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CHAPTER X A RETROSPECT. jST was about ten o'clock the same night when Mrs Bamett and Lieutenant Hobson knocked at the postern gate of the fort. Great was the joy on seeing them, for they had been given up for lost ; but this joy was turned to mourning at the news of the death of Norman. The brave fellow had been beloved by all, and his loss was sincerely mourned. The intrepid and devoted Esquimaux received phlegmatically the earnest expressions of gratitude of those they had saved, and could not be persuaded to come to the fort. What they had done seemed to them only natural, and these were not the first persons they had rescued ; so they quietly returned to their wild life of adventure on the lake, where they hunted the otters and water-birds day and night. For the next three nights the party rested. Hobson always intended to set out on June 2d ; and on that day, all having recovered from their fatigues and the storm havirg abated, the order was given to start. Sergeant Felton had done all in his power to make his guests comfortable and to aid their enterprise ; some of the jaded dogs were replaced by fresh animals, and now the Lieutenant found all his sledges drawn up in good order at the door of the enceinte, and awaiting the travellers. The adieux were soon over. Each one thanked Sergeant Felton for his hospitality, and Mrs Paulina Bariiett was most profuse in her expressions of gratitude. A hearty shake of the hand between the Sergeant and his brother-in-law, Long, completed the leave- taking. Each pair got into the sledge assigned to them ; but this time Mrs Bamett and the Lieutenant shared one vehicle, Madge and Sergeant Long following them. According to the advice of the Indian chief, Hobson determined to get to the coast by the shortest route, and to take a north-easterly I