nsign Holt. "That's fit tipple for a gentleman." It
was evident, poor fellow, that he was as mad as ever. He did not,
however, refuse the water poured into his mouth, declaring as he drank
it that it was hock of the first quality. Not till all the others had
been served would the brave boatswain accept the water for himself. The
doctor then hurried back to get a fresh supply.

"We are truly glad to see you, Bollard," said Harry, "for we believed
that you had been overwhelmed by the iceberg."

"So we should have been, sir," was the answer, "but the moment we saw
the top of the berg beginning to move we shoved off, and pulled away to
the westward. We were not a moment too soon, however; for a mass of ice
rose right up out of the water, directly astern of us. Had we been a
moment later, it would have lifted the boat fifty feet in the air, and,
for what I know, sent us all flying over the top to the other side of
it."

Willy, who had hurried down to the cutter, looked anxiously for Peter
Patch. He was in the stern-sheets, his cheeks as pale as death, and his
eyes closed. A few drops of water poured down his throat revived him.
"Thank you, Dicey," he whispered, opening his eyes. "I thought it was
all up with me."

"You will be soon to rights, Mr Patch," said Bollard, looking kindly at
him. "He would not touch a drop of water himself," he added, turning to
the doctor, "but gave his share to those two little children crying out
for it."

"And you gave yours to their mothers," said Peter, "so you need not talk
of what I did."

"The youngster has got a heart after all, in spite of his nonsense,"
muttered the doctor; and Peter was a favourite of his ever afterwards.

It was indeed providential that the launch had arrived at the rock some
time before the other boat, and that the firewood and seals had been
procured, or probably many of the poor women and children on board her
would have perished, however the stronger men might have endured their
sufferings.

The doctor hurried back to his still, which he believed no one could
superintend so well as himself. It required, indeed, the greatest
attention, and three hands were constantly employed in filling up the
boiler and supplying the condenser with cold water. Though Harry was
anxious to continue the voyage, the doctor begged that they might remain
on the rock during the night, that he might the better keep his still at
work, and, at the same time, as there