"Good! it is comforting to hear you say that," returned Earle. "You
see, I don't know much about the sea and sailor ways, and it occurred to
me that those rescuing ships might take it for granted that when they
had recovered the people from the boats, they would have done all that
was possible--and quit. Gee! but it's cold here on this ice. Lucky
that there's no wind, or we should be frozen stiff in half an hour.
We'll have another nip of brandy each; it'll do us both good. Lucky
thing, too, that I had the sense to fill the flask and slip it into my
pocket when I knew what had happened to the ship. I sort of foresaw
some such experience as this, and concluded that a drop of brandy might
be a good thing to have about one's person."

They had their nip and felt all the better for it; but it was necessary
for them to keep moving briskly in order to combat the numbing chill of
their wet clothes, and they resumed their pacing to and fro across their
narrow block of ice.

For a time their conversation was of a desultory and fragmentary
character, for they were both intently watching the progress of the
approaching steamer, which continued to send up rockets until the glow
of the flames from her funnels became clearly visible. Then the display
of rockets suddenly ceased, no doubt because--as Dick surmised--the
lights of the boats had been sighted by the eager look-outs aboard her.
Then her mast-head light came into view, followed, a little later, by
her port and starboard side lights; and at length the dark, scarcely
discernible blotch that represented her hull lengthened out suddenly,
revealing a long triple tier of brightly gleaming ports; and a few
seconds later the roar of steam escaping as her engines stopped, reached
the two watchers on the ice.

"Hurrah!" shouted Dick, "she is among the boats at last and doubtless
picking them up. Now we must keep our ears open listening for the sound
of oars, or hailing, for I'll bet that the skipper will have had his
boats swung out ready for lowering, and their crews standing by, long
ago."

But nearly half an hour elapsed before the welcome sound of oars working
in rowlocks faintly reached their ears, followed quickly by the shrill
note of an officer's whistle.

"At last!" breathed Dick, in tones of profound relief. "Now is our
chance, Mr Earle. We will shout together: `Boat ahoy!' Take the time
from me. Now--one, two, three, Boat ahoy-y-oy!"

The long drawn out "a