those who were wont to laugh at danger might have been seen blanched
with terror.

Again and again the ship struck, as she scraped by the berg. It seemed
wonderful, indeed, to those ignorant of the cause, that she should
continue to move forward, and be driven ever and anon actually away from
the ice. This was caused by the undertow, which prevented her from
being thrown bodily on to the berg. Not a word was spoken, not an order
issued, for all that could be done had been done. All were aware,
however, that, even should she scrape clear of the berg, the blows her
sides were receiving might at any moment rip them open, and send her
helplessly to the bottom of the cold ocean.

The voyager on such an occasion may well exclaim, "Vain is the help of
man!"

Harry, with the second-lieutenant, had gone for'ard among the men
stationed on the forecastle, all eagerly looking out in the hopes of
seeing the extreme end of the berg. Suddenly the white wall seemed to
terminate, the ship glided freely forward, rising to the sea, which came
rolling in from the north-west.

"Sound the well, Mr Chisel," said the commander to the carpenter. All
on deck stood anxiously waiting his report.

The berg appeared on the quarter, gradually becoming less and less
distinct, till what seemed like a thin white mist alone was seen, which
soon melted away altogether in the thick darkness. Still all well knew
that other bergs might be in the neighbourhood, and a similar danger
might have to be encountered.

The officers paced the deck, looking out anxiously, and those who, while
the danger lasted, had not felt the cold, hurried below to finish
dressing as best they could, or buttoned up their flushing coats, and
wrapped comforters round their necks.

Colonel Morley returned to the cabin to tell his wife and daughters that
the danger had passed. He found them pale and anxious, but neither
trembling nor fainting. The two girls were seated on each side of their
mother, holding her hands. They had been fully aware of the danger in
which the ship had been placed, and they had together been offering up
their prayers for their own safety and for that of all on board.

Peter Patch, finding himself near Willy, whispered that he should like
to go and see how Ensign Holt had behaved himself. He would have found
the ensign seated on the deck of his cabin with his bed-clothes pulled
over his head, much too alarmed to think, or to utter any sounds