nded to gladden the heart of Stanley; and
truly he needed such encouragement. At one of the Company's inland
trading-posts such a bundle of furs would have been received as a matter
of common occurrence; but it was otherwise with the poverty-stricken
Ungava, from which so much had been expected before its dreary, barren
character was known.

On that day, too, a picturesque iceberg had grounded near the fort at
high water, and Frank took Edith in the small canoe to paddle her among
its peaked and fantastic fragments.

"You will be steersman and sit in the stern, Eda," said Frank, as they
embarked. "I will stand in the bow and keep you clear of ice-tongues."

"How beautiful!" exclaimed the delighted child, as their light craft
glided in and out among the icy pinnacles which overhung them in some
places as they passed. "Don't you hear a strange noise, Frank?"

Truly Frank did hear a strange noise, and beheld a strange sight, for at
that moment the Esquimau flotilla passed the narrows and swept round the
bay; while the natives, excited by their unusual numbers and the
unexpected return of Maximus, yelled and screamed and threw about their
arms in a manner that defies description.

"There must be strangers among them," said Frank, as he paddled towards
the shore; "they are too numerous for our friends of False River."

"That seems to be an Indian canoe coming on ahead," remarked Stanley,
who, along with his wife and most of the men, had hurried to the beach
on hearing the shouts of the approaching multitude.

"Can it be possible?" exclaimed Frank, as the canoe drew near; "does it
not look like Maximus--eh?"

"Oh! o-o-o-oh! there's Chimo!" screamed Edith, her eyes dancing with
mingled amazement and delight.

The dog in his anxiety to reach the shore had leaped into the water; but
he had miscalculated his powers of swimming, for the canoe instantly
darted ahead. However, he was close on the heels of Maximus.

"Give him a chare, bays," cried Bryan, as he ran down to the beach
waving a large hammer round his head. "Now thin, hooray!"

The appeal was responded to with heartfelt energy by the whole party, as
their old comrade sprang from the canoe, and leaving his wife to look
after herself, ran toward Stanley and Frank and grasped them warmly by
the hands, while his huge face beamed with emotion.

"I hope that's your wife you've brought with you, Maximus," said
Stanley.

"I can answer for that," said Frank; "I