by G. A. Henty
"We are foul of the ice!" shouted the mate, rushing forward.
"What!" roared the captain. "Where's that rascally lookout? Down withhelm! The sea is full of loose ice."
For the rest of the day the _Dart_ was dodging through hummocks of ice,which looked as if a floe had been broken up by a storm.
When Bob came on deck for his watch at midnight, it was intensely dark.
A thin scud shut out the light of the stars and moon.
He was joined by Jack, for the two lads usually kept watch together.
"I am afraid we are in a tight fix," said the latter. "I doubt if weshall ever again find our way home."
"Never say die," cried our hero. "But look! What's that yonder?"
The two chums peered into the darkness ahead.
"I think there is a blacker spot than the rest over the starboard bow,"said Bob, after a while.
"There are some blue signal-lights here. I'll ignite one," suggestedJack.
Retiring under shelter of the companionway he struck a light and ignitedthe blue fire.
Clambering on to the bulwarks, and holding on to the forestay with onehand, he held it above his head.
Right in front of them loomed two bergs, not a quarter of a mile apart,the sea dashing in spray along their sides.
There was not a moment for hesitation.
"Port your helm!" sang out our hero. "Keep her so!" he added, as he sawthe bows of the schooner point for the narrow passage.
Jack lit another blue light, and thumped on the deck to wake thosebelow.
In half a minute Captain Sumner and the mate were beside them.
"The bergs are closing in on us," said the captain quietly. "Go to yourhelm, Bok; it will be safer."
The bergs were more than a mile long, and the vessel, under easy sail,was not making more than six knots an hour.
"Here, gentlemen, take the halyards, and rouse up the topgallant sails.I won't trust the crew on deck till the last minute."
With the assistance of the man Bob had relieved at the wheel, they soonhad the topgallant sails, which had been furled, chock-a-block.
"It will be a narrow squeak," muttered the captain, as he glanced at theicebergs, whose tops seemed quite close, though the bases were yet somedistance from the schooner.
"Is there any hope?" whispered a soft voice in our hero's ear.
"I trust so, Miss Viola," he answered. "See! yonder is the end of theice mountain on the starboard bow."
"But how close they are!"
"They look closer than they are in reality," he replied.
All the time he was wondering if their end had really come.
Suppose the wind were to fail!
Fortunately for them, however, caught between the two bergs, it ratherincreased in force than diminished.
The icy tops seemed now ready to topple down on the deck.
The waves, running up the sides of the bergs, lifted the vessel on theirswell as they rebounded.
Fifty yards on either side towered the glittering mountains.
Thirty yards, twenty yards! and the salt spray of the billows, whichdashed on the icy cliffs, fell on deck.
Viola's hand was clasped in Bob's, and our hero felt some relief infacing death with her and his mother.
"Call your comrades," cried Captain Sumner to the sailor. "Give them achance for life. Come, Mrs. Cromwell, Viola, Bob, Jack--all of you.Prepare to jump for the ice, when we strike! It's our only hope!"
Chapter IV.--The Escape From The Icebergs.
To Captain Sumner it looked as if the _Dart_ would surely be crushed.
"Be prepared to jump!" he sang out again.
But even as he spoke a strong gust filled the yacht's topsails.
She plunged forward.
The starboard berg was left behind, and the sea on that bow was open.
Bok instantly shifted the helm.
The _Dart's_ head fell away from the danger on the port bow.
A few minutes passed.
Then, with a crash as if an earthquake had riven a mountain chain, thetwo bergs met.
Our hero, who, with the others, was watching with breathless interest,saw them rebound.
Huge blocks and pinnacles of ice, thousands of tons in weight, fell intothe gap between them.
Before these could rise to the surface the ice mountains had againcollided.
A crunching, rending sound struck the ears of our friends, as the twomonsters ground their sides against one another.
The rugged summits fell into the sea, and formed smaller bergs.
The yacht was lifted on to the top of the giant waves caused by theconcussion, then sank into the hollow, only to be caught up again by thestill higher swell.
But the danger was over!
After escaping so narrowly being crushed the _Dart_ found the sea freefrom ice, and made good way to the southward.
However, about eight bells on the following day, a gale sprang up fromthe northeast, which drove down the eastern floe in dangerous proximity.
The waves rose, and sheets of spray flew ever the fast-driven schooner.
It was so cold that, in spite of all the warm clothing they could findon board, all hands felt numbed.
"Land ahead!" was an appalling cry which rang out suddenly.
Captain Sumner himself hurried forward.
A rough, rocky island, the waves dashing in foam against its low cliffs,was discerned through the flying spray.
Already the edge of the eastern floe was crushing itself to piecesagainst the projecting reefs.
On the right, or western side, was a lane of broken water.
To venture into it was very dangerous, but seemed their only chance.
Bok and another sailor were at the wheel.
Over it went, strained down by their united strength, and the _Dart_dashed through the breaking water.
The western side of the island was about a mile long.
Twice, by porting the helm, the little vessel escaped clear of rocks,over which the water spurted.
As she approached the southern end of the isle, Bok, who had been sentinto the foretop, shouted that again there was land ahead, and that thepassage between was full of ice.
The captain ascended the shrouds himself, halfway to the top.
"It's like a cauldron," he exclaimed on descending. "No ship, exceptperhaps a very powerful steam whaler, could live in it.
"There is only one chance for us," he continued. "We must get undershelter of this island."
As the south coast line opened, the helm was put down, and the vesselwas hove to under a high cliff and jutting cape, which protected herfrom the rush of the ice-laden current.
Both anchors were at once let go.
Fortunately they found good holding ground.
All the rest of that day, and till dawn the next, did the gale rage; butas the short night passed, the wind sank, and by midday it was but abreeze.
The current running between the islands soon swept the ice away.
But before trusting himself in these strange waters the captaindetermined to send a boat across to the greater island, on which rose arugged hill of considerable height.
Both Mrs. Cromwell and Viola begged for a run on shore, so the largerboat was manned by Bok and three seamen, Bob and Jack each taking anoar, while the captain and the women occupied the stern-sheets.
Chapter V.--The Arctic Island.
Once on the island, it was seen that the hill rose on its southernmostpoint.
The ground was rocky, and covered with deep patches of snow in shelteredplaces.
"I don't like the look of that," observed the captain. "That is thisyear's snow. Once the frost sets in we are done."
Finding it hard work to traverse the direct route, they made for thewestern shore.
Here, though they had to clamber over hillocks and steep rocks, they gotalong quicker.
Suddenly Bok, who was in front, uttered a shout.
On the others hastening up they saw the
cause of his astonishment.
Beached in a little bay, with her topmasts gone and the hulk lying overon the port side, was a brig.
The water only washed her rudder-case, and the captain noticed, to hisdismay, a thin coating of ice fringing the shore of the inlet.
Not a sign of life was to be seen.
"We must examine her before we do anything else," exclaimed Bob.
Captain Sumner looked at his watch.
"We can spare an hour," he said, "but not more."
There was a rush down the steep rocks on to the sand.
Arriving alongside, for some time they could find no means of climbingon board, till our hero found a rope hanging from the port-bow, which,on being pulled, seemed strong and firm.
As soon as he, the captain, Bok, and one of the men were on deck, whichsloped acutely, Bob called to the ladies to say that he would fetch achair, or something to serve as one, and hoist them up.
To their surprise the companionway was not blocked with ice and thedoorway was shut.
It opened easily, and our hero was the first to descend.
An extraordinary scene presented itself to his eyes directly they gotaccustomed to the gloom.
Seated at a table, some upright, others with their heads sunk in theirfolded arms, which rested on the table, were the shrunken bodies of adozen or more men.
So life-like were they that not until he had summoned up courage totouch one did Bob believe them dead.
Some empty bottles, and a cup or two, stood on the table.
They might have dropped to sleep after a carouse.
If they had it was the sleep of death.
Remembering his promise, Bob looked around for a chair.
Not seeing one unoccupied, he was obliged to lift up one of the bodiesand lay it on a locker.
Within another locker was found a length of stout rope, which seemeduninjured, and, accompanied by Bok, he repaired on deck and hastened tothe side.
The chair was soon rigged, and Mrs. Cromwell and Viola were hauled onboard.
To prepare them for the ghastly sight, our hero told them and Jack whatthey would see.
Opening a door at the bulkhead, Captain Sumner, closely followed by thetwo lads and the others, stepped into a narrow passage, which had berthson each side.
Passing through a second door they came into a square room, in which wasbuilt a clay and stone fireplace.
The captain stopped short.
A fire smoldered on the hearth.
"Hullo!" cried the captain. "Someone still lives!"
"Yonder lies the body of a man!" exclaimed Viola, who had crept to Bob'sside and taken his arm between her hands.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered. "We must be glad that we have arrivedin time, if indeed we have."
The captain and Bob advanced to the prostrate man's side.
He was lying on a rug of seals' skins, with another pulled over him,under which was a blanket.
"He lives!" cried the captain, placing his hand over the heart of theunconscious man.
After a minute a faint color mantled his white cheek and he heaved along sigh.
Presently the eyelids trembled, and a moment later he opened them.
They rested on the captain, who was stooping over him.
A look of surprise came into them, but they almost immediately closedagain.
A dose of hot brandy was given.
This time he recovered considerably, and looked round him inquiringly.
"You will do now, my man," cried the captain encouragingly. "Try himwith the food," he added.
Mrs. Cromwell brought the roughly minced meat and soddened bread andplaced a spoonful in the sufferer's mouth.
He swallowed it eagerly.
After he had taken some half-dozen spoonfuls he turned his head on thepillow and fell asleep.
"He will be all right now," whispered the captain. "But someone muststay with him while we ransack the ship."
A second door led forward, and, leaving the watchers, the rest of theparty passed through it.
Forward was found a number of great casks, such as are used to receivethe blubber cut from the whale.
"She is a whaler, evidently," exclaimed the captain.
In the forecastle there was nothing except some hammocks and a chest ortwo.
"We can get warmer clothing than what we possess, anyhow," remarked thecaptain. "Now, what's the best thing to do?"
"We can carry the man back in a hammock," suggested one. "I doubt it,"replied the captain. "What I propose is that some of us stay the nightwith him, and we will return in the morning, by which time he will bemuch stronger."
On their return to the square room, Bob and Jack volunteered to remain.
This done, Bok was delegated to bring them some supper.
On arriving Bok first fastened to the rope the package he had brought,which was drawn on board, and then the rope was lowered again.
"Be jabers! but it's cold, it is," he cried. "If I might be so bold, Iwould jist suggest that we should go down below. How is the dead man?"
"He isn't dead yet," replied Bob, laughing. "But he is sleeping still. Ihope you have brought something good for him."
"Good, is it? There's a tin of soup, and another of salmon, besides apiece of seal, that Leeks shot while we were away.
"Then there is a bottle of wine--that's for yerselves and the sickman--and half a bottle of good rum, which I hope I may have my share in.
"Faith, there is enough to make us as merry and comfortable as if wewere waking the dead man below there."
Chapter VI.--The Madman.
Taking the things with them, they hastily descended the companionway.
It was not without a shudder that they passed the many bodies.
As they were preparing supper they noticed the sick man stirring.
"Who are you?" he suddenly muttered.
"We are Americans, like yourself," replied Bob. "Here, have something toeat?"
The man's eyes glistened.
"Give it me--quick!" he exclaimed, in a hoarse voice.
Jack, who had warmed some of the soup, brought it in a basin he hadfound, with a spoon and a piece of bread.
Bob took it from him and fed the invalid slowly.
"More," cried the latter, when it was finished.
"Not yet," replied our hero. "Have a doze, and you shall have as much asyou want next time."
Giving him a glass of wine, they left him, and in a few minutes hisregular breathing showed that he slept again.
By this time the joint of seal was roasted, and the little party ofthree sat down together.
"What can that noise come from?" exclaimed our hero, as he stayed hisfork halfway to his mouth to listen.
"I heard it once or twice before," returned Jack, "but thought it rats."
"Faith, but I hope there's no ghosts here," cried Bok. "Heaven standbetween us and harm."
"Bah! don't be foolish. It's rats, sure enough."
It was not long after this that the sick man sat up to partake of morefood.
This done, he told his story.
He said he belonged to the whaler, _Cross of Gold_, which had beencaught in a large icepack.
"This pack we attempted to cross," continued the sailor, "by draggingour boats over rollers we had brought with us.
"On the third day, however, a snow-storm set in, and continued forhours.
"Knowing as how time was valuable, after a rest, we tried to make ourway through the drifting snow.
"But, after toiling for a long while, we found ourselves back where westarted from.
"The captain, I and one or two others wanted to try again, but the restoutvoted us.
"We, therefore, tried to turn the pack by coasting along it, but,although we ran over a hundred miles along its edge, in a westerlydirection, never a lead did we come across which offered any hopes ofgetting through.
"At length we came to the end, where it was joined on to another pack,which extended to the so
uth.
"This we ran along till we saw high land before us.
"But all the shore was a rampart of old ice, so that it was next toimpossible to approach.
"However, we killed quantities of seals and saw many whales floating inthe open water.
"We then determined to make once more for the brig and start anew,taking an easterly route.
"But our luck was out. We lost many days in finding these islands, andwhen we did get back to them, hardly had we got on board than theweather broke up.
"For days the snow was driven in whirling clouds all around us.
"The decks were covered feet deep.
"It was impossible to get out in search of food, and we were almoststarved.
"At length the weather cleared up, and we, with difficulty, forced ourway on deck.
"The whole view was changed.
"A sharp frost had set in, and bound the snow-covered country with ironbands.
"Fresh ice had formed round the brig.
"I don't want to tell of the horrors of that winter.
"Some of us were mad, I guess."
"But what of the men frozen to death in the cabin?" asked Bob.
"Well, sir, we had built this kitchen, and the fireplace, and most of usin an evening would sit here and smoke.
"But dinner and supper was mostly taken in the cabin, where the bigtable was.