wn a reef in the mainsail. That accomplished, he
went below and brought out a well-worn chart. The _Selache_ drove away
to the westwards over a white-flecked sea. This time she carried fresh
southerly breezes with her most of the way across the Pacific, and
plunged along hove down under the last piece of canvas they dared to set
upon her until at last they ran into the fog close in to the Kamtchatkan
beaches. Then the wind dropped, and they were baffled by light and
fitful breezes, while it became evident that there was ice about.

The day they saw the first big mass of ice gleaming broad across their
course on a raw green sea, Dampier got an observation, and they held a
brief council in the little cabin that evening. The schooner was hove to
then, and lay rolling with banging blocks and thrashing canvas on a
sluggish heave of sea.

"Thirty miles off shore," announced Dampier. "If it had been clear
enough we'd have seen the top of the big range quite a way further out
to sea. Now, it's drift ice ahead of us, but it's quite likely there's a
solid block along the beach. Winter holds on a long while in this
country. I guess you're for pushing on as fast as you can?"

Wyllard nodded. "Of course," he said, "you'll look for an opening, and
work her in as far as possible. Then, if it's necessary, Charly and I
and another man will take the sled and head for the beach across the
ice. If there's a lane anywhere I would, however, probably take the
smallest boat. We might haul her a league or two, anyway, on the sled if
the ice wasn't very rough."

He looked at Charly, who acquiesced.

"Well," Charly observed simply, "I guess I'll have to see you through.
Now we've made a sled for her I'd take the boat, anyway. We're quite
likely to strike a big streak of water when the ice is breaking up."

"There's one other course," declared Dampier; "the sensible one, and
that's to wait until it has gone altogether. Seems to me I ought to
mention it, though it's not likely to appeal to you."

Wyllard laughed. "From all appearances we might wait a month. I don't
want to stay up here any longer than is strictly necessary."

"You'll head north?"

"That's my intention."

"Then," said Dampier, pointing to the chart before them, "as you should
make the beach in the next day or two I'll head for the inlet here. As
it's not very far you won't have to pack so many provisions along, and
I'll give you, say, three weeks to turn up in. If you don