would have
been difficult to make a circuit which would enable them to continue
Mr. Marcy's plan of a canal along the level ice. Far beyond them, to the
south, ice hills and ice mountains were scattered here and there.

Suddenly Mr. Gibbs gave a shout of surprise.

"I have been here before," said he.

"Of course you have," replied Mr. Marcy. "This is Lake Shiver. Don't you
see, away over there on the other side of the open water below us, that
little dark spot in the icy wall? That is the frozen polar bear. Take
your glass and see if it isn't."

CHAPTER XIX. THE ICY GATEWAY

When Mr. Gibbs and his party returned to the Dipsey, after descending
the iceberg, their report created a lively sensation.

"Why, it's like goin' home," said Mrs. Block. "Perhaps I may find my
shoes."

It was not a very strange thing that they should have again met with
this little ice-locked lake, for they had endeavored to return by a
route as directly south as the other had been directly north. But no one
had expected to see the lake again, and they were not only surprised,
but pleased and encouraged. Here was a spot where they knew the water
was deep enough for perfectly safe submarine navigation, and if they
could start here under the ice they would feel quite sure that they
would meet with no obstacles on the rest of their voyage.

As there was no possible entrance to this lake from the point where the
Dipsey now lay at the end of her canal, Sammy proposed that they should
make a descent into the water at the place where they were, if, after
making soundings, they should find the depth sufficient. Then they might
proceed southward as well as if they should start from Lake Shiver.

But this did not suit Mr. Gibbs. He had a very strong desire to reach
the waters of the little lake, because he knew that at their bottom lay
the telegraphic cable which he had been obliged to abandon, and he
had thought he might be able to raise this cable and re-establish
telegraphic communication with Cape Tariff and New Jersey.

Sammy thought that Mr. Gibbs's desire could be accomplished by sinking
into the water in which they now lay and sailing under the icebergs to
the lake, but Mr. Gibbs did not favor this. He was afraid to go under
the icebergs. To be sure, they had already sailed under one of them when
the Dipsey had made her way northward from the lake, but they had found
that the depth of water varied very much in different places, and