THE FOUR YOUNG MEN 27 



places and posts where boats had been moored. The 

 young men were full of delight at this pleasant scene, 

 for pleasant it was in the pure, clear air and the 

 morning sunshine, and, maybe, it was the hope that 

 beat in their breasts, and, maybe, it was the thought 

 of the stout little schooner Hope which had brought 

 them safely to the land of their choice. Whatever 

 the reason, " ' Hopedale,' " they said, "shall be 

 the name of this place." 



But there was no time for sentiment . The summer, 

 they knew, would be short ; the ship must be un- 

 loaded and the goods and chattels unpacked, for the 

 four young men had reached their journey's end, 

 and this pleasant place in which the schooner had 

 cast anchor was to be the scene of their life's work. 

 They had reached their destination, the first mis- 

 sionaries to the Eskimos of Labrador, ' ' Many hands 

 make light work." The season was late, and all 

 hands turned to the task. Boxes, barrels, planks, and 

 bricks, all were hauled ashore in the schooner's boat. 

 Sailors and missionaries alike took a hand in the 

 work of unloading. 



Day by day, as the Hope lay at anchor, bands of 

 Eskimos came in their skin canoes, offering skins 

 and furs and oil in barter ; and ' ' Alas ! ' ' said those 

 four young men, ' ' if only we could speak the Eskimo 

 tongue, so as to tell these poor wild Eskimos of a 

 Saviour's love. But we will learn ; we will learn ! " 



You may like to know what sort of things those 

 four young men had brought with them. 



Well, first, a little flour and ship's biscuit and 

 salted pork for food ; but also muskets and powder 



