stronger--numerous icebergs appeared ahead--in a short time the ship was
surrounded by them. Now one was passed by, now another. It seemed
often as if no power could save her from being dashed against their
precipitous sides. Perhaps the captain expected the gale to moderate,
if so, he was mistaken. It soon blew fiercer than ever. At length the
ship got under the lee of a large berg, which towered up a hundred feet
or more above the mast-heads. The sails were furled--the boats carried
out ice anchors and made them fast to the foot of the berg. There the
ship rode, sheltered from the gale, in smooth water, while the wind
howled and roared, and the sea, hissing and foaming, dashed with fury
against the bergs, which were observed at a distance on either side.

Archy recollected the account Max had given him some time before of
icebergs suddenly overturning, and as he looked up at the frozen
mountain above him, he could not help thinking what their fate might be,
should the gale, which blew on the other side, force the berg over.
Still he had not learned to put his trust in God. Fear made his heart
sink within him, but he dared not contemplate the future. All he could
say to himself was, "I hope it will not. How dreadful it would be.
What would become of us!" He had no one to whom he could go for
consolation. Max, he knew, would only laugh at him and call him a
coward. He wished that Old Andrew would speak to him, but he was on
duty on deck, and had the ship to attend to.

Several hours passed by, still the gale did not abate. Archy thought
the captain and officers looked more serious than usual. Several of
them turned their eyes ever and anon towards the summit of the berg. At
length the chief mate came forward. He had just reached the forecastle,
when a small piece of ice, the size of a bullet it seemed, fell
splashing into the water just ahead of the ship. Another and another
followed. With a startling cry, the captain shouted, "Cut the hawser,
loose the jib and fore-staysail, hands aloft for your lives lads." The
head sails were hoisted, the fore-topsail sheeted home. The ship,
coming round, shot away from the berg. The after sails were speedily
loosed. In another instant, with a crashing thundering noise, down came
vast masses of ice, falling into the water, with loud splashes, close
astern, while numerous smaller pieces fell with fearful force on deck.
Happily no one was struck, but a piece wen