150 THE WORLD OF ICE.

But Meetuck answered not. He fastened the can-
vas “sail” to a cross-yard above and below. Then
placing a harpoon and coil of rope on the sledge,
and taking up his musket, he made signs to the
party to keep under the cover of a hummock, and,
pushing the sledge before him, advanced towards the
seals in a stooping posture, so as to be completely
hid behind the bit of canvas.

“O the haythen! I see it now!” exclaimed O'Riley,
his face puckering up with fun. “Ah, but it’s a
cliver trick, no doubt of it”

“What a capital dodge!” said Fred, crouching be-
hind the hummock, and w atching the movements of
the Esquimau with deep interest.

“West, hand me the little telescope; you'll find it
in the pack.”

“Here it is, sir,” said the man, pulling out a
glass of about six inches long, and handing it to
Fred.

“How many is there, an ye plaze?”

“Six, I think ; yes—one, two, three—I can’t make
them out quite, but I think there are six, besides the
one on the ice. Hist! there he sces him. Ah, Mce-
tuck, he’s too quick for you.”

As he spoke the scal on the ico began to show
symptoms of alarm. Meetueck had approached to
within shot, but he did not fire; the wary Esquimau
had caught sight of another aiiest which a lump of
ice had hitherto concealed from view. This was no
less a ereature than a walrus, who chanced at that