their spirits are kept up, and a good example is set them.
I therefore rely upon you to assist me, by showing that, young as you
are, you do not shrink from danger, and that you place a firm reliance
on the power of God to deliver us, notwithstanding all the appearance to
the contrary."

I told Andrew that I thanked him for the confidence he placed in me, and
that I hoped I should not disappoint his expectations.

"I know you will not, Peter; but I tell you that our courage will be
severely tried," he answered.

"Why, don't you think the ship will be able to take us off?" I asked.

"I do not think she will, Peter," he replied. "Before the gale is over,
she will have been driven very far to the south; and it will take her so
many days to beat back, if the wind should continue foul, that Captain
Rendall will consider we must have perished, and that the attempt would
be useless, and that he should not be justified in thus risking the
safety of his ship."

"What hope, then, have we?" I asked.

"My greatest hope is, that we may be seen by some other ship passing
after the gale has moderated," he answered. "If that fails to us, we
must endeavour to pass the winter on shore. Others have done so before
now; and I do not see why we should not manage to live as well as the
ignorant natives who inhabit this country."

"If we had powder, and shot, and fuel, and timber to build a house with,
I should say we might do it," I answered; "but as we have none of these
things, I am afraid we shall be frozen to death as soon as the cold sets
in."

"The natives live, and we must try to find out how they contrive to do
it," was the tenor of his answer.

Miserable as the night was, and slow as the hours seemed to drag along,
they at last passed away. We had no further visits from the bears, nor
were we otherwise disturbed. When daylight came, there was nothing in
the prospect to cheer our hearts. On one side there was a sheet of ice
covered with snow, with high rocky cliffs beyond; and, on the other, the
wide expanse of ocean, still tossing and foaming with the fierce storm
which raged over it.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

Our companions slept on, and, while they happily were able to forget the
hardships and dangers which were in store for them, we could not find it
in our hearts to awake them. At last, one after the other, they awoke.
As they did so, they went and looked out at the dreary prospect I have
described, and then re