came on them while they were slowly toiling through
the deep drifts that the late gale had raised, and to their horror they
found they had wandered out of their way, and were still but a short
distance from their snow-hut. In despair they returned to pass the night
in it, and spreading their frozen sleeping-bags on the snow, they lay
down, silent and supperless, to rest till morning.

CHAPTER XXIII.

_Unexpected arrivals--The rescue party--Lost and found--Return to the
ship._

The sixth night after the hunting-party had left the ship, Grim and Fred
Ellice suddenly made their appearance on board. It was quite dark, and
the few of the ship's company who were able to quit their berths were
seated round the cabin at their meagre evening meal.

"Hallo, Fred!" exclaimed Captain Ellice, as his son staggered rather
than walked in and sank down on a locker. "What's wrong, boy? where are
the rest of you?"

Fred could not answer; neither he nor Grim was able to utter a word at
first. It was evident that they laboured under extreme exhaustion and
hunger. A mouthful of hot soup administered by Tom Singleton rallied
them a little, however.

"Our comrades are lost, I fear."

"Lost!" exclaimed Captain Guy. "How so? Speak, my boy; but hold, take
another mouthful before you speak. Where did you leave them, say you?"

Fred looked at the captain with a vacant stare. "Out upon the ice to
the north; but, I say, what a comical dream I've had!" Here he burst
into a loud laugh. Poor Fred's head was evidently affected, so his
father and Tom carried him to his berth.

All this time Grim had remained seated on a locker swaying to and fro
like a drunken man, and paying no attention to the numerous questions
that were put to him by Saunders and his comrades.

"This is bad!" exclaimed Captain Guy, pressing his hand on his forehead.

"A search must be made," suggested Captain Ellice. "It's evident that
the party have broken down out on the floes, and Fred and Grim have been
sent to let us know."

"I know it," answered Captain Guy. "A search must be made, and that
instantly, if it is to be of any use; but in which direction are we to
go is the question. These poor fellows cannot tell us. 'Out on the ice
to the north' is a wide word.--Fred, Fred, can you not tell us in which
direction we ought to go to search for them?"

"Yes, far out on the floes--among hummocks--far out," murmured Fred,
half unconsciously.

"We must be satisfie