The position of the boat, half buried under the shelving ice, was such that it was almost hidden from view.
“No wonder we missed it,” said Frank.
“Faix, I’d a misht it meself,” replied Barney, “only I had a telescope in me fisht, so I did.”
The Ranger was brought to a pause above the boat a few yards, they saw that it was empty.
It contained no oars.
At the bow was a painter with a frayed end.
Frank eyed the ice with a glass, and saw a mantle of snow on it.
Presently he gave utterance to an exclamation.
“By jingo! A trail!”
“What?” eagerly asked Dr. Vaneyke.