Seals were numerous on the ice edge, and on floating pans of ice, and the dogs began to strain and howl in eagerness to attack the game, and would have dashed to the very water’s edge but for big hoops of walrus hide thrown over the front of the komatik, which dragged into the snow under the runners and stopped them, and when they were stopped only the menace of the long whips could induce the animals to lie quietly down.

“We’re going to have a dandy hunt!” exclaimed Bobby.  “Shall we go right at it, and build an igloo later?”

“Don’t you think we had better build the igloo first?” suggested Skipper Ed, laughing at Bobby’s eagerness.  “Then when we’re tired we won’t have it to do, or to think about, and we’ll have a shelter all ready.  Let us make things ship-shape.”

“I suppose you’re right,” and Bobby grinned.

One of the two lamps and a share of the provisions had been left in the igloo on Itigailit Island, which was to be their land base and their cache.  But they had brought with them the other lamp and necessaries to make their hunting igloo comfortable.  A good bank of snow was found, not too far from the ice edge, and in an hour an igloo was ready and everything stowed safely away from possible foraging by the dogs.  Then the two teams, still fast in their traces, were picketed behind the ice hummocks near the igloo, for had they been set at liberty each dog would have gone hunting on his own account, and the seals would have been driven from the ice and beyond range of the guns.

Now, each armed with a rifle, and Bobby with a harpoon, they stole down toward the seals, crawling toward them, Bobby now and again emitting a “Hough!  Hough!” in imitation of the coughing bark of the seals, until they approached quite near.  Then, almost simultaneously, they fired, and, springing up, ran forward.  Two seals had been shot clear through the head, and lay dead on the ice, but the other, though wounded, had slipped into the water.  Bobby drew his harpoon, and holding it poised waited, until presently a dozen feet away the wounded seal came struggling to the surface.  In a flash the harpoon flew from the young hunter’s hand and struck its mark, and with the assistance of Skipper Ed and Jimmy he drew it to the ice.

These seals were of a species which they called “harps,” because of the peculiar, harp-shaped markings on their back; and of the hair variety, for none of the valuable fur seals inhabits north Atlantic waters.  The skins, however, when dressed into leather by Mrs. Abel, would prove of splendid quality for boot tops, or, when dressed without removing the hair, would supply them with many articles of clothing for their comfort.

The day was terribly cold—­Skipper Ed judged that the temperature must have stood at least at fifty degrees below zero, and that even the temperature of the sea water, where it was unfrozen, was well below the freezing point.  Once or twice, indeed, in spite of their enthusiasm, the hunters retired to the igloo, where a lamp was kept burning, to warm themselves.