f. She would not
proceed so slowly as she did when coming north, for now her officers
would feel that in a measure they knew the course, and moreover they
would not be delayed by the work of laying a cable as they progressed.

So it was agreed that it would be a waste of time and labor to stop here
and make connection with the cable, and preparations were made for
a descent to a safe depth beneath the surface, when they would start
southward on their homeward voyage. Mrs. Sarah Block, wrapped from head
to foot in furs, remained on deck as long as her husband would allow her
to do so. For some time before her eyes had been slowly wandering around
the edge of that lonely piece of water, and it was with an unsatisfied
air that she now stood gazing from side to side. At last Sammy took her
by the arm and told her she must go below, for they were going to close
up the hatchways.

"Well," said Sarah, with a sigh, "I suppose I must give 'em up; they
were the warmest and most comfortable ones I had, and I could have
thawed 'em out and dried 'em so that they would have been as good as
ever. I would not mind leavin' 'em if there was a human bein' in this
neighborhood that would wear 'em; but there ain't, and it ain't likely
there ever will be, and if they are frozen stiff in the ice somewhere,
they may stay here, as good as new, for countless ages!"

Of course everybody was very happy, now that they were returning
homeward from a voyage successful beyond parallel in history, and even
Rovinski was beginning to assume an air of gratified anticipation. He
had been released from his confinement and allowed to attend to his
duties, but the trust which had been placed in him when this kindness
had been extended to him on a previous occasion was wanting now.
Everybody knew that he was an unprincipled man, and that if he could
gain access to the telegraph instrument at Cape Tariff he would make
trouble for the real discoverer of the north pole; so it was agreed
among the officers of the vessel that the strictest watch must be kept
on him and no shore privileges be allowed him.

The southward voyage of the Dipsey was an easy one and without notable
incident; and at last a lookout who had been posted at the upper
skylight reported light from above. This meant that they had reached
open water southward of the frozen regions they had been exploring,
and the great submarine voyage, the most peculiar ever made by man, was
ended. Captain Ji