Everything was soon ship-shape; boats ready for work, fur coats and
boots served out to the men against they were wanted, and I was very
busy one morning getting some of the tackle a little better stowed, when
the doctor waddled up to me, and tapped me on the shoulder.

I turned round, and he led the way into the cabin, sat down, and pointed
to a seat.

"Now, Captain Cookson," he said, "I think it's time to tell you about my
plans."

"If you please, sir," I said, "that is if it suits you."

"Well," he said, "you are now sailing to the North."

"Yes, sir, according to your orders, right away for Spitzbergen."

"And do you know what for?"

"Discovery of some kind, sir, I suppose."

"You are right, Captain; I mean to discover the North Pole."

"With all my heart, sir," I said.

"At least," he said, "I mean to try. If I fail, I shall still be able
to make a good many scientific discoveries, so that the voyage won't be
for nothing."

"No, sir," I said.

"It has been one of the dreams of my life to go upon a scientific voyage
up in the North; but the Admiralty wouldn't listen to me. They had the
notion that I was not a suitable man for the expedition; when all the
while Nature has expressly designed me for the purpose. See how she has
clothed me with adipose tissue."

"With what, sir?"

"Fat, man--fat! like she does the bears, and whales, and Eskimo. While
you men will be shivering in your fur coats, I shall be quite warm
without. Well, what we have to do is to take advantage of every open
channel when we reach the ice, and push forward due North. If the men
get discontented, we will keep promising them extra pay, and--What's the
matter?"

"Skipper, sir!" growled Scudds, who had just thrust his head in at the
cabin door. "Wanted on deck, sir--reg'lar mutinee. Tom Brown's come up
from below, and says as there's a ghost in the hold!"

"Where--where?" cried the doctor, excitedly, as he waddled out of the
cabin, thoroughly earning the nickname the men had bestowed upon him of
The Penguin. "Captain, get one of the casks ready for a specimen. I
have never seen a ghost!"

"Ain't he a rum beggar, skipper?" whispered Scudds, as we followed him
on deck, where a knot of the crew were standing round one of the
foremast-men, Tom Brown, whose face was covered with perspiration, his
hair being plastered down upon his forehead.

"Well, where's the ghost, my man?" said the doctor.

"Down in the hold, sir.