day confirmed me in the
thought that I was hopelessly in this man's grip, the victim of his
mercy, or his rigour; that none would know of my end when that end
should come; no man say "God help you!" when at last the fellow should
show his teeth. Such dire communings robbed me of my sleep at night;
led me to books whose pages passed blurred before me; made me start at
every rap upon the cabin door; brought me to fear death even in the
very food I ate. Yet during the week I was a prisoner on the ship no
harm of any sort befell me. I was treated with the hospitality of a
great mansion, served with all I asked, unmolested save for the
doctor's threat.

And so the time passed, the weather growing colder day by day, the
bergs more frequent about my windows; until on the evening of the
seventh day the ship stopped suddenly, and I heard the anchor let go.
This was late in the watch, at the time when I was in the habit of
going to bed; but hearing great movement and business on the deck I sat
still, waiting for what should come; and after the lapse of an hour or
more I found that we were moving very slowly again, and with but
occasional movements of the screw. I opened my port, and could hear
loud shoutings from above, and although there was no light of the moon,
I could see enough to conclude that we were passing by a great wall of
rock, and so into some harbour or basin.

The work of mooring the ship was not a long one when once we had come
to a stand. When all was done the noise ceased, and no one coming to me
I went to bed as usual. On the next morning I got up at daybreak, and
looked eagerly from my spying place; but I could discern only a blank
cliff of rock, the ship being now moored against the very side of it.
The negro came to me at the usual hour, but he brought a note with my
breakfast; and I read an invitation to dine with Captain Black at eight
o'clock on that evening. You may be sure that I welcomed even such a
prospect of change, for the monotony of the cabin prison had become
nigh unbearable; and when at a quarter to eight that evening the old
man threw open the door and said, "The Master waits!" I went with him
almost joyfully, even though the next step might have been to my open
grave.

He led the way up the companion ladder, which was, in fact, a broad
staircase, elaborately lit with the electric light; and so brought me
to the deck, where there was darkness save in one spot above the
fore-turret. There