tarnation cold down here, I guess
we're better off than the people up there on deck. For now we'll have a
chance to get clear of the ship before she sinks, if we hustle a bit.
See that star over there? I guess we'd better make a bee line for it
and swim for all we're worth; then, if we're lucky we may escape being
dragged down in the vortex; and perhaps we may find a boat to hang on to
until something comes along and picks us up."

Dick agreeing, the pair struck out strongly in the direction of the
star. But, as they swam, their ears were assailed by a veritable
pandemonium of sound aboard the sinking steamer--shouts, yells, screams,
and a regular fusillade of pistol shots, bearing eloquent evidence of
the terrible scenes that were enacting aboard her.

As the two swimmers proceeded the mingled sounds aboard the _Everest_
seemed to swell rather than diminish, to such an extent indeed that
presently the American turned to Dick and gasped, through chattering
teeth--

"S-s-say! s-s-seems to m-me that there's a r-reg-ular pitched b-a-attle
going on aboard there--ugh! G-g-guess w-we're b-b-better off here
th-th-than there--eh?"

"R-r-rather!" stammered Dick back, but he was suffering so intensely
from the icy nip of the water that he felt no disposition to talk, and
simply pushed ahead for all he was worth, hoping that by dint of violent
exertion he might be able to conquer the numbing sensation that was
gradually clogging his movements.

For another ten minutes the pair pressed forward side by side. Then
suddenly Dick's companion ceased his exertions, and, with a groan,
turned over on his back. He managed to stammer a question whether there
were any boats at hand; and upon Dick replying in the negative the
American gasped:

"Then I'm d-d-done. C-cramp all over. C-can't s-swim 'nother s-stroke.
G-good-bye!"

"Good-bye be hanged!" shouted Dick, stirred to new life by his
companion's extremity. "Just y-you lie as y-you are--I'll l-l-look
after you."

And flinging himself on his back, Cavendish gripped the other man firmly
by the collar, and, kicking out vigorously, towed him along. Some five
minutes later the youngster became conscious of a sudden and very
decided fall in the temperature of the water, and looking about in
search of the cause, found himself within a few yards of a large cake of
field ice. There, at all events, was a refuge of a sort--something that
would serve the purpose of a raft, and wi