they
were able to endure the cold with impunity, making it their special care
to avoid actual contact with any article made of metal, which, in the
low state of the temperature, would inevitably have taken all the skin
off their hands, as much as if it had been red-hot. The task, however,
was brought to an end without accident of any kind; and when the stores
of the _Hansa_ were safely deposited in the galleries of the Hive,
Lieutenant Procope avowed that he really felt that his mind had been
unburdened from a great anxiety.

Captain Servadac gave old Isaac full permission to take up his residence
amongst the rest of the community, promised him the entire control over
his own property, and altogether showed him so much consideration that,
but for his unbounded respect for his master, Ben Zoof would have
liked to reprimand him for his courtesy to a man whom he so cordially
despised.

Although Hakkabut clamored most vehemently about his goods being carried
off "against his will," in his heart he was more than satisfied to see
his property transferred to a place of safety, and delighted, moreover,
to know that the transport had been effected without a farthing of
expense to himself. As soon, then, as he found the tartan empty, he was
only too glad to accept the offer that had been made him, and very soon
made his way over to the quarters in the gallery where his merchandise
had been stored. Here he lived day and night. He supplied himself with
what little food he required from his own stock of provisions, a small
spirit-lamp sufficing to perform all the operations of his meager
cookery. Consequently all intercourse between himself and the rest of
the inhabitants was entirely confined to business transactions, when
occasion required that some purchase should be made from his stock
of commodities. Meanwhile, all the silver and gold of the colony was
gradually finding its way to a double-locked drawer, of which the Jew
most carefully guarded the key.

The 1st of January was drawing near, the anniversary of the shock
which had resulted in the severance of thirty-six human beings from the
society of their fellow-men. Hitherto, not one of them was missing. The
unvarying calmness of the climate, notwithstanding the cold, had tended
to maintain them in good health, and there seemed no reason to doubt
that, when Gallia returned to the earth, the total of its little
population would still be complete.

The 1st of January, it is