Next day
everyone was busy making preparations. Tom Gregory agreed to write a
short play. Sam Baker, being the healthiest man on board, was willing
to act the part of an invalid old lady, and Jim Crofts consented to
become a gay young doctor for that occasion.

Meanwhile the captain arranged a piece of real work, for he felt that
the attempt to keep up the spirits alone would not do. They had been
for a long time living on salt provisions. Nothing could restore the
crew but fresh meat--yet fresh meat was not to be had. The walrus and
deer were gone, and although foxes and bears were still around them,
they had failed in all their attempts to shoot or trap any of these
animals. A visit to the Eskimo camp, therefore, (if such a camp really
existed), became necessary; so, while the theatricals were in
preparation, a small sledge was rigged up, Gregory and Sam Baker were
chosen to go with him; the dogs were harnessed, and, on a fine, starry
forenoon, away they went to the south at full gallop, with three hearty
cheers from the crew of the brig, who were left in charge of the first
mate.

The journey thus undertaken was one full of risk. It was not known how
far distant the natives might be, or where they were likely to be found.
The weather was intensely cold. Only a small quantity of preserved
meat could be taken--for the rest, they trusted in some measure to their
guns. But the captain's great hope was to reach the Eskimo village in a
day or two at the farthest. If he should fail to do so, the prospect of
himself and his crew surviving the remainder of the long winter was, he
felt, very gloomy indeed.

Success attended this expedition at the very beginning. They had only
been eight hours out when they met a bear sitting on its haunches behind
a hummock. "Hallo! look out!" cried Gregory, on catching sight of him.
"Fire, lads," said the captain, "I'm not quite ready." Gregory fired
and the bear staggered. Baker then fired and it fell!

This was a blessing which filled their hearts so full of thankfulness
that they actually shook hands with each other, and then gave vent to
three hearty cheers. Their next thoughts were given to their comrades
in the _Hope_.

"You and Baker will camp here, Tom," said the captain, "and I will
return to the brig with a sledge-load of the meat. When I've put it
aboard I'll come straight back to you. We'll keep a ham for ourselves,
of course. Now then, to work."

To wor