Now, however, they were faced with the great problem of how to get back home. They were in a perfect fever of impatience. The thought of the misery their families must be enduring was a dagger in their hearts. In the hard work and excitement of their ship-journey and their later adventures they had been able to keep this at bay to some extent. But now they had nothing to do but wait, and the torment was insistent.
So it was with immense relief and rejoicing that a few days later they learned from Kapje that a trading vessel had arrived at a little settlement a few miles further down the coast where it expected to stay a week or so while the captain dickered with the natives. They besieged Kapje with earnest pleas to guide them there.
“All right,” agreed Kapje. “I take to-morrow.”
CHAPTER XXX
HOMEWARD BOUND
The delight of the boys knew no bounds. They were up bright and early the following morning, and after warm thanks and farewells to their Eskimo hostess and her son, set off on their journey.
Before they started, Bobby, on behalf of himself and his mates, tried to force some money on Kapje, but the good fellow would have none of it.
“You save my life,” he said simply. “Eskimo not forget. Don’t want money.”
And despite all their urgings, he stuck to his resolution. But the boys were not to be altogether balked, and Bobby took an opportunity when no one was looking to shove a handful of gold pieces in one of the simple utensils of the household where he knew they would not be overlooked for long.
In a little while they arrived at the seacoast settlement, where the first thing that met their sight was a medium-sized schooner riding at anchor a little way off shore. She was a dingy and battered affair, with patched sails and bearing traces of hard usage, but to the hungry eyes of the boys she was more beautiful than the most palatial yacht that ever sailed the seas. For she meant deliverance and civilization and home.