said:

"Shall I go?"

"No," replied the captain; and taking hold of the hatch he drew himself
up to it and peered down; then handing his gun to Steve, he lowered
himself down feet first and disappeared, while the rest stood watching
the square opening and listening intently.

"Rather dark," came up from the forecastle, and they heard the sharp
scratching sound made by the striking of a match.

"No one here. Plenty of sand drifted right in."

Another match was struck, and then, after the short period one of the
little tapers would take to burn out, the captain's hands appeared and
he climbed out.

"Nothing whatever," he said. "No trace of a soul, and everything has
been cleared out; not so much as a blanket left."

"That looks as if the crew must have stripped the vessel, and built
themselves a place somewhere inland."

"Or on the shore," said the captain. "No; I fancy that this vessel was
forsaken long ago. Her crew must have taken to the boats, and let us
hope that they all escaped across to Hammerfest, or some other port."

"Will you search any further?" asked Steve. "There is nothing to search
for here, my boy," replied the captain; "but we will have a tramp
forward, and see if any traces have been left of hut or signal-post,
though I feel certain that no one is here."

The doctor looked doubtful, and Steve felt glad, for he thought the
captain was taking matters too coolly.

"Well," continued that gentleman, turning to the doctor, "supposing that
it was your misfortune to be cast ashore on this desolate place, what
would be the first thing you would try to do?"

"Try to get away," replied the doctor, smiling. "Exactly; and if you
had no means of getting away, would you not hoist a flag on some
prominent place where it would be seen by a passing vessel?"

"Of course."

"Where is the spar, then, hoisted on the cliff?" The doctor shook his
head, and Steve gazed up and along the top of the long, level height,
which looked like a mighty rampart at the foot of a snowy pyramid.

"Here, what do you say, Johannes? You have had plenty of experience of
sea life. Where is the crew of this schooner?"

The man shook his head and smiled. "Who knows, sir?" he said. "I don't
think they ever landed here. It was a deserted ship when it came
ashore."

"Why do you say that?" said the doctor sharply. "I see nothing, sir: no
timbers or spars dragged up the beach; not a sign of anything having
been moored