n devoted themselves to the task of restoring circulation to
Steve's lower limbs, and to so good an effect that he soon struggled to
his feet.

"Don't--don't mind me," he cried; "I--I will be better now."

"Let him be," said the doctor in a low voice; "it will do him good to
exert himself."

"I will stand by the lad, and help him," said a voice behind the doctor;
and he turned sharply to find that Johannes was standing there.

"Yes, sir," he said; "and I will try to help as well."

These words were hurriedly spoken in whispers, with the lips close to
each listener's ear, for their terrible position filled them with awe,
and they spoke with bated breath, listening the while to the hideous
crashing and creaking of the ice which moment by moment came nearer,
while the huge fragments towered up on their right, and--slowly now--
came on to crush the _Hvalross_ against the cliff-like floe some fifteen
feet in height on their left. For there was that difference in the
walls of their prison: they had been gliding along by the side of a vast
field whose movement had grown slower, while the smaller fragments on
their right had increased in speed, and at times raced along as if in a
flooded river of enormous size.

And now no man spoke, but all stood with blanched lips gazing at the ice
cliff on their left, as if measuring its height, the crew dividing
naturally into three parties--one to the shrouds of each of the three
masts, ready to ascend and leap from the ratlines on to the surface of
the ice, some of the more daring making up their minds to make for the
top, and run out on the great yard of the big square-sail, and drop from
that if there should be time.

Only one thought was common to all, and that was to reach the ice. The
provisions which had been hastily brought on deck lay where they had
been placed amongst the remains of the powdery snow which had not melted
in the sun's rays; and even then in those terrible moments--so strangely
are little petty things mixed up with the most momentous in our lives--
Steve thought to himself that when the two sides of their rapidly
narrowing canal did come together, crushing the ship, not a man would
stop to pick up anything to help keep himself alive.

"Mr Steve--doctor!" said Johannes suddenly, "there will be a rush for
the shrouds when the nip comes, and it will be every man for himself."

"Yes, of course," said Mr Handscombe.

"Let them go that way; you both follow me