In these lively pastimes Geoff willingly shared, lending a hand
and a stentorian throat to the exciting work, though his tastes did not
lie in that direction to the same extent as did those of his brother
and Ned Dempster. Still, to be dressed in fierce red sashes, to wear
elaborately corked moustaches, to be armed with clumsy, antique weapons
which represented cutlasses, and to board, with ringing shouts, the
beached-up fishing-boats in search of slaves, was a delightsome
diversion. And perhaps to Geoff its greatest charm was that there was
plenty of noise about it.

In course of time the joys of pirate-life palled. Next, there set in
an extended course of terrible shipwrecks to order; these catastrophes
being altogether independent of the weather. Into this game, which was
not so exclusively manly, the many dolls belonging to Queenie were
pressed. Time after time, these waxen ladies were bravely rescued and
ceremoniously restored, dripping from the waves, to their anxious
little owner, who, truth to tell, caught more colds than one in tending
the shipwrecked doll-people.

But, in after days, Alick and Ned struck out quite a new line. Late
and early they were found poring over atlases; drawing charts upon
everything and anything, promiscuously, in the Northbourne landscape.
Their daily conversation consisted of mysterious whispers about
marching Polewards; about dangerous floes, and about camping out on the
ice. At this juncture Geoff threw up his partnership in the games,
which had become over-serious for his light-hearted, fun-loving nature.
Not for him was there any attraction in the great mystery of the North
Pole.

The imagination of Ned Dempster, on the other hand, took fire over the
marvellous adventures, the awe-inspiring dangers and hardships of those
explorers who, hitherto, have failed to attain the great object. This,
in truth, was an aim to live for, to perish for, if need be; and as
time went on, the boys became closer intimates than ever, particularly
as nobody else took any interest in the one topic that had seized, with
iron grip, their youthful imaginations. Perhaps the fact of the
indifference of others bound the two closer together.

Alick grew worse and worse over the preparation of his lessons for the
tutor. The routine and discipline of the schoolroom became too irksome
to be borne. Consequently, punishments and detentions and complaints
were the order of the day at the Bunk, to t