eded in hauling the seal he had struck up
to the boat, when a few blows killed it. As rapidly as possible it was
cut up, the best part of the blubber being taken on board, and stowed
away in the bows. The doctor was eager to secure the other two seals
which had been killed, and by pulling a little way round, a smooth
landing-place was found. The boat rowed cautiously in, when the doctor,
with Willy Dicey, Lizard, and two other men, leaped on to the berg. The
two seals which lay there were soon cut up, under the doctor's
directions. "And now, Willy," he said, "as we have an abundance of
fuel, we must get as much ice on board as the boats can carry. See!" he
added, chopping off a lump with his hatchet; "it is perfectly sweet and
free from salt. Just tell Shafto to send two more hands here; we shall
soon have enough to quench the thirst of all the party." Willy ran to
the boat, and quickly returned with two men, bringing axes and a large
basket to transport the ice. They were working away on the side of the
berg, and had already sent a good supply on board, when they felt it
move in a strange manner.

"Why, it seems as if an earthquake were taking place," said Willy.

At that moment they heard Shafto shouting loudly to them.

"Not a moment to be lost," cried the doctor. "On, boys, for your lives!
Here, take my hand, Dicey, I'll not leave you behind."

The huge ice-mountain became more and more agitated as they moved on.
They reached the bows of the boat, and tumbled headlong in; and, at the
same moment Paul Lizard, who had seized a boathook, shoved her off; the
men got out their oars, and pulled her head round.

"Now give way, lads, for your lives," cried Shafto.

The water around them became violently agitated, and the huge ice-rock
swayed to and fro. Shafto cast an anxious look behind him. Its tall
summit seemed to be bending over. Where was the other boat? No one
could tell. There was little time for thinking of their friends; their
own probable fate absorbed all their attention. The men bent to their
oars, looking up with horror in their eyes towards the mass which seemed
about to come down and crush them. The ice on which they had lately
stood disappeared. Large masses of frozen snow came hurtling down,
falling with loud splashes into the water on either side of them. One
such mass would have been sufficient to send their boat to the bottom;
but only a few small fragments fell on board, and no