."

"Where?" said Steve huskily.

"For that boat;" and he nodded toward the one swinging from the davits
on the port side.

"What for, man?" said the doctor coldly. "The boat must be crushed,
like the ship."

"Not before I have had time to reach the top of the ice from it. I have
been measuring the distance, and I can do it and reach down to lend you
both a hand up."

"Hah! Yes!" exclaimed Steve, forgetting the cold and numbness now in
the excitement of seeing a way to escape. "But the captain--tell him."

"There is no need," said the Norseman; "he is cleverer than I, and will
know what to do. Besides, he will not stir till every man is safe; an
English captain never does."

"But--" began Steve.

"Don't talk, sir; do as I say," said the Norseman sternly. "You will be
helping the captain to escape if you leave him free to act by saving
yourself."

"I will do as you say," replied Steve; but even as he spoke he felt as
if it would be cowardly to leave Captain Marsham alone in the wreck.

Every man was now on deck, the engineer and his fireman having come up,
leaving the steam blowing off with a shriek which minute by minute grew
more horrible as it was confined between the two walls of ice, now not
fifty yards apart.

The water looked wilder than ever where it was not covered with small
fragments of ice, which came rushing up as if driven by the current
beneath the towering masses on their right; and as they literally darted
up they rushed on to hit against the cliff on their left, some of them
striking the sides of the _Hvalross_ blows which made her jar, and shook
the ice and snow from the rigging, to come rattling down upon the deck.

"It can't be long now," thought Steve; and he glanced up at the boat,
and then at the captain, who stood perfectly calm upon the bridge; and
just then there was a sharp, whimpering bark from by the bowsprit,
followed by a perfect roulade, the dog catching sight of a seal.

"Oh, poor old Skeny! We must not leave him," muttered Steve; and he
called the dog loudly.

The collie came with a rush, and crouched at his master's feet.

"Johannes," whispered the lad. "My poor dog,--I can't leave him. He
could not get up to the boat."

The great calm-looking fellow turned and gave Steve a pleasant smile.
Then, stooping down, he lifted the dog in his arms, reached up and
placed the paws well over the side of the boat, where he hung a good
seven feet above the deck. The d