to give the signal, and every
able-bodied man in the village, and not a few of the women and children,
would descend like vultures on the spoil. Jumping into his sledge, he
stretched out his exhausted frame at full length beside Edith, and
committed the whip to Peetoot.

"I'm so glad," cried Edith, with a beaming face, "that we have killed
this beast. The poor people will have plenty to eat now."

"Ha! ha! _ha_!" roared Peetoot, giving increased emphasis to each
successive shout, and prolonging the last into a yell of delight, as he
cracked the ponderous whip from side to side like a volley of pistolry.

"O Peetoot!" exclaimed Edith, in a remonstrative tone, as the sledge
swayed to and fro with the rate at which they were sweeping over the
plain, "don't drive so fast; you will kill the poor dogs!"

"Ho! ho! _ho-o-o_! Eeduck!" roared the boy, aiming a shot at the
leader's left ear, and bringing the thick end of the whip down on the
flanks of the six hindmost dogs.

Thus, amid a volley of roars, remonstrances, yells, yelps, and pistolry,
Edith and her friends scoured over the frozen sea, and swept into the
Esquimau camp like a whirlwind.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

ANOTHER DESPERATE BATTLE, AND A DECIDED VICTORY--THE ESQUIMAUX SUFFER A
SEVERE LOSS.

The night that followed the day of which we have given an account in the
last chapter was a night of rest to Edith, but not to the Esquimaux.

Scarcely allowing themselves time to harness their dogs, after the news
reached them, they set off for the scene of action in a body. Every
sledge was engaged, every able-bodied male and female started. None
were left in camp except the sick, of whom there were few; and the aged,
of whom there were fewer. While engaged in the hurried preparations for
departure the women sang with delight, for they had been living on very
short allowance for some weeks past, and starvation had been threatening
them; so that the present success diffused among these poor creatures a
universal feeling of joy. But their preparations were not numerous. A
short scene of excited bustle followed Annatock's arrival, a few yells
from the dogs at starting, and the deserted camp was so silent and
desolate that it seemed as if human beings had not been there for
centuries.

It did not continue long, however, in this state. Two or three hours
later, and the first of the return parties arrived, groaning under the
burdens they carried and dragged beh