In the interim the mail boat had made another voyage to the north, and brought back with her Captain Hanks and his crew, who had worked their way to Indian Harbour in their open boat to await the steamer there.  Of course Skipper Sam had heard that Bob was coming with the Maid of the North, and when the schooner finally reached her anchorage he was on the lookout for her, and at once came aboard with much blustering, to demand her immediate delivery.  He believed he had some unsophisticated livyeres to deal with, whom he could easily browbeat out of their rights.  What was his surprise, then, when Douglas stepped forward, and said very authoritatively: 

“Bide a bit, now, skipper.  When ’tis decided how much salvage you pays th’ lad, an’ after you pays un, you’ll be havin’ th’ schooner an’ her cargo, an’ not till then.”

Bob’s first thought upon going ashore was of Emily, and he went immediately to the hospital to see her.  The operation had been performed nearly two weeks previously and she was recovering rapidly.  When he was admitted to the ward, and she glimpsed him as he entered the door, her delight was almost beyond bounds.

“Oh!  Oh!” she exclaimed, when he kissed her.  “Tis fine t’ see un, Bob—­’tis so fine.  An’ now I’ll be gettin’ well wonderful quick.”

And she did.  She was discharged from the hospital quite cured a month later.  At first she was a little weak, but youth and a naturally strong constitution were in her favour, and she regained her strength with remarkable rapidity.

Finally a settlement was arranged with Captain Hanks.  The furs on board the Maid of the North were appraised at market value, and when Bob received his salvage he found himself possessed of fifteen thousand dollars.

He reimbursed Douglas the amount advanced for Emily’s hospital expenses, but the kind old trapper would not accept another cent, though the lad wished to pay him for his services in piloting the vessel to St. Johns.

“Put un in th’ bank.  You’ll be needin’ un some day t’ start un in life.  Hold on t’ un,” was the good advice that Douglas gave, and accordingly the money was deposited in the bank.

Bob’s share of the furs that he had trapped himself he very generously insisted upon giving to Dick and Ed and Bill.  They were diffident about accepting them at first, saying: 

“We were doin’ nothin’ for un.”

But Bob pressed the furs upon them, and finally they accepted them.  The silver fox which he wept over that cold December evening sold for four hundred and fifty dollars, and the one Dick found frozen in the trap by the deer’s antlers for three hundred dollars.

Neither did Bob forget Netseksoak and Aluktook.  Money would have been quite useless to the Eskimos as he well knew, so he sent them rifles and many things which they could use and would value.

Laden with gifts for the home folks, and satiated with looking at the shops and great buildings and wonders of St. Johns, they were a very happy party when at last the mail boat steamed northward with them.