"Then I have only to insist upon the terms of the contract as you understand it," said the Captain. "You say that you enlisted to obey orders and take any place assigned you, and hence as the captain of the Ice King, I order you to take the place of commander until I choose to resume the duties of that position. This is just as it should be. It was you who discovered Captain Battell and then led us to the spot where we found him, and now you are appointed to lead us back to the ship by the most direct and practicable route. It is fortunate for us that you have spent so much of your time in the study of the topography of this country, if that is the proper word to apply to a dreary waste of ice. It is your first duty as commander to divide the distance to the ship into easy stages and see that each relief does its part of the work with all possible care for the comfort of our comrade. This is 'orders,' if you prefer to look at it in that light. I shall certainly take my place at the stretcher until in your judgment, the second relief, Pat and Mike, ought to take hold." "All right," I said. "If I am to be commander-in-chief, whether I will or not, my first order is, 'Follow me.'" We returned to the ship without any particular haste, frequently stopping to rest and to administer restoratives to the lips of our exhausted comrade. He was conveyed to his own quarters and everything was, by the direction of Captain Ganoe, placed as nearly as possible, in the same shape that he left it. He was still sleeping, and the Captain assured us that he was doing well, and that if fever could be avoided, he would soon recover. He cautioned us to keep quiet and not ask him any questions in case he should awake to consciousness. Captain Ganoe took his place at the side of the patient and from time to time touched his lips with water. After several hours he partially aroused from his lethargy, and the Captain administered a few spoonfuls of broth, which were swallowed with avidity, and he again relapsed into a profound slumber. The Captain now directed us to leave him entirely alone with the patient but to hold ourselves in readiness to come at a moment's notice. He told us that all the patient now needed was profound silence, and a little nourishment whenever he was sufficiently aroused to partake of it. "I want Mike" he said, "to remain with me so as to be ready at any moment to execute my orders. Captain Battell's restoration to health and vigor is of more importance to us now than any other consideration. I need Mike more than you do, and you must get along with cold lunches, or, do your own cooking. If I need any of you, Mike will let you know."