198 THE FUR COUNTRY,

was of course desirable under the circumstances that the command- ing officer should not be long absent from the fort. All haste was therefore made, and by taking a short cut tlhey arrived at noon at the little promontory which formerly protected Port Barnett froni the east winds. It was not more than eight miles from this point to Fort Hope, and before four o'clock p.m. the shouts of Corporal Joliffe welcomed their return to the factory.