k all
day, making openings in the ice; and now the groaning and whistling
among the blocks and ropes, that were increasing every minute, gave
little promise of rest for the night.

The captain stood upon the poop in his thick overcoat and drenched fur
cap, with his trumpet under his arm, looking anxiously through the
night-glass from time to time, and his voice sounded unusually stern.
There lay before him in the dark, blustering, winter night a veritable
David's choice. The strong southerly current, aided by the gale, was
fast carrying him in under the Norwegian coast; while on the other hand,
if he tried to beat to windward, he risked coming into collision with
the ice-floes. Added to that, he was not very clear as to his position;
and as the gale increased, he began to pace restlessly backwards and
forwards, addressing, every now and then, a word down to one of the
helmsmen, whose forms could be seen by the gleam from the binnacle.

"How's her head, Jens?"

"Sou'-west, sir; she'll lay no higher."

"H'm! more and more on land!" he muttered, the perspiration coming out
upon his forehead under his fur cap, which, in spite of the rain, he had
to push back to get air. Both life and ship would soon be at stake.

"What says the look-out-man, mate?" he asked of the latter, who came up
the steps at this moment from taking a turn forward.

"Black as pitch. If we stuck a lantern out on the flying jib-boom, we
should see that far at any rate. But the lead gives deep water."

"Does it?" was the rather scornful rejoinder.

"The blockhead doesn't seem to know yet," growled the captain, as the
other turned away, "that the lead will give you deep water here until
your vessel has her nose upon the cliff."

There was no chance of a pilot on such a night as this promised to be;
but still, in the hope that the wind might carry the sound in under
land, a few shots were fired from the signal-gun.

At last there was no longer any choice left. If they were not to end
upon the rocks that night, they must crowd on more sail, and try at all
hazards to haul off the coast.

The order was accordingly given to shake a reef out, followed by "Haul
in the topsail bow-lines--clap on the topsail halyards, and hoist away!"
and in the darkness might be heard occasionally "halimen-oh!-oh hoi!" as
the sailors worked at the tough and heavy sail, with the cordage all
stiff and swollen with ice and slippery with the rain, the spray driving
in thei