humorous fancies of man are apt to be held in check.

The Captain's boat went rushing thus wildly onwards, still, fortunately,
in the right direction; and for some hours there was no decrease in the
force of the gale. Then, instead of abating, as might have been
expected, it suddenly increased to such an extent that speedy
destruction appeared to be inevitable.

"No sort o' craft could live long in _this_," muttered the Captain, as
if to himself rather than to his son, who sat with a firm expression on
his somewhat pale countenance, looking wistfully towards the northern
horizon. Perhaps he was wondering whether it was worth while to risk so
much for such an end. Suddenly he shaded his eyes with his hand and
gazed intently.

"Land!" he exclaimed in a low eager tone.

"Whereaway, boy? Ay, so there is something there. What say you,
Chingatok? Is it land?"

The giant, who, during all this time, had calmly plied a pair of oars
with strength equal almost to that of four men, looked over his shoulder
without, however, relaxing his efforts.

"No," he said, turning round again, "it is an ice-hill."

"A berg!" exclaimed the Captain. "We will make for it. Tie your
handkerchief, Benjy, to the end of an oar and hold it up. It will serve
as a guide to our comrades."

In a wonderfully short space of time the berg which Benjy had seen as a
mere speck on the horizon rose sharp, rugged, and white against the
black sky. It was a very large one--so large that it had no visible
motion, but seemed as firm as a rock, while the billows of the Arctic
Ocean broke in thunder on its glassy shore.

"We'll get shelter behind it, Ben, my boy," said the Captain, "hold the
oar well up, and don't let the rag clap round the blade. Shake it out
so. God grant that they may see it."

"Amen," ejaculated Benjy to the prayer with heartfelt intensity.

There was danger as well as safety in the near vicinity to this berg,
for many of its pinnacles seemed ready to fall, and there was always the
possibility of a mass being broken off under water, which might destroy
the equilibrium of the whole berg, and cause it to revolve with awfully
destructive power.

However, there was one favourable point--the base was broad, and the
ice-cliffs that bordered the sea were not high.

In a few more minutes the western end of the berg was passed. Its last
cape was rounded, and the _Faith_ was swept by the united efforts of
Chingatok, Benjy, and Too