the snow-hut.
Frank was able to sit up and to assist himself to the articles of food
and drink which his little nurse placed within his reach, so that she
had no fear of his being in want of anything during the day--or two at
most--that she expected to be absent; for in her childlike simplicity
she concluded that if Maximus could travel thither in a few hours, she
could not take much longer, especially with such a good servant as Chimo
to lead the way. Besides this, she had observed the way in which the
Esquimau had set out, and Frank had often pointed out to her the
direction in which the camp lay. She knew also that there was no danger
from wild animals, but determined, nevertheless, to build up the door of
the igloo very firmly, lest they should venture to draw near. She also
put Frank's loaded gun in the spot where he was wont to place it, so as
to be ready to his hand.

Having made all her arrangements, Edith glided noiselessly from the hut,
harnessed her dog, closed the door of the snow-hut, and jumping into the
furs of her sledge, was soon far away from the mountain lake. At first
the dog followed what she thought must be the track that Maximus had
taken, and her spirits rose when, after an hour's drive, she emerged
upon a boundless plain, which she imagined must be the shores of the
frozen sea where the Esquimaux lived. Encouraging Chimo with her voice,
she flew over the level surface of the hard frozen snow, and looked
round eagerly in all directions for the expected signs of natives.

But no such signs appeared, and she began to fear that the distance was
greater than she had anticipated. Towards the afternoon it began to
snow heavily. There was no wind, and the snow fell in large flakes,
alighting softly and without any sound. This prevented her seeing any
great distance, and, what was worse, rendered the ground heavy for
travelling.

At length she came to a ridge of rocks, and supposing that she might see
to a greater distance from its summit, she got out of the sledge and
clambered up, for the ground was too rough for the sledge to pass. Here
the view was dreary enough--nothing but plains and hummocks of ice and
snow met her view, except in one direction, where she saw, or fancied
that she saw, a clump of willows and what appeared to be a hut in the
midst of them. Running down the rugged declivity, she crossed the plain
and reached the spot; but although the willows were there, she found no
hut