e boat?"

"Ask the mate. I'm doubtin' there'll be room. The boat comes back with
full cargo at this harbour."

Charley turned his inquiry to the mate, who was directing the men.

"No, lad. I'm sorry," he answered, "but there'll be no room for
passengers."

It was always that way! Charley left them to return to his old place at
the rail. The ship had slowed to half speed, and was already picking her
way cautiously into the tickle, where the cliffs, nearly as high as the
masthead, were so close on either side that Charley believed he might
have touched them with a ten-foot pole.

At the end of two hundred yards the narrow tickle opened up into a
beautiful, sheltered harbour. Perched upon the rocks at the north side
of the harbour were some rude cabins. Opposite these the ship swung
about, the boat was lowered, and manned by four sailors, pulled to the
rocks that formed a natural pier for the fishing station.

There was some bitterness in Charley's heart as he watched the
retreating boat, and so occupied was he that he failed to observe, until
it was quite near, another boat pulling toward the ship. It was a small,
dilapidated old boat, with a boy of fourteen or thereabouts at the oars.

Charley leaned over the rail, and with much interest watched the boy
make the painter fast to the ladder, and then, like a squirrel, mount
the ladder to the deck.

The visitor was dressed much like the other natives that Charley had
seen. An Eskimo adikey, made of white moleskin cloth, with the hood
thrown back, served as a coat. His trousers were also of white moleskin,
and were tucked into knee-high sealskin boots with moccasined feet. From
under a muskrat fur cap appeared a round, smiling face, tanned a dark
brown, and a pair of bright, pleasant eyes.

"Hello!" said Charley. "Looking for some one?"

"No," answered the boy, "I'm just pullin' over to look at the ship."

Charley was seized by a sudden impulse, and acted on it instantly.

"Will you take me ashore? The ship will be here for half an hour, and
maybe longer. I'll give you a dollar if you'll take me ashore and bring
me back."

"And you wants to go I'll pull you ashore," agreed the boy cheerfully.
"I'll be goin' down and holdin' the boat up so you can get into she
easy."

Without parley he slipped over the side and down the ladder into the
boat, which he drew broadside to the ladder and there held it until
Charley, who followed, was seated astern.

"Where you w