fire is out!"

"What then?" answered Hatteras.

"If you mean to kill us with cold, you had better say so," said Shandon
ironically.

"I mean," said Hatteras gravely, "to require every man to do his duty
to the end."

"There's something higher than duty, captain--there's the right to
one's own preservation. I repeat that the fire is out, and if it is
not relighted, not one of us will be alive in two days."

"I have no fuel," answered Hatteras, with a hollow voice.

"Very well," cried Pen violently, "if you have no fuel, we must take
it where we can!"

Hatteras grew pale with anger.

"Where?" said he.

"On board," answered the sailor insolently.

"On board!" echoed the captain, his fists closed, his eyes sparkling.

He had seized an axe, and he now raised it over Pen's head.

"Wretch!" he cried.

The doctor rushed between the captain and Pen; the axe fell to the
ground, its sharp edge sinking into the flooring. Johnson, Bell, and
Simpson were grouped round Hatteras, and appeared determined to give
him their support. But lamentable and plaintive voices came from the
beds.

"Some fire! Give us some fire!" cried the poor fellows.

Hatteras made an effort, and said calmly:

"If we destroy the brig, how shall we get back to England?"

"We might burn some of the rigging and the gunwale, sir," said Johnson.

"Besides, we should still have the boats left," answered Shandon;
"and we could build a smaller vessel with the remains of the old one!"

"Never!" answered Hatteras.

"But----" began several sailors, raising their voices.

"We have a great quantity of spirits of wine," answered Hatteras;
"burn that to the last drop."

"Ah, we didn't think of that!" said Johnson, with affected
cheerfulness, and by the help of large wicks steeped in spirits he
succeeded in raising the temperature a few degrees.

During the days that followed this melancholy scene the wind went
round to the south, and the thermometer went up. Some of the men could
leave the vessel during the least damp part of the day; but ophthalmia
and scurvy kept the greater number on board; besides, neither fishing
nor hunting was practicable. But it was only a short respite from
the dreadful cold, and on the 25th, after an unexpected change in
the wind, the mercury again froze; they were then obliged to have
recourse to the spirits of wine thermometer, which never freezes.
The doctor found, to his horror, that it marked 66 degrees below zero;