David led the way out upon the marsh, and they had gone but a short distance when Doctor Joe was quite sure that he, also, smelled smoke.  David hurried on with Doctor Joe at his heels.

“There’s somebody movin’!” exclaimed David presently.  “See un?  See un?  ’Tis sure Jamie!”

Then he ran and Doctor Joe ran, and thus they came upon the frightened Jamie, standing uncertainly before his lean-to.

CHAPTER XX

“WOLVES!” YELLED ANDY

“Jamie!  Jamie!  We’ve been lookin’ and lookin’ for you!” shouted David, quite overcome with excitement and relief.

“I’m so glad ’tis you!” exclaimed Jamie, tears springing to his eyes as he recognized Doctor Joe and David.  “I was scared!”

“Safe and sound as ever you could be, and all of us thinking you were lost under a snow-drift!” Doctor Joe in vast good humour slapped Jamie on the shoulder.  “You gritty little rascal!  I’ll never worry about you again!  Here you are as able to take care of yourself as any man on The Labrador!  Come on now back to camp and we’ll hear all about your adventures when you’ve eaten.  Are you hungry?”

“Wonderful hungry!” admitted Jamie.

“Aye, we’ll be makin’ haste, for Andy and the lads are sore worried,” said David.

In single file, Doctor Joe and David tramping the trail for Jamie, they set out for camp.  An hour later they crossed the brook, and with the first glimpse of the tents heard a shout of joy, as Andy and the other lads discovered them and came running to meet them.

While Jamie satisfied an accumulated appetite he answered no end of questions.  Every one was vastly excited as he related the story of his experience.

“’Tweren’t Lem Horn’s silver they has after all,” Jamie declared.  “There were nothin’ in the cache but the bottles they drinks from, and they were thinkin’ a wonderful lot o’ them bottles.”

David, in high indignation, was for setting out at once in search of the two lumbermen, but it was decided that they had doubtless already returned to the lumber camp.

“They’d probably say that they were only having sport with you, Jamie, and meant you no harm,” said Doctor Joe.  “The people over at their camp would believe them rather than a little Labrador lad.  We may as well waste no time with them.  We’ll leave them alone, and be thankful that Jamie is safe and well except for the burned wrists, and they’ll soon be cured.”

“And we’ll be havin’ a fine time campin’ here,” agreed Jamie.  “I wants to keep clear o’ them men whatever.”

It was a week later when they broke camp to return to The Jug, and when the visiting lads said good-bye and set sail to their homes across the Bay every one declared he had never had so good a time in all his life.

With the coming of November the boats were hauled out of the water.  The shores were already crusted with ice and the temperature never rose to the thawing point even in the midday sun.  The mighty Frost King had ascended his throne and was asserting his relentless power.  Presently all the world would be kneeling at his feet.