who were very
little disposed to admit an explanation of the fact by purely physical
reasons. The adventure of the Devil's Thumb, the reappearance of the
dog under such fantastic circumstances, gave the finishing touch to
their mental faculties, and murmurs broke out on all sides.

CHAPTER XII

CAPTAIN HATTERAS

The _Forward_, under steam, rapidly made its way between the
ice-mountains and the icebergs. Johnson was at the wheel. Shandon,
with his snow spectacles, was examining the horizon, but his joy was
of short duration, for he soon discovered that the passage ended in
a circus of mountains. However, he preferred going on, in spite of
the difficulty, to going back. The dog followed the brig at a long
distance, running along the plain, but if he lagged too far behind
a singular whistle could be distinguished, which he immediately
obeyed. The first time this whistle was heard the sailors looked round
about them; they were alone on deck all together, and no stranger
was to be seen; and yet the whistle was again heard from time to time.
Clifton was the first alarmed.

"Do you hear?" said he. "Just look how that animal answers when he
hears the whistle."

"I can scarcely believe my eyes," answered Gripper.

"It's all over!" cried Pen. "I don't go any further."

"Pen's right!" replied Brunton; "it's tempting God!"

"Tempting the devil!" replied Clifton. "I'd sooner lose my bounty
money than go a step further."

"We shall never get back!" said Bolton in despair.

The crew had arrived at the highest pitch of insubordination.

"Not a step further!" cried Wolsten. "Are you all of the same mind?"

"Ay! ay!" answered all the sailors.

"Come on, then," said Bolton; "let's go and find the commander; I'll
undertake the talking."

The sailors in a tight group swayed away towards the poop. The
_Forward_ at the time was penetrating into a vast circus, which
measured perhaps 800 feet in diameter, and with the exception of one
entrance--that by which the vessel had come--was entirely closed up.

Shandon said that he had just imprisoned himself; but what was he
to do? How were they to retrace their steps? He felt his responsibility,
and his hand grasped the telescope. The doctor, with folded arms,
kept silent; he was contemplating the walls of ice, the medium
altitude of which was over 300 feet. A foggy dome remained suspended
above the gulf. It was at this instant that Bolton addressed his speech
to the comm