errupted march of eighteen hours without food or drink.

It was touching to see the tears of joy and gratitude that filled the
eyes of the poor fellows, who had given themselves up for lost, as they
watched the movements of their comrades while they prepared food for
them; and the broken, fitful conversation was mingled strangely with
alternate touches of fun and deep feeling, indicating the conflicting
emotions that struggled in their breasts.

"I knowed ye would come, captain; bless you, sir," said Amos Parr, in an
unsteady voice.

"Come! Av coorse ye knowed it," cried O'Riley energetically. "Och, but
don't be long wid the mate, darlints, me stummik's shut up intirely."

"There won't be room for us all here, I'm afraid," remarked Bolton.

This was true. The hut was constructed to hold six, and it was
impossible that ten could _sleep_ in it, although they managed to
squeeze in.

"Never mind that," cried the captain. "Here, take a drop of soup;
gently, not too much at a time."

"Ah, then, it's cruel of ye, it is, to give me sich a small taste."

It was necessary, however, to give men in their condition a "small
taste" at first, so O'Riley had to rest content. Meanwhile, the rescue
party supped heartily, and after a little more food had been
administered to the half-starved men, preparations were made for
spending the night. The tent was pitched, and the sleeping-bags spread
out on the snow. Then Captain Guy offered up fervent thanks to God for
his protection thus far, and prayed shortly but earnestly for
deliverance from their dangerous situation; after which they all lay
down and slept soundly till morning--or at least as soundly as could be
expected with a temperature at 55 deg. below zero.

Next morning they prepared to set out on their return to the ship. But
this was no easy task. The exhausted men had to be wrapped up carefully
in their blankets, which were sewed closely round their limbs, then
packed in their sleeping-bags and covered completely up, only a small
hole being left opposite their mouths to breathe through, and after that
they were lashed side by side on the small sledge. The larger sledge,
with the muskets, ammunition, and spare blankets, had to be abandoned.
Then the rescue party put their shoulders to the tracking-belts, and
away they went briskly over the floes.

But the drag was a fearfully heavy one for men who, besides having
walked so long and so far on the previous day, were, most