me, when I found that my feet were projecting beyond the
shelter of the sail, and were bitterly cold.

I got up to warm them by stamping them up and down, and the noise awoke
my companions. They naturally told me to lie down and be quiet; but the
night was so fine and calm, that I said I would go a little way from
them not to disturb them, and would walk up and down for an hour or so.
I had no fancy for any more of those dreadful dreams, and I felt that
the exercise would do me good. As I looked out on the tranquil,
dark-shining sea, in which the glittering stars floating, so it seemed,
in the blue ether above me were reflected as in a mirror, all sorts of
strange fancies came into my head. I remembered all I had read or heard
of mermen and mermaids, of ocean monsters and sea-spirits, and I could
scarcely persuade myself that I did not see some gliding before me.
Certainly I could hear them: now there was a distant roar, now a loud
snorting noise near me; there were voices wandering through the air, and
strains of sweet music seemed to come up from the deep. I was almost
positive I could hear music: sweet and faint and soft as a seraph's
sigh, it came down to my ear on the gentle wind. I would on no account
have missed listening to that enchanting melody.

For a long time I continued gazing on the sea without feeling any
inclination to sleep, when I fancied that I saw the dark sails of a ship
about a mile off, and directly to windward of us. I peered into the
darkness to assure myself, for I did not like causelessly to arouse my
companions. How eagerly I looked may be supposed. If there was a ship
where I supposed, the music I had heard must have come from her. At
last I was almost confident that there was a ship; but as I had my
doubts, I went back to Andrew and touched his arm.

"Andrew," I said, trembling all over in my eagerness, "I do not wish to
raise false hopes, but look out there and tell me what you see."

"See, lad!--why, a sail; there's no doubt of it," he exclaimed
hurriedly. "A barque-rigged vessel standing on a bowline to the
north-west. She's a whaler, I suspect; but how to make the keenest ears
on board hear us, is a puzzle."

We called Terence and Tom, who instantly sprung to their feet and joined
us in looking out for the stranger.

"Could not we make a fire as a signal?" I asked, "that would attract
her."

"You forget that our flint and steel went overboard, and the ice without
t