nt
outside to make a survey, and when he returned he reported:

"'Twill be a nasty day abroad."

"Let's bide here till the rain stops," suggested Jamie.

"The wind's fair, and if she keeps up and don't turn too strong we'll
make Fort Pelican by evenin' whatever, if we goes," David objected.

"'Twon't be so bad, once we're out and gets used to un," said Andy.

"No, 'twon't be so bad," urged David. "The wind may shift and fall
calm, when the rain's over, and if we bides here we'll lose time in
gettin' to Fort Pelican. I'm for goin' and makin' the best of un."

"I won't mind un," agreed Jamie, stoutly.

"I got grit to travel in the rain, and we wants to make a fast cruise
of un."

It was "nasty" indeed when after breakfast they broke camp and set
sail. In a little while they were wet to the skin, and it was
miserably cold; but they were used enough to the beat of wind and rain
in their faces, and all declared that it was not "so bad" after all.
To these hardy lads of The Labrador rain and cold was no great
hardship. It was all in a day's work, and scudding along before a good
breeze, and looking forward to a good dinner in the kitchen at Fort
Pelican, and to a snug bed at night, they quite forgot the cold and
rain.

During the morning the wind shifted to the westward, and before noon
it drew around to the north-west. With the shift of wind the rain
ceased, and the clouds broke. Then Andy lighted a fire in the stove,
boiled the kettle and fried a pan of salt pork. Hot tea, with bread
dipped in the warm pork grease, warmed them and put them in high
spirits.

"'Tis fine we didn't bide in camp," remarked David as he swallowed a
third cup of tea. "With this fine breeze we'll make Fort Pelican
to-night, whatever."

"I'm fine and warm now," declared Jamie, "but 'twas a bit hard to face
the rain when we starts this marnin'."

"'Tis always the thinkin' about un that makes things hard to do,"
observed David.

"Things we has to do seems wonderful hard before we gets at un, but
mostly they're easy enough after we tackles un. The thinkin'
beforehand's the hardest part of any hard job."

The sun broke out between black clouds scudding across the sky. The
wind was gradually increasing in force. By mid-afternoon half a gale
was blowing, a heavy sea; was running, and the old boat, heeling to
the gale, was in a smother of white water.

"We're makin' fine time!" shouted David, shaking the spray from his
hair.

"We'll s