ed the window once
more, and showed his teeth, as if in chagrin.

"Whew-ew! Chimo-o-o!" came Frank's voice, floating faintly from afar.
Chimo took aim at the bullet-hole. One vigorous bound--a horrible
crash, that nearly caused the returning cook to faint--and the dog was
free.

"Ah, here he comes!--good dog!" cried Frank, as the animal came bounding
over intervening obstacles towards the canoes. Chimo made straight for
the small canoe, in answer to his master's call; but, like many dogs and
not a few men, he owned a higher power than that of a master. The voice
of his little mistress sounded sweetly in his ear, like the sound of a
silver bell. "O Chimo, Chimo! my darling pet! come here--here." It was
a soft, tiny voice at the loudest, and was quite drowned amid the
talking and laughter of the men, but Chimo heard it. Turning at a sharp
angle from his course, he swept past the light canoe, and bounding into
that of Mr Stanley, lay down beside Eda and placed his head in her lap,
where it was immediately smothered in the caresses of its young
mistress.

Mr Stanley smiled and patted his little girl on the shoulder, as he
said, "That's right, Eda; the love of a faithful dog is worth having and
cherishing." Then turning towards the stern of the canoe, where Massan
stood erect, with his steering paddle ready for action, he said to that
worthy--

"Now, Massan, all ready; give the word."

"Ho, ho, boys; forward!"

The paddles dipped simultaneously in the water with a loud, gurgling
sound; the two large canoes shot out into the stream abreast of each
other, preceded by the light one, which, urged forward by the powerful
arms of Frank and the two Indians, led the way among the floating fields
of ice. The people on shore took off their caps and waved a last
farewell. Dick Prince, who possessed a deep, loud, sonorous voice,
began one of those beautiful and wild yet plaintive songs peculiar to
the _voyageurs_ of the wilderness. The men joined, with a full, rich
swell, in the chorus, as they darted forward with arrow-like speed--and
the voyage began.

CHAPTER SIX.

CHARACTER PARTIALLY DEVELOPED--DUCKS FOR SUPPER--A THREATENED "NIP"--
BUNDLED OUT ON THE ICE.

Fortunately the wind veered round to the south-east soon after the
departure of the canoes from Moose Fort, and although there was not
enough of it to ruffle the surface of the river, it had the effect of
checking the influx of ice from James's Bay. T