of the sea.

The first moments were given up to the happiness inspired by the
safe return. The exploring party were rejoiced to find everything
in good condition, which assured them a supportable though it
might be a rough winter. The ship had not been shaken by her
sudden elevation, and was perfectly tight. When the season of
thawing came, they would only have to slide her down an inclined
plane, to launch her, in a word, in the once more open sea.

But a bad piece of news spread gloom on the faces of Jean
Cornbutte and his comrades. During the terrible gale the snow
storehouse on the coast had been quite demolished; the provisions
which it contained were scattered, and it had not been possible
to save a morsel of them. When Jean and Louis Cornbutte learnt
this, they visited the hold and steward's room, to ascertain the
quantity of provisions which still remained.

The thaw would not come until May, and the brig could not leave
the bay before that period. They had therefore five winter months
before them to pass amid the ice, during which fourteen persons
were to be fed. Having made his calculations, Jean Cornbutte
found that he would at most be able to keep them alive till the
time for departure, by putting each and all on half rations.
Hunting for game became compulsory to procure food in larger
quantity.

For fear that they might again run short of provisions, it was
decided to deposit them no longer in the ground. All of them were
kept on board, and beds were disposed for the new comers in the
common lodging. Turquiette, Gervique, and Gradlin, during the
absence of the others, had hollowed out a flight of steps in the
ice, which enabled them easily to reach the ship's deck.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE TWO RIVALS.

Andre Vasling had been cultivating the good-will of the two
Norwegian sailors. Aupic also made one of their band, and held
himself apart, with loud disapproval of all the new measures
taken; but Louis Cornbutte, to whom his father had transferred
the command of the ship, and who had become once more master on
board, would listen to no objections from that quarter, and in
spite of Marie's advice to act gently, made it known that he
intended to be obeyed on all points.

Nevertheless, the two Norwegians succeeded, two days after, in
getting possession of a box of salt meat. Louis ordered them to
return it to him on the spot, but Aupic took their part, and
Andre Vasling declared that the precauti