cleared. When he runs in again it's
quite likely that he'll find the boat and an oar or two. Seems to me
that's going to worry him considerable."

Wyllard, drowsy as he was getting, agreed with this view of the matter.
He realised that it would have been quite impossible for Dampier to
have sent them any assistance, and it was merely a question whether
they should retrace their steps to the edge of the ice next morning and
make him some signal. Against this there was the strong probability
that he would not run in if the gale and snow continued, and the fact
that it was desirable to make the beach as soon as possible in case the
ice broke up before they reached it. What was rather more to the
purpose, he was quietly determined on pushing on.

"It can't be helped," he said simply. "We'll start for the beach as
soon as it's daylight."

Charly made no answer, and the brawny, dark-skinned Siwash, who spoke
English reasonably well, only grunted. Unless it seemed necessary, he
seldom said anything at all. Bred to the sea, and living on the seal
and salmon, as he had done, an additional hazard or two or an extra
strain on his tough body did not count for much with him. He had been
accustomed to sleep wet through with icy water, and crouch for hours
with numbed hands clenched on the steering-paddle while the long sea
canoe scudded furiously over the big combers before bitter gale or
driving snow. Wyllard, who rolled over, pulled a wet sleeping-bag
across him, and after that there was silence in the little rocking tent.

In the meanwhile, Charly's deductions had been proved correct, for when
the breeze freshened Dampier climbed into the shrouds. He had noticed
the ominous blackness to windward, and knew what it meant, which was
why he had hauled a reef in the schooner's mainsail down, and now kept
her out a little from the ice. As the light faded he found it very
difficult to see the boat against the white wash of the seas that
recoiled from the ice, but when the snow was whirling about him he
decided that she was in some peril unless her crew could pull her round
the point. It was evident that this would be a difficult matter,
though he had only an occasional glimpse of her now. He waved an arm
to the helmsman, who understood that he was to run the schooner in;
there was a rattle of blocks as the booms swung out, and as the
_Selache_ sped away before the rapidly freshening breeze it seemed to
Dampier that he s