g to draw aside the curtain further than to say that the
joy and gratitude in more than one heart at Ungava found vent that night
in thanksgiving to Him who can bring light out of darkness and turn
sorrow into joy.

The greater part of the day was spent at the fort in that feverish
excitement which cannot calm down to steady conversation, but vents
itself in eager, rambling questions and abrupt replies. Meanwhile, the
necessity of discharging the cargo of the vessel, and preparing the furs
for shipment, served to distract the attention and occupy the hands of
the whole party.

As evening advanced, La Roche, true to his duty, placed supper on the
table, and Stanley and his wife, along with Edith and Frank, while they
partook of the meal, continued their inquiries.

"Whereabouts was it, Frank, that you fell in with the boat?" said
Stanley.

"Not more than five miles from the mouth of the river, at about six this
morning. We observed the boat beset by a pretty solid pack of ice, and
you may be sure we were not a little surprised when we saw the Union
Jack run up to her peak; so I ordered our boat to be lowered, intending
to go to her assistance. While the men were doing this, I examined her
with the glass, and then it was that I found, to my amazement and
inexpressible joy, that the boat contained Prince, Gaspard, and Edith."

"Ah! Frank," said Mrs Stanley, "was it not a strange providence that
you, who were so sad at being compelled to give up the search, should be
the one appointed to find our beloved child, and bring her back to us?"

"Nay," replied Frank, "it was not I who found her. Let me not rob Dick
Prince and Gaspard of the honour and gratitude which they have nobly
won."

"And what do you think of the non-arrival of Maximus?" said Stanley,
whose feelings were still too much perturbed to allow him to dwell for
more than a few minutes at a time on any subject. Frank shook his head.

"I know not what to think," said he. "As I have told you already, we
left him at Moose Fort with his recovered bride, and we got the
missionary to marry them there in due form. Next day they started in a
small canoe on their return voyage to Ungava, and the day following I
left for Lake Superior. I fully expected to find them here on my
return."

Stanley looked grave. "I fear much," said he, "that some mischance has
befallen the good-hearted Esquimau. He was well armed, you say, and
amply supplied with provisions?"