royed, it appears to me certain that we shall be delayed. In that
case we can not reach Behring's Straits during the summer, which is the
only season when it is practicable to navigate the polar sea!"

"That is also the conclusion which I formed some time ago," declared Mr.
Bredejord: "but I kept it to myself, as I did not wish to dampen your
hopes, my dear boy. But I am sure that we must give up the idea of
reaching Behring's Strait in three months!"

"That is also my opinion," said the doctor.

Mr. Malarius on his part indicated by a motion of his head that he
agreed with them all.

"Well!" said Erik, "having settled that point, what line of conduct now
remains for us to adopt?"

"There is one right course which it is our duty to take," answered Mr.
Bredejord, "it is to renounce an enterprise which we see clearly is
impracticable and return to Stockholm. You understand this fact, my
child, and I congratulate you upon being able to look the situation
calmly in the face!"

"You pay me a compliment which I can not accept," said Erik smiling,
"for I do not merit it. No--I have no thoughts of abandoning the
expedition, for I am far from regarding it as impracticable. I only
think that it is best for us all to baffle the machinations of that
scoundrel who is lying in wait for us, and the first thing to do is to
change our route."

"Such a change would only complicate our difficulties," replied the
doctor, "since we have adopted the shortest one. If it would be
difficult to reach Behring's Straits by the Mediterranean and the Suez
Canal, it would be impossible by the Cape of Good Hope, or Cape Horn,
for either of these routes would necessarily take five or six months."

"There is another way which would shorten our voyage, instead of
lengthening it, and where we would be sure not to meet Tudor Brown,"
said Erik.

"Another way?" answered Dr. Schwaryencrona; "upon my word I do not know
of any unless you are thinking of the way of Panama. But it is not yet
practicable for vessels, and it will not be yet for several years."

"I am not thinking of Panama, nor of Cape Horn, nor of the Cape of Good
Hope," answered the young captain of the "Alaska." "The route I propose
is the only one by which we can reach Behring's Strait in three months:
it is to go by way of the Arctic Ocean, the north-west passage."

Then seeing that his friends were stupefied by this unexpected
announcement, Erik proceeded to develop his plans.