people used to do in olden
times."

"Well," said Sammy, "if we could fumigate this vessel and feel sure that
only the bad germs would shrivel, I'd be in favor of doin' it."

In less than two hours after the return of Mr. Marcy with his prisoner,
the Dipsey started along the recently made canal, carefully rounded the
nearer portion of the broken iceberg, and slowly sailed between the
two upright sections. These were sufficiently far apart to afford a
perfectly safe passage, but the hearts of those who gazed up on their
shining, precipitous sides were filled with a chilling horror, for if
a wind had suddenly sprung up, these two great sections of the icy
mountain might have come together, cracking the Dipsey as if it had been
a nut.

But no wind sprang up; the icebergs remained as motionless as if they
had been anchored, and the Dipsey entered safely the harboring waters of
Lake Shiver.

CHAPTER XX. "THAT IS HOW I LOVE YOU"

For several days the subject of the great perforation made by the
automatic shell was not mentioned between Margaret and Roland. This
troubled her a great deal, for she thoroughly understood her lover's
mind, and she knew that he had something important to say to her, but
was waiting until he had fully elaborated his intended statement. She
said nothing about it, because it was impossible for her to do so. It
made her feel sick even to think of it, and yet she was thinking of it
all the time.

At last he came to her one morning, his face pale and serious. She
knew the moment her eyes fell upon him that he had come to tell her
something, and what it was he had to tell.

"Margaret," said he, beginning to speak as soon as he had seated
himself, "I have made up my mind about that shaft. It would be
absolutely wicked if I were not to go down to the bottom and see what
is there. I have discovered something--something wonderful--and I do not
know what it is. I can form no ideas about it, there is nothing on which
I can base any theory. I have done my best to solve this problem without
going down, but my telescope reveals nothing, my camera shows me nothing
at all."

She sat perfectly quiet, pallid and listening.

"I have thought over this thing by day and by night," he continued, "but
the conclusion forces itself upon me, steadily and irresistibly, that
it is my duty to descend that shaft. I have carefully considered
everything, positively everything, connected with the safety of such
a