frozen or starved to death. I don't tell
you these things to frighten you, but that you may learn to put your
trust in God. The person who truly trusts Him is never frightened. It
is a blessed thing to know that He cares for us."

Archy was unable to make any reply; but the old man's words were not
forgotten.

The next day many more icebergs were seen, and as the ship passed near
some of them, Archy could not help dreading that they might topple over
and carry her and all on board to the bottom.

In a short time the ship made the ice. As far as the eye could reach,
the whole ocean was covered with broken sheets of ice,--some several
miles in extent, others of smaller size, which the seamen called
floes,--huge icebergs towering up among them. The ship sailed along the
edge of a large floe for some distance, till an opening appearing, her
head was pointed towards it. She entered and sailed onwards for a
considerable distance, the water being as smooth as in the most
sheltered harbour. The captain, or an officer, was continually
stationed in the crow's-nest to look out for the widest openings. Into
these she forced her way, now and then being impeded by pieces of ice,
against which her bow was driven to turn them aside. At length, after
running through a narrow passage, her further progress was stopped by a
sheet of ice through which she could not force her way, while beyond the
water appeared perfectly open. The sails were furled; the ice-saws got
out, and the crew commenced sawing out large blocks, so as to form a
passage towards the open water. The work was very laborious; for, in
addition to the operation of sawing, each block had to be towed out into
the wider channel. At length a canal was formed, and the ship glided
through it. Once more the sails were set and she steered to the
northward. Again, however, she had to encounter similar obstructions.
Still the captain pushed on, eager to get to a part of the bay where
whales were plentiful. Generally there was a breeze, and she made good
progress through the open water, but sometimes she lay becalmed, with
her sails hanging against the masts. All the time a sharp look out was
kept for whales, but hitherto, although a few had been seen, the wary
monsters had escaped the harpoons of their pursuers.

At that season, in those northern regions, when the sun but just sinks
below the horizon ere it rises again, night and day are much alike.

Archy, with