before; no post or cairn erected; no sign of the rough hut that sailors
who had come so far north would build up as a protection while hunting
the walrus and the seal.

"It seems to me," the captain said, "that we are the first visitors
without doubt. Would that we were the second, and could find our
friends were the first!"

"If this is the first time the country has been reached," said Steve,
"oughtn't we to christen it by some name? How would Walrus Land do?"

"As well as any other name," said the captain; "but, whatever we call
it, there is no doubt but that it will be many more years before it is
reached again. It is hardly likely that another expedition will meet
with such an accident as that which brought us here. Walrus Land be it
then, for the huge, unwieldy creatures are plentiful enough. How soon
are you going to let your pet go? It grows very fast."

"Let it go!" cried Steve wonderingly. "Why, I meant to take it back to
England."

"For the Zoological Gardens? You can't keep it, like a dog, in the back
yard."

"No," said Steve thoughtfully; "it would want a kennel."

"Kennel? It would want an elephant house. No, my lad, it will not do;
you will have to set our friend at liberty, or let me tell Johannes to
turn it into oil."

That was one day at the end of August, when at midday the sun shone
quite hot, and they knew that harvest must be in full progress at home.
They had been so great a distance to the south that it was all the men
could do to pull back; and, as it was, they did not reach the mouth of
the narrow waterway until close upon ten o'clock, and the _Hvalross_
till they were so utterly tired out that, after snatching a hasty meal,
all were eager to throw themselves down to sleep.

Safely anchored as they were, shut in from storms, right out where no
bears, even if they swam out, could assail them, the keeping of a watch
seemed very unnecessary, and Steve never thought it more so than that
night, when he found that it was his turn to take the second watch in
company with Johannes; for he was regularly fagged. However, his was
only the watch to come, so that he was able to get a good sleep before
he was called, and then arose with his eyes half closed and a general
desire to quarrel with everything and everybody.

"It does seem so stupid!" he grumbled. "What's the good of it?"

"Being under a first-rate captain, sir, one who never lets discipline
grow slack."

"Oh, bother!" s