t the dying fire in his stove.

"What!" cried Steve, "you are not going to give up?"

The man looked at him sadly for a few moments without speaking, and then
shook his head.

"The cold stuns them, the cold stuns them!" said the boy aloud in his
despair and horror as he turned back to the cabin. "Mr Handscombe," he
cried, "what shall I give them? I can do no more."

There was no reply, and with a thrill of horror running through him
Steve fled back to the deck, where the black darkness horrified him
still more, for the lamps had gone out for want of attention, the boiler
fire was nearly extinct, and even the outer cold seemed preferable to
that gloomy icy vault, so full of horror. He literally staggered to the
ice-covered canvas door of the awning, and in his fearful loneliness
strove to get the frozen fastenings undone, so that he might at least
have the stars of heaven for company. And then he felt that he was not
alone, for there was a sharp bark, the dog sprang to his side, and the
boy dropped upon his knees and flung his arms about his faithful
companion's neck.

"Skeny, old lad!" he cried with a sob, "and I thought I was quite left."

A sharp bark was the response, and in his delight the dog butted at him,
seized his arm in his teeth, and playfully worried it.

The next minute Steve rose to his feet, and, hardly knowing what he was
doing, dragged the canvas doorway open, and staggered out of the
darkness and down the snow steps into what looked once more a world of
silvery light; for the moon was at the full, and it seemed nearly as
light as day. In his delight the dog threw himself on his side to force
a way through the snow, and then turned over to repeat the performance,
and leap and race round his master, who stood shading his eyes from the
light, and staring before him at something misty and spectral-looking in
the distance. Finally the dog burst into a joyous peal of barking at
the objects which had struck his master, and there came the sharp report
of a gun, followed by a rolling volley of echoes.

"Is this dreaming? Am I getting worse?" thought Steve; and at that
moment there came a loud "Ahoy!"

"Some one there!--there in that terrible solitude! Then it must be
help."

The excitement and reaction were too much. Steve strove to shout again;
but the words failed him, and he only uttered a hoarse cry. But the dog
responded bravely and loudly it seemed to the boy at first, then faintly
a