th-west.

"But will not this take us quite out of our way?" said the doctor, as
they sat that day at dinner, with a lively sea playfully patting the
shining sides of the vessel as she glided rapidly onward.

"Which is our way?" said the captain, smiling.

"North, to find our friends."

"Exactly; but it does not matter whether we approach the north by the
north-east or north-west. It is all chance as to where they may have
wintered; and, as the wind is fair for the way north-west, let's take
it."

"And if we keep on in this direction, where shall we make?" said the
doctor.

"Greenland!" cried Steve; and the captain nodded. "Right," he said;
"and there is a possibility that they may have reached an island there,
which I have often thought I should like to see."

"Yes?"

"Jan Mayen, a place seldom visited. If the wind holds fair we'll make
for that, try to explore it as far as the ice will allow us, and then
sail north along the edge of the floe for Spitzbergen, without you can
suggest a better plan."

"I? No!" said the doctor.

"Can you, Lowe?" asked the captain of the mate, who had now joined them
after a good morning's sleep.

"No, sir. It's all chance work, this sailing to the north. We must
search where we can. It's of no use to say we'll go here or there; we
must go where the ice will let us."

"Exactly; and take what walrus and seal we can on the way. Have you
ever touched at Jan Mayen?"

"No, and never could get near enough to the island for fog and ice."

"But you've heard a good deal about the place?"

"Yes; I've heard that it's a land of high mountains, and that there's a
volcano at one end. Let's see, there's a kind of seal there, too, that
is very abundant; but the place is rarely touched at, being famous for
fogs, currents, and ice--all enemies to navigation."

"Well, we will see if we cannot have better luck, and try to get there
in fine weather," said Captain Marsham. "What do you say, doctor?"

"That it will be a treat to land there. Besides, we may find our
friends."

The doctor walked forward, and Steve followed, with the idea of landing
upon an unexplored coast growing in its fascination; and as the
naturalist leaned over the bows to peer down into the clear water, the
lad edged up alongside.

"Hullo, Steve! what are you thinking about?" saluted him.

"Volcanoes."

"Warm subject. Well, what about them?"

"I was wondering why it was that these burning mountains a