ght be in one hemisphere as well as in the other."

"It was, then, the mark of the obliteration--"

"_Marks_, if you please, Captain Gar'ner," interrupted the other,
significantly. "My uncle talked a good deal aboard of that brig about
other matters besides sealing. We think several matters have been
obliterated from the old chart, and we intend to look 'em all up. It's our
right, you know, seeing that the old man was Vineyard-born, and we are his
nearest of kin."

"Certainly"--rejoined Roswell, laughing again, but somewhat more faintly
than before. "Every man for him self in this world is a good maxim; it
being pretty certain if we do not take care of ourselves, no one will take
care of us."

"Yes, sir," said Stimson, who was standing near; "there is one to care for
every hair of our heads, however forgetful and careless we may be
ourselves. Wasn't it for this, Captain Gar'ner, there's many a craft that
comes into these seas that would never find its way out of 'em; and many a
bold sailor, with a heart boiling over with fun and frolic, that would be
frozen to an ice-cicle every year!"

Gardiner felt the justice of this remark, and easily pardoned its
familiarity for its truth. In these sealers the discipline is by no means
of that distant and military or naval character that is found in even an
ordinary merchantman. As every seaman has an interest in the result of the
voyage, some excuse was made for this departure from the more general
usage; and this familiarity itself never exceeded the bounds that were
necessary to the observance of duty.

"Ay, ay," returned Roswell, smiling--"in one sense you are right enough;
but Captain Daggett and myself were speaking of human affairs, as human
affairs are carried on.--Is not this inner field drifting fast away from
the outer, Daggett? If so, we shall go directly into the bay!"

It was as Gardiner thought. By some means that were not apparent, the
floes were now actually separating, and at a rate of movement which much
exceeded that of their junction. All idea of further danger from the outer
field disappeared, as a matter of course.

"It's so, Captain Gar'ner," said Stimson, respectfully, but with point;
"and who and what brought it about for our safety and the preservation of
this craft?--I just ventur' to ask that question, sir."

"It may be the hand of Providence, my good fellow; for I very frankly own
I can see no direct physical cause. Nevertheless, I fancy it wo