tty affair over which he had felt so
despondent begin to fade away.

When he reappeared Captain Marsham was forward seeing to the extra
lashing of the boats, which were drawn on board, and a glance showed him
that Johannes and Andrew were at the wheel--that is, one was holding the
spokes, while the other had been ordered there ready to render aid if it
were required.

"Going to be much of a storm, Johannes?" asked Steve.

"Yes, sir, a fierce, heavy snowstorm, with a great wind from the north."

"Ay, awm thenking she'll have ferry dirty weather for twa or three days,
Meester Steve," added Andrew. "Well, lad, ye've got rid of all ta
feathers, hey?"

"Yes," said Steve shortly, as if he did not want to hear any allusion to
the morning's trouble. "But tell me, Johannes, can't we get into any
sheltered bay till the storm has passed?"

"Not without running a great deal of risk of being caught in the ice,
sir. We couldn't beat back to the west coast with this wind rising; and
even if we could, I fear that the ice would be drifting down and
stopping us."

"Ay, she'd never get roond the cape this weather," grunted Andrew.
"Look ahint ye, my lad. She's hat some ferry douce weather lately; now
she's coing to have some ferry pad weather. But she's a coot poat, and
she can ride oot the gale if she ton't go to ta pottom."

"Well, you're a pretty sort of a Job's comforter, Andra," said Steve,
trying to be cheerful under depressing circumstances. "But I say, if we
do take to the boats, mind and not forget the pipes."

"Ta pipes, Meester Steve, sir? She needna have anny fear apoot tat.
They shan't pe trooned."

"What do you say, Johannes?" cried Steve, laughing.

"The captain knows his business, sir," said the man gravely, "and he has
a good crew. He is having the steam got up so that we can get right
away from the ice. With plenty of room the _Hvalross_ will not hurt."

Every one was busy now save the doctor and Steve, who, being the
non-combatants in the fight about to take place with the coming storm,
felt both of them rather in the way; and as birds of a feather are said
to flock together, they, after their fashion, flocked; in other words,
they naturally joined company to talk about the outlook.

"Glad you and the captain are all right again, Steve," said the former.
"Matters look too serious now for petty troubles, eh?"

"It did not seem to be a petty trouble to me, sir," replied Steve
quietly.

"No, no,