was at an end, for the floes, after completely choking up the
entrance to the fiord to the height of at least fifty feet, were now
grinding and crushing their way onward outside, and the vessel lay in
perfect safety. But, unless there was a way out at the other end of the
fiord, they were completely sealed in by ice that, from all appearances,
as it towered up from side to side, seemed as if it would take years to
melt, while as likely as not it would go on consolidating and increasing
in bulk till time should be no more.

No one spoke, though a strange silence gathered round them, the roar of
the ice-floes upon the cliffs of this unknown land sounding hushed and
strange. Every eye was fixed upon the dazzling white wall which, with
its thousands of tons of ice, had been built in a few minutes right
across the opening by which they had entered the now fast calming fiord.
For that piled-up mass was indescribably grand as it glistened in the
sunshine, every crack and depression being of the most lovely blue, from
the palest sapphire to the deepest amethyst. It was magnificent, it was
grand; and all started at something which was terribly incongruous; for
a great flock of the northern gulls suddenly came sweeping down over the
ice into the narrow fiord, shrieking, crying, and uttering sounds which
were like mocking laughter, to break the solemnity of the scene.

Worse still, his duties having been interfered with in no way, and too
busy to take any note of the fresh peril, the cook suddenly appeared
from the galley, whose fire had been roaring away for the past two
hours, and, walking under the bridge, he looked up to the captain and
said loudly:

"Capital haunch of venison, roasted to a turn, sir. If you are at
liberty, you can have the dinner in now."

The grandeur, the solemnity, the thoughts of this fresh miraculous
escape, all passed away on the instant. The men made a movement toward
the forecastle, looking inquiringly at the mate, for they knew that
their meal would be ready too, and Steve turned to the doctor so
comically perplexed a face that the latter smiled.

"Hungry, Steve?" he said.

"I--I didn't know it before, sir," he replied; "but I suppose I am."

"Well, _il faut manger_, as the French say. Come along."

He led the way to the bridge, where the cook was still waiting, for the
captain had not spoken.

"Can you come down, Marsham?" said the doctor. "It is many hours since
we have broken our