n who had walked fifteen miles on the ice, the doctor wished to have
a few serious words with his companions about the dangers of their
situation.

"We are only at latitude 82 degrees," he said, "and our supplies are
already running short."

"A reason for losing no time," answered Hatteras; "we must push on;
the strong can draw the feeble."

"Shall we find a ship when we get there?" asked Bell, who was much
depressed by the fatigue of the journey.

"Why doubt it?" said Johnson; "the American's safety depends on ours."

To make sure, the doctor was anxious to question Altamont again. He
could speak easily, although his voice was weak; he confirmed all the
statements he had already made; he repeated that the ship was aground
on some granite rocks, where it could not stir, and that it lay in
longitude 120 degrees 15 minutes, and latitude 83 degrees 35 minutes.

"We can't doubt this statement," resumed the doctor; "the difficulty
is not whether the _Porpoise_ is there, but the way of getting to
her."

"How much food have we left?" asked Hatteras.

"Enough for three days at the outside," answered the doctor.

"Well, we must get to her in three days," said the captain, firmly.

"We must indeed," continued the doctor, "and if we succeed we shall
have no need to complain, for we shall have been favored by faultless
weather; the snow has given us a fortnight's respite, and the sledge
has glided easily on the hardened ice! Ah, if it only carried two
hundred pounds of food! Our dogs could have managed it easily enough.
But still we can't help it!"

"With luck and skill," said Johnson, "we might put to some use the few
charges of powder which are left us. If we should kill a bear we
should be supplied for all the rest of the journey."

"Without doubt," answered the doctor, "but these animals are rare and
shy; and then, when one thinks of the importance of a shot, his hand
will shake and his aim be lost."

"But you are a good shot," answered Bell.

"Yes, when four men's dinners do not depend on my hitting; still, I
will do my best if I get a chance. Meanwhile let us try to satisfy
ourselves with this thin soup of scraps of pemmican, then go to sleep,
and to-morrow early we'll start forth again."

A few moments later excessive fatigue outweighed every other feeling,
and they all sank into a heavy sleep. Early on Saturday Johnson awoke
his companions; the dogs were harnessed to the sledge, and they took
up again the