they cried, as they levelled their poles to meet
the charge of a great block which was coming on to them.

The concussion staggered them a little, but the mass of ice was turned
aside, and they had a few minutes' respite.

"What an awful storm!" said Steve.

"Yes, sir, it was. The worst we were ever in," replied Johannes; "but
it's brought us close up to a grand land for hunting."

"What, that land over yonder?" cried Steve, pointing.

"Yes, sir. It's many years since any one reached that land, if it ever
was reached, and we're thinking all of us that the walrus will be there
in herds."

"But did Mr Lowe tell you that was land yonder?"

"No, sir; we saw him pointing with his glass, and Jakobsen there has
wondrous eyes; he could see the tops of the mountains when he looked.
There's good coming out of evil, sir; and you'll see we shall load up
with oil when we get there."

"But do you really think we shall find the sea-horses there. I want to
see a walrus."

"We feel sure of it, sir, because they have been hunted and driven back
farther and farther every year of late; and we all felt that they must
have retired to somewhere farther north, and by a great stroke of good
fortune the ice has opened enough for us to get there."

"Then the storm was all for the best, Johannes?"

"Yes, sir, I hope so," said the man, joining another in sending off a
great block as he spoke.

"But I say," said Steve anxiously, "suppose we get frozen up there, and
can't get back."

"We don't talk like that, sir, at the beginning of summer out here,"
said the Norseman. "If it was September, it would be different. We've
got nearly three months for the ice to keep on melting and breaking up."

"Yes, I see, and a better chance for exploring and searching for the
_Ice Blink_!"

"Yes, sir, of course," said the man, with a slight change in his voice;
and Steve left them to go and talk to Andrew and Hamish, who were both
aft, the latter being at the wheel.

"They don't think we shall ever find the poor fellows," thought Steve
sadly. "I could see it in their looks when I spoke. But they can't
tell any more than I can; and, for all we know, they may be frozen-in,
waiting for the ice to break up. Yes; as it has broken up, so that we
may come across them at any time."

Just then he encountered the doctor in a heavy sheep-skin coat. He had
been in the cabin.

"Captain's sleeping like a top," said the doctor. "I've been to see.