it was from that day that
Hearne made up to Martin Holt. Hurliguerly called my attention to
the fact."

"Of course he did," said the boatswain, "for Hearne, not being
capable of managing the boat which he intended to seize, required a
master-hand like Holt."

"And so," I said, "he kept on urging Holt to question the
half-breed concerning his brother's fate, and you know how Holt
came at last to learn the fearful truth. Martin Holt seemed to be
stupefied by the revelation. The others dragged him away, and now he
is with them!" We were all agreed that things had happened as I
supposed, and now the question was, did Dirk Peters, in his present
state of mind, mean to absent himself? Would he consent to resume
his place among us?

We all left the cavern, and after an hour's search we came in
sight of Dirk Peters, whose first impulse was to escape from us. At
length, however, Hurliguerly and Francis came up with him. He stood
still and made no resistance. I advanced and spoke to him, the
others did the same. Captain Len Guy offered him his hand, which he
took after a moment's hesitation. Then, without uttering a single
word, he returned towards the beach.

From that day no allusion was ever made to the tragic story of the
_Grampus_. Dirk Peters' wound proved to be slight; he merely wrapped
a piece of sailcloth round the injured arm, and went off to his work
with entire unconcern.

We made all the preparation in our power for a prolonged
hibernation. Winter was threatening us. For some days past the sun
hardly showed at all through the mists. The temperature fell to 36
degrees and would rise no more, while the solar rays, casting
shadows of endless length upon the soil, gave hardly any heat. The
captain made us put on warm woollen clothes without waiting for the
cold to become more severe.

Icebergs, packs, streams, and drifts came in greater numbers from
the south. Some of these struck and stayed upon the coast, which was
already heaped up with ice, but the greater number disappeared in
the direction of the north-east.

"All these pieces," said the boatswain, "will go to the
closing up of the iceberg wall. If Hearne and his lot of scoundrels
are not ahead of them, I imagine they will find the door shut, and
as they have no key to open it with--"

"I suppose you think, boatswain, that our case is less desperate
than theirs?"

"I do think so, Mr. Jeorling, and I have always thought so. If
everything had been done