No murmurs, no recrimination disturbed these labours. It was evident that silence was deliberately maintained. The crew obeyed the captain and West because they gave no orders but such as were of urgent necessity. But, afterwards, would these men allow the authority of their leaders to be uncontested? How long would the recruits from the Falklands, who were already exasperated by the disasters of our enterprise, resist their desire to seize upon the boat and escape? I did not think they would make the attempt, however, so long as our iceberg should continue to drift, for the boat could not outstrip its progress; but, if it were to run aground once more, to strike upon the coast of an island or a continent, what would not these unfortunate creatures do to escape the horrors of wintering under such conditions? In the afternoon, during the hour of rest allowed to the crew, I had a second conversation with Dirk Peters. I had taken my customary seat at the top of the iceberg, and had occupied it for half an hour, being, as may be supposed, deep in thought, when I saw the half-breed coming quickly up the slope. We had exchanged hardly a dozen words since the iceberg had begun to move again. When Dirk Peters came up to me, he did not address me at first, and was so intent on his thoughts that I was not quite sure he saw me. At length, he leaned back against an ice-block, and spoke: "Mr. Jeorling," he said, "you remember, in your cabin in the _Halbrane_, I told you the--the affair of the _Grampus_?" I remembered well. "I told you that Parker's name was not Parker, that it was Holt, and that he was Ned Holt's brother?" [Illustration: "I was afraid; I got away from him."] "I know, Dirk Peters," I replied, "but why do you refer to that sad story again?" "Why, Mr. Jeorling? Have not--have you never said anything about it to anybody?" "Not to anybody," I protested. "How could you suppose I should be so ill-advised, so imprudent, as to divulge your secret, a secret which ought never to pass our lips--a dead secret?" "Dead, yes, dead! And yet, understand me, it seems to me that, among the crew, something is known." I instantly recalled to mind what the boatswain had told me concerning a certain conversation in which he had overheard Hearne prompting Martin Holt to ask the half-breed what were the circumstances of his brother's death on board the _Grampus_. Had a portion of the secret got out, or was this apprehension on the part of Dirk Peters purely imaginary? "Explain yourself," I said. "Understand me, Mr. Jeorling, I am a bad hand at explaining. Yes, yesterday--I have thought of nothing else since--Martin Holt took me aside, far from the others, and told me that he wished to speak to me--" "Of the _Grampus_?" "Of the _Grampus_--yes, and of his brother, Ned Holt. For the first time he uttered that name before me--and yet we have sailed together for nearly three months." The half-breed's voice was so changed that I could hardly hear him.