s got blocked up, he
should be obliged to winter there at a great distance from the point
he had undertaken the voyage in order to reach, without having caught
a glimpse of that open sea which his predecessors made out was so
near. He resolved, then, to gain several degrees further north, at
whatever cost; seeing that he could not employ oars without the rowers
were willing, nor sail in a contrary wind, he gave orders to put steam
on again.

CHAPTER XXII

BEGINNING OF REVOLT

At this unexpected command, the surprise was great on board the
_Forward_.

"Light the fires!" exclaimed some.

"What with?" asked others.

"When we've only two months' coal in the hold!" said Pen.

"What shall we warm ourselves with in the winter?" asked Clifton.

"We shall be obliged to burn the brig down to her water-line," answered
Gripper.

"And stuff the stove with the masts," added Warren. Shandon looked
at Wall. The stupefied engineers hesitated to go down to the
machine-room.

"Did you hear me?" cried the captain in an irritated tone.

Brunton made for the hatchway, but before going down he stopped.

"Don't go, Brunton!" called out a voice.

"Who spoke?" cried Hatteras.

"I did," said Pen, advancing towards the captain.

"And what did you say?" asked Hatteras.

"I say," answered Pen with an oath--"I say, we've had enough of it,
and we won't go any further. You shan't kill us with hunger and work
in the winter, and they shan't light the fires!"

"Mr. Shandon," answered Hatteras calmly, "have that man put in irons!"

"But, captain," replied Shandon, "what the man says----"

"If you repeat what the man says," answered Hatteras, "I'll have you
shut up in your cabin and guarded! Seize that man! Do you hear?"
Johnson, Bell, and Simpson advanced towards the sailor, who was in
a terrible passion.

"The first who touches me----" he said, brandishing a handspike.
Hatteras approached him.

"Pen," said he tranquilly, "if you move, I shall blow out your brains!"
So speaking, he cocked a pistol and aimed it at the sailor. A murmur
was heard.

"Not a word, men," said Hatteras, "or that man falls dead!" Johnson
and Bell disarmed Pen, who no longer made any resistance, and placed
him in the hold.

"Go, Brunton," said Hatteras. The engineer, followed by Plover and
Warren, went down to his post. Hatteras returned to the poop.

"That Pen is a wretched fellow!" said the doctor.

"No man has ever been nearer death!" an