White Baldwin and Yim had been there many weeks earlier, and had reported his disappearance under circumstances that left no hope of his ever again being seen alive.

Then the latter had set forth on his return journey, while White had joined a mail carrier and started for Battle Harbour.
Now occurred what promised to be a serious interruption to Cabot's southward advance, for no one was proposing to travel in that direction, and, in spite of their hospitality, his new acquaintances were not inclined to undertake the arduous task of guiding him to Battle Harbour, 250 miles away, without being well paid for their labour, and our young engineer had no money.

Nor, after his recent experience, did he care to again encounter the perils of the wilderness alone.
But fortune once more favoured him; for while he was chafing against this enforced detention, Dr.Graham Aspland, house surgeon of the Battle Harbour Hospital, who makes a heroic sledge journey to the far north every winter, arrived on his annual errand of mercy.

He would set out on his return trip a few days later, and would be more than pleased to have Cabot for a companion.
Thus it happened that one bright day in early March the music of sledge bells and the cracking of a dog driver's whip attracted the inmates of the Battle Harbour Hospital to doors and windows to witness an arrival.
Two fur-clad figures followed a great travelling sledge, and one of them dragged a small sled of his own.

As he came to a halt, and began wearily to loosen his hauling gear, he cast a glance at one of the upper windows, and uttered an exclamation of amazement.