estion was excellent, but it seemed to
be impossible to carry out; for it was madness to attempt toilsome
expeditions over the ice when at any hour they were liable to be
overtaken by one of the terrible, blinding snowstorms of which they had
had several examples since the darkness had set in; so after much
consideration Captain Marsham came to the conclusion that it was hard
enough work to preserve existence with the ship as a place of refuge,
always within touch, without running risks which might prove fatal to
the whole party.

"You are quite right," said the doctor, who had remained silent. "I do
not doubt our power to make long expeditions, but they would always be
terribly risky; and unless there was some object in view that warranted
the work, I should not venture."

"You mean that?" said the captain.

"I do. If a man gets frost-bitten anywhere within range, we can bring
him back, and soon take proper steps to save the injured limb or part.
On the other hand, suppose we are overtaken by a storm and darkness, and
forced to shelter somewhere under the lee of the rocks or ice, how many
of us would be able to reach the ship after the storm was over? No; I
see nothing for us to do but take what exercise we can in the moonlight,
and then come back to our quarters, which we must make as snug as we
can."

"And be thankful that we have such quarters," said the captain. "What
do you say, Steve?"

The lad started at this first appeal, but spoke out.

"I should like to try and search again for the crew of the _Ice Blink_,
sir," he said.

"What could we do better than we have done, my boy? We could not reach
the parts that we journeyed over in the summer, that is certain, and to
do any good we ought to go farther. No, my lad, we must wait."

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

A BRAVE FIGHT.

Darkness profound at times, and often with it a silence so strange and
weird that Steve found himself speaking in a whisper. He was not alone
in this, for he found the crew often answered him in a low voice, as if
afraid of being heard. For, in spite of all that could be done to cheer
them up, the poor fellows were growing very despondent, and even when
the shortest day arrived they did not rouse up as the captain had hoped
would be the case.

Time had been gliding on so monotonously of late, with nothing to look
for but the changes in the moon, that it took Steve quite by surprise
when at breakfast the captain cried cheeril