They were utterly silent now, as they kept step to the music, every one bringing his feet down with a heavy tramp, till the regular _beat, beat_ was repeated from the snowy rocks in front like the regular tap on some giant drum. Then the echoes grew more and more, till to the excited imagination of Andrew, who, like the rest of the crew, was half hysterical from long-continued depression, it seemed as if other pipes were being played high up among the dazzling snow pinnacles, and clans afar off were gathering indeed to the wild notes of the pibroch. Right away across the fiord, with hearts glowing and pulses beating high, the men marched on till the entrance to the chasm was reached, and Andrew, looking three inches taller than usual, gave a final blast, which went quivering and echoing through the clear, silent air for miles before it quite died away upon the ears of the men, who drew aside their hoods to listen. Then, and then only, did they burst forth into a stentorian cheer, which was repeated twice and listened to until it died away. "Bravo! bravo!" cried the captain. "Well done, Andrew, my man. It was grand! It was worth coming through all these troubles to hear." "Ay, the pipes is crant," said Andrew proudly. "She's the far pestest musick as effer wass for the mountains." "And never better played," cried the doctor. "I say bravo, too." "Well, Watty, how are you?" whispered Steve. "She feels petter, chust noo." "Keep moving, my lads!" cried the captain cheerily; and he stepped forward. But not many yards; for there before them, piled-up in mighty masses, was the freshly fallen rock which had come crashing down from on high, and completely blocked up the entrance to the passage-like gorge through which they had been wont to row to the sea. "Will the water force its way through, Johannes?" said the captain. "No, sir, never. If it had been ice and solid snow, it would of course in time; but this is all granite rock." "Well," said the captain, "it will be work for us to haul a boat right over the mountain and keep on the other side." In due time the word was given, and Andrew went to the front again to strike up some of his gayest lilts; and the men marched back to muster on deck afterwards, glowing with health and exercise, and ready to enjoy a hearty meal. "Steve, my lad," cried the captain, as soon as they were in the cabin, "God bless you for this! You've started the poor fellows on a fresh lease of life. And done me more good, boy, than ever I did to any one yet." "Oh, nonsense!" cried Steve, who felt a choking sensation in his throat. "No nonsense, my lad. Try to keep it up; any way, so that we can kill the demon _ennui_." "I'll try," said Steve huskily; "but, hard though it was, I didn't know it would do so much good. But I'll never laugh at the bagpipes again." CHAPTER FORTY. BLACK DARKNESS.