es, when two shots were heard. Hatteras heard
the bullets whistling by his head.

"Don't be frightened!" shouted Altamont, hurling his gun to one side,
and rushing upon the angry animals.

One of the oxen fell, shot through the heart; the other, wild with
rage, was just going to gore the captain, when Altamont faced him, and
plunged into his mouth his hand, armed with a snow-knife; with the
other he gave him a terrible blow with a hatchet on the head. This was
done with marvellous rapidity, and a flash of lightning would have lit
up the whole scene.

[Illustration: "Gave him a terrible blow with a hatchet on the head."]

The second ox fell back dead.

"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Clawbonny.

Hatteras was saved. He owed his life to the man whom he detested most
in the world. What was going on in his mind at this time? What emotion
was there which he could not master? That is one of the secrets of the
heart which defy all analysis.

However that may be, Hatteras advanced to his rival without
hesitation, and said to him seriously,--

"You have saved my life, Altamont."

"You saved mine," answered the American. There was a moment's silence.
Then Altamont added, "We are now quits, Hatteras!"

"No, Altamont," answered the captain; "when the doctor took you from
your icy tomb, I did not know who you were, and you have saved me at
the risk of your own life, knowing who I was."

"You are a fellow-being," answered Altamont; "and whatever else he may
be, an American is not a coward."

"No, he is not," said the doctor; "he is a man! a man like you,
Hatteras!"

"And like me he shall share the glory which is awaiting us!"

"The glory of going to the North Pole?" said Altamont.

"Yes," said the captain, haughtily.

"I had guessed it!" exclaimed the American. "So you dared conceive of
this bold design! You dared try to reach that inaccessible point! Ah,
that is great! It is sublime!"

"But you," asked Hatteras, hurriedly, "were you not on your way to the
Pole?"

Altamont seemed to hesitate about replying.

"Well?" said the doctor.

"Well, no," answered the American,--"no; tell the truth, and shame the
Devil! No, I did not have this great idea, which has brought you here.
I was trying simply to sail through the Northwest Passage, that is
all."

"Altamont," said Hatteras, holding out his hand to the American,
"share our glory, and go with us to the North Pole!"

The two men then shook hands warmly.

When they t