not benefit by her."

"Hurrah! one cheer for the old barkie before we leave her!" cried Reuben
Cole, as they launched the boat on to the ice. "Another good is, that
not another mortal man will set his foot on her deck after us."

"Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" they shouted, as they ran the boat over the
ice.

They did not leave the ship a moment too soon, for scarcely had they got
their boat into the water to the leeward of the floe, than the
fore-mast, already a pyramid of fire, fell with a loud crash on the ice.

"There is something more coming, and the further off we are, the
better," cried Devereux. "I should have thought of that before. Give
way, lads; the fire will soon reach the magazine."

So long as the boat was under the lee of the floe she made tolerably
fine weather of it; but as she increased her distance, the seas came
rolling up after her, threatening every instant to engulph her. A mast
had been stepped, and a sail got ready for hoisting. This was now run
up, and assisted her greatly. Devereux steered, and even he could
scarcely keep his eyes from the burning ship. A cry from his companions
made him for an instant turn his head. There was a thundering deep
report; and as he looked for an instant, the whole ship seemed, with her
remaining masts and spars one mass of flame, to be lifted bodily up out
of her icy cradle into the air. Up, up it went, and then, splitting
into ten thousand fragments, down it came hissing and crashing, some
into the foaming sea, and others on to the ice, where they continued to
burn brilliantly. There was no cheering this time. Paul felt more
inclined to cry, as he witnessed the fate of the gallant frigate.

"If the wreckers on shore were expecting a prize, they'll be mistaken,"
observed Reuben, when all had been silent for some time.

They had enough to do to look after their own safety. It was already
dusk. Masses of ice were floating about, not very thickly, but thick
enough to make it a matter of difficulty to avoid them. The land was
flat, and they were nearer to it than they supposed. A point appeared
on the right. If they could get round it without being swamped, they
would be in smooth water. They gave the point a sufficient berth. A
heavy sea came rolling by them; luffing up, they ran in, and in another
minute found themselves standing up a river of some size in perfectly
smooth water. The weather was very cold, and they were anxious to get
on shore