, on the opposite side of the fire,
he made another lair--a sort of open-air nest--for himself, after which
he collected a good many of the small dead twigs among the scrub, w