"Why, sir, he had a lot of biscuits and fried bacon an hour ago, and a quart of hot coffee to wash it all down, and now he says that his `mither' never meant him to come up here to be starved." "I didn't!" cried Watty angrily. "I never said a word aboot eatin' and drinkin'. I said `starved wi' the cauld.'" "Hey, but you're a poor, weak, sappy kind of a fellow," cried the cook. "There's precious little solid meat on you, I'm afraid. Going, Mr Steve, sir?" "Yes, I must be off." "Right, sir. Roast venison for dinner to-day. The deer meat will be prime." Steve nodded, and was turning away, when his eyes encountered those of the boy, who had evidently forgotten all about his "mither," and was grinning at him derisively, and in a way which made Steve's fingers tingle to tighten up into a fist and teach the lad a lesson. But he went out and shut the door, before going forward to where the four Norwegians were fending off the ice. "Morning," he cried; and the great, sturdy fellows greeted him with a pleasant smile on their grave faces. "Glad to see you out and well, Mr Steve," said Johannes; and the others uttered something which was evidently meant as acquiescence in their companion's greeting. "Oh, I'm all right," said Steve, "only a bit cold; but I say, have all you chaps had plenty of breakfast?" "Plenty, sir, plenty!" they cried, as they levelled their poles to meet the charge of a great block which was coming on to them. The concussion staggered them a little, but the mass of ice was turned aside, and they had a few minutes' respite. "What an awful storm!" said Steve. "Yes, sir, it was. The worst we were ever in," replied Johannes; "but it's brought us close up to a grand land for hunting." "What, that land over yonder?" cried Steve, pointing. "Yes, sir. It's many years since any one reached that land, if it ever was reached, and we're thinking all of us that the walrus will be there in herds." "But did Mr Lowe tell you that was land yonder?" "No, sir; we saw him pointing with his glass, and Jakobsen there has wondrous eyes; he could see the tops of the mountains when he looked. There's good coming out of evil, sir; and you'll see we shall load up with oil when we get there." "But do you really think we shall find the sea-horses there. I want to see a walrus." "We feel sure of it, sir, because they have been hunted and driven back farther and farther every year of late; and we all felt that they must have retired to somewhere farther north, and by a great stroke of good fortune the ice has opened enough for us to get there." "Then the storm was all for the best, Johannes?" "Yes, sir, I hope so," said the man, joining another in sending off a great block as he spoke. "But I say," said Steve anxiously, "suppose we get frozen up there, and can't get back."