drawn up around him on a flat spot a
little to the left of the _Halbrane_. In that place the following were
assembled:--on the seniors' side: Martin Holt and Hardy, Rogers,
Francis, Gratian, Bury, Stern, the cook (Endicott), and I may add
Dirk Peters; on the side of the new-comers, Hearne and the thirteen
other Falkland sailors. The latter composed a distinct group; the
sealing-master was their spokesman and exercised a baneful influence
over them.

Captain Len Guy cast a stern glance upon the men and said in a sharp
tone:

"Sailors of the _Halbrane_, I must first speak to you of our lost
companions. Five of us have just perished in this catastrophe."

"We are waiting to perish in our turn, in these seas, where we
have been dragged in spite of--"

"Be silent, Hearne," cried West, pale with anger, "or if
not--"

"Hearne has said what he had to say," Captain Len Guy continued,
coldly. "Now it is said, and I advise him not to interrupt me a
second time!"

The sealing-master might possibly have ventured on an answer, for he
felt that he was backed by the majority of the crew; but Martin Holt
held him back, and he was silent.

Captain Len Guy then took off his hat and pronounced the following
words with an emotion that affected us to the bottom of our hearts:--

"We must pray for those who have died in this dangerous voyage,
which was undertaken in the name of humanity. May God be pleased to
take into consideration the fact that they devoted their lives to
their fellow-creatures, and may He not be insensible to our prayers!
Kneel down, sailors of the _Halbrane_!"

They all knelt down on the icy surface, and the murmurs of prayer
ascended towards heaven.

We waited for Captain Len Guy to rise before we did so.

"Now," he resumed, "after those who are dead come those who
have survived. To them I say that they must obey me, whatever my
orders may be, and even in our present situation I shall not
tolerate any hesitation or opposition. The responsibility for the
general safety is mine, and I will not yield any of it to anyone. I
am master here, as on board--"

"On board--when there is no longer a ship," muttered the
sealing-master.

"You are mistaken, Hearne, the vessel is there, and we will put it
back into the sea. Besides, if we had only a boat, I am the captain
of it. Let him beware who forgets this!"

That day, Captain Len Guy, having taken the height of the sun by the
sextant and fixed the hour by the c