"Don't be so hard upon poor Sing. I am sure that he would be just delighted with one of those paintings," said Mattie. "Call him in and let's see. If there is a particle of the aesthetic about him, I have failed thus far to see it," declared Will. So Mattie called Sing from the kitchen. He looked so neat in his white apron and cap that Will began to fear that he had slandered the poor fellow. He was shown the photograph, and Mattie said: "You sabe that picture, Sing?" "Yes, me sabe." "What is it?" Sing grinned a moment as he looked slyly around upon, the company, and answered: "Allee samee makee foolee lound flagpole." All roared with laughter. "That is about what we did, and no mistake," said the Doctor, wiping his eyes. "Well, Sing," said Mattie, looking her very pleasantest at the wily Mongolian, "I have called you in to prove that you heap likee pretty things. Now, you would likee a pretty oil painting, big picture, allee samee that?" pointing to the photograph. Sing's face was a picture of indifference, and he said, "Me no care." "What! not care for beautiful oil painting?" cried Mattie, desperately, seeing Will's eyes twinkling with fun and triumph. "Well, there is something in the world that you think pretty, isn't there Sing?" "O, yes!" promptly replied Sing, his face breaking out in smiles, "me tinkee Miss Mattie heap pletty. Me heap likee Miss Mattie." This open avowal of admiration was more than Mattie had bargained for, and she blushed furiously. The whole party clapped their hands and laughed, while Will fell upon the floor and rolled about in an ecstacy of fun and laughter. "Didn't I tell you, Mattie, that he was an incorrigible case?" cried Will, as he assumed a sitting posture on the floor. "And do you mean to say that Sing has no taste at all, simply because he admires me?" said Mattie very severely. "O, no! Mattie. I really admire Sing's taste, and acknowledge that I have shamefully abused the poor fellow," said Will, rising to his feet. "But the way he turned the tables on you and made you blush is the best fun I have seen on the trip." And so they indulged in light hearted conversation, music, reading, painting, chess, etc., as they sped over the frozen seas, homeward bound. Toward evening a strong north wind set in and the Professor declared that they were heading straight for the mouth of the Mackenzie River. "In two or three days we shall be in the United States if this gale continues," said the Professor. "We are traveling at tremendous speed--nearly sixty miles an hour." "I only hope that it continues, for I do not doubt that the friends have long since given us up as dead," replied Dr. Jones. "We have been gone now nearly four months, and have had no opportunity to communicate with them since we left. What a glorious time it will be when we get back and tell them how easily and comfortably we accomplished our object."