lved slowly in one direction and the current bore the vessel against
it in another; and as these sounds arose Steve felt a strange oppression
at the chest, and it ached where Johannes had seized him, and his
wrenched shoulder began to throb. For it was as if the ice was
stripping the planking of the ship from the timbers, and the boy
listened for the sound of rushing water making its way below. But on
going to the side and looking over, he could see the pieces of wood
which had been lowered down between the vessel's hull and the ice being
ground up and torn into fibres, while the ice kept splintering away from
the edge of the floe, where in the foggy gloom the fragments looked of a
dirty-white against the black, solid mass.

Steve tried to be calm and composed, but at such a time it was
impossible; and with the natural desire to find some one to whom he
could talk and with whom he could find companionship, he looked round to
see that the doctor had joined the mate, and that the captain was on the
bridge pacing anxiously to and fro and communicating with the engineer
from time to time.

He glanced at the sailors, and they all but one were waiting to obey the
instructions they received, and were ready with spars and ropes to lower
fresh material down! for the ice-floe to grind up against the vessel's
side.

The only man not busy was Andrew McByle, and Steve hurried to him.

"Think we shall get off safely, Andra?" he whispered, as a piece of one
of the spars gave forth a dismal, groaning sound which vibrated through
every nerve.

"No. She was thenking aboot my pipes, laddie. The skipper's certain to
mak' a fuss gin I tak' them wi' me in the boat."

"Then you think we shall have to take to the boats?" said Steve
excitedly.

"Ay, laddie; what else can we do? There's nae wint, not eneuch to turn
a weather-cock upon a kirk, and there's nae steam. Piff wi' all your
talk aboot the engines to use when there's nae wint! Where are they the
noo?"

"But they'll soon have the steam up now, Andra."

"I dinna believe it. She's fashed wi' your new-fangled rubbish; all
weel eneuch in fine weather, but when she want it the puir feckless
mairsheennary isn't there."

"But you can hear the fire roaring."

"Ay, she can hear the great flaming thing burning oop mair coal and mair
coal; but it isna fire we want, laddie, but steam."

"Yes, it is a long time," sighed Steve. "Do you think we must take to
the boats?"

"Ay,