certainly not the
slightest good our remaining here doing nothing till then, for the
carpenter tells me, it is only just as much as the men can do to keep
down the water by constant pumping, so by the morning they'll be pretty
nigh exhausted and we be no better off. Besides, as you can observe for
yourself, it would be madness while that sea is on to try to launch the
boats, unless we are absolutely compelled to do so in order to save our
lives; whereas, if we run the old craft ashore, we will have the boats
for a last chance."

"I suppose you're right," said Captain Dinks, "though I can't say that I
like to leave the poor old thing's bones to bleach on this outlandish
coast. What say you, Mr McCarthy, eh?"

"I agree, sure, with Mr Meldrum, son. He spakes like a sailor; and as
he's a naval officer he ought to know best," answered the chief mate.
Mr Adams and Frank Harness, who were both also admitted to the "council
of war," having given a similar opinion, Mr Meldrum's advice was
immediately acted upon.

Without delay, a small jury-mast was rigged up aft, attached to the
stump of the mizzen-mast, and one on the main-deck, close to where the
main-mast bitts yet remained, as it was thought better not to step the
jury-masts too far forward, for fear of the vessel plunging her bows
under. After this, the mizzen-topsail and topgallant-sail, which had
been cut off from the yards and saved from the wreck, were hoisted on
roughly improvised yards; when, the _Nancy Bell_ being brought round
with the wind abeam, was cast loose from the wreckage and headed due
east towards the land--in the very direction whence had been heard the
sound of breakers, and which all on board had been so anxious to give a
wide berth to but so few short hours before. What had been her dire
peril was now looked on as a haven of safety!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

ALMOST A MUTINY.

Towards midnight, the slight surface fog, which had up to that time hung
over the sea, lifted, when it could be seen that the ice had almost all
disappeared--drifting towards the south, where some towering bergs,
amongst which probably was the one that had done all the mischief to the
ill-fated vessel, were conspicuous in the distance.

The wind, also, had diminished considerably in force, blowing now from a
point to the westward of north, although the waves were still rolling
heavily, as they always do for some time after a storm in the southern
ocean, setting in towa