he sent his acceptance of the plan to the address
given above.

That very day he made the necessary arrangements with the builders at
Birkenhead, and within twenty-four hours the keel of the _Forward_ was
laid on the stocks.

Richard Shandon was a man about forty years old, strong, energetic,
and fearless, three qualities most necessary for a sailor, for they
give him confidence, vigor, and coolness. He was known to be severe
and very hard to please; hence he was more feared than loved by his
men. But this reputation was not calculated to interfere with his
selection of a crew, for he was known to be skilful in avoiding
trouble.

Shandon feared that the mysterious nature of the expedition might
stand in his way.

"In that case," he said, "it's best not to say anything about it;
there will always be plenty of men who will want to know the why and
the wherefore of the whole matter, and, since I don't know anything
about it myself, I should find it hard to answer them. This K. Z. is
certainly an odd stick; but, after all, he knows me, he depends on me,
and that is enough. As for his ship, it will be a good one, and if
it's not going to the Arctic Ocean, my name is not Richard Shandon.
But I shall keep that fact for myself and my officers."

Thereupon Shandon began to choose his crew, bearing in mind the
captain's wishes about the independence and health of the men.

He knew a very capital fellow, and a good sailor, James Wall by name.
Wall might have been about thirty years old, and had already made some
voyages in the northern seas. Shandon offered him the place of second
mate, and Wall accepted it at once; all he cared for was to be at sea.
Shandon confided all the details of the affair to him and to a certain
Johnson, whom he took as boatswain.

[Illustration]

"All right," answered James Wall, "that's as good as anything. Even if
it's to seek the Northwest Passage, some have come back from that."

"Not all," said Johnson, "but that's no reason that we should not try
it."

"Besides, if our guesses are right," said Shandon, "it must be said
that we start with a fair chance of success. The _Forward_ will be a
stanch ship and she will carry good engines. She can go a great
distance. We want a crew of only eighteen men."

"Eighteen men," answered Johnson; "that's the number the American,
Kane, took with him on his famous voyage towards the North Pole."

"It's strange," said Wall, "that a private person shou