ed in such a storm.

The _Hvalross_ was almost on her beam ends for a few minutes; then she
righted and tore through the water, which was nearly smooth, the
hurricane cutting off the tops of the waves, to mingle with the
snow-dust in a spray which froze instantly, and beat against everything
it encountered with painful violence, or covered the masts, sails, and
ropes with a thick coating of ice.

Then all was darkness and confusion, deafening, bewildering, and
strange. The captain made his way to the wheel, and the rest clustered
forward, sheltering themselves in front of the galley, for nothing could
be done then. The only men who could do anything for their safety were
those at the wheel, and the engineer and fireman, who, sheltered in the
warmth below, worked on to get up a head of steam ready against it was
wanted; but that did not seem probable for some time to come, the vessel
racing on under almost bare poles into a continuation of the
semi-darkness which surrounded them.

And now Steve thoroughly realised how helpless man, with all his
ingenuity, became in the midst of such a storm. Absolutely nothing
could be done but trust themselves to the hands of God, and wait
patiently for the end.

As soon as the lad could collect his thoughts, he began to wonder what
the consequences would be if they overtook some other unfortunate
vessel. Again, how far it was to the Siberian coast, toward which they
were being driven; and whether Captain Marsham would be able to tell in
the midst of that deafening clamour and blinding darkness of the
elements how far they might go before being able to turn ship and try to
hold his own by the help of the steam in the teeth of the gale. Then,
suffering an intensity of cold such as was perfectly new to him, he
crouched there, stunned, bewildered, and unable to move.

He was conscious, after a space of what must have been hours, that some
change had taken place, for the vessel appeared to be struck again by
the storm, but from the other quarter, and just then the wind seemed to
pluck and drag at him, as if to tear him from where he crouched, while a
short time after the _Hvalross_ heeled over again to such an extent that
she seemed as if she would never recover herself.

At last Steve became conscious of some one touching him, grasping his
arm, and shaking him; but he could hardly move. Then he felt himself
dragged over the ice--for it did not seem like the deck--to the way dow