ly, Altamont was at first attracted towards the doctor; it
was to him he owed his life, but it was sympathy rather than gratitude
which moved him. This was the invariable effect of Clawbonny's nature;
friends grew about him like wheat under the summer sun. Every one has
heard of people who rise at five o'clock in the morning to make
enemies; the doctor could have got up at four without doing it.
Nevertheless, he resolved to profit by Altamont's friendship to the
extent of learning the real reason of his presence in the polar seas.
But with all his wordiness the American answered without answering,
and kept repeating what he had to say about the Northwest Passage. The
doctor suspected that there was some other motive for the expedition,
the same, namely, that Hatteras suspected. Hence he resolved not to
let the two adversaries discuss the subject; but he did not always
succeed. The simplest conversations threatened to wander to that
point, and any word might kindle a blaze of controversy. It happened
soon. When the house was finished, the doctor resolved to celebrate
the fact by a splendid feast; this was a good idea of Clawbonny's, who
wanted to introduce in this continent the habits and pleasures of
European life. Bell had just shot some ptarmigans and a white rabbit,
the first harbinger of spring. This feast took place April 14, Low
Sunday, on a very pleasant day; the cold could not enter the house,
and if it had, the roaring stoves would have soon conquered it. The
dinner was good; the fresh meat made an agreeable variety after the
pemmican and salt meat; a wonderful pudding, made by the doctor's own
hand, was much admired; every one asked for another supply; the head
cook himself, with an apron about his waist and a knife hanging by his
side, would not have disgraced the kitchen of the Lord High Chancellor
of England. At dessert, liquors appeared; the American was not a
teetotaler; hence there was no reason for his depriving himself of a
glass of gin or brandy; the other guests, who were never in any way
intemperate, could permit themselves this infraction of their rule;
so, by the doctor's command, each one was able to drain a glass at the
end of the merry meal. When a toast was drunk to the United States,
Hatteras was simply silent. It was then that the doctor brought
forward an interesting subject.

"My friends," he said, "it is not enough that we have crossed the
waters and ice and have come so far; there is one