hing, grinding noise was heard, sufficient
to strike terror into the stoutest hearts. But it must be remembered
that we were all so busily engaged in flying here and there in the
performance of our duty, that we had no time for fear. This is a great
secret to enable men to go through dangers unappalled. Had we been
compelled to stand inactive, our feelings might have been very
different.

The ship wore slowly round; but still she seemed approaching the
threatening mass. She plunged more violently than before amid the
raging sea, and in another moment I felt certain we must be among the
upheaving masses. Just then her head seemed to turn from them; but a
sea struck her on the quarter and came rolling on board; a tremendous
blow was felt forward, another followed. Cries arose from some of the
men that all was lost, and I expected to find the ship instantly dashed
to pieces.

Our good captain rushed on deck. He cast one glance aloft, and another
at the ice. "She's clear, my lads," he shouted. The ship came round,
and in another instant we were on the eastern or lee side of the floe,
and gliding smoothly on in calm water through a broad passage, leading
amid the main body of the polar ice.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

Our ship made good progress, considering the impediments in her way,
towards the fishing grounds in the north, to which she was bound.
Sometimes we had a clear sea; at other times we were sailing among
patches of ice and icebergs, or through lanes penetrating into packs of
many miles in extent, and from which it seemed impossible we should ever
again be extricated. Our captain, or one of his mates, was always at
this time in the crow's-nest, directing the course of the ship amid the
dangers which surrounded her.

I shall not soon forget the first day of May, which I spent in the icy
sea. It was as unlike May-day at home as any day could well be as far
as the temperature went, though we were sailing through a sea tolerably
free from ice.

"All play to-day and no work, my boy, for we are going to have a visit
from a king and queen," said an old whaler, David McGee by name, as he
gave me a slap on the shoulder which would have warmed up my blood not a
little, if anything could in that biting weather.

"He must be King Frost, then," I answered, laughing; "for we have plenty
of his subjects around us already."

"No; I mean a regular-built king," said old McGee, winking at some of
his chums stand