"No, no!" said Clawbonny, shuddering. "His bark is too sorrowful; it is the dog's tear. He has found the body of Hatteras." They all four rushed forward, in spite of the blinding cinder-dust, and came to the far-end of a fiord, where they discovered the dog barking round a corpse wrapped in the British flag! "Hatteras! Hatteras!" cried the Doctor, throwing himself on the body of his friend. But next minute he started up with an indescribable cry, and shouted, "Alive! alive!" "Yes!" said a feeble voice; "yes, alive at the North Pole, on Queen's Island." "Hurrah for England!" shouted all with one accord. "And for America!" added Clawbonny, holding out one hand to Hatteras and the other to Altamont. Duk was not behind with his hurrah, which was worth quite as much as the others. For a few minutes the joy of recovery of their captain filled all their hearts, and the poor fellows could not restrain their tears. The Doctor found, on examination, that he was not seriously hurt. The wind threw him on the coast where landing was perilous work, but, after being driven back more than once into the sea, the hardy sailor had managed to scramble on to a rock, and gradually to hoist himself above the waves. Then he must have become insensible, for he remembered nothing more except rolling himself in his flag. He only awoke to consciousness with the loud barking and caresses of his faithful Duk. After a little, Hatteras was able to stand up supported by the Doctor, and tried to get back to the sloop. He kept exclaiming, "The Pole! the North Pole!" "You are happy now?" said his friend. "Yes, happy! And are not you? Isn't it joy to find yourself here! The ground we tread is round the Pole! The air we breathe is the air that blows round the Pole! The sea we have crossed is the sea which washes the Pole! Oh! the North Pole! the North Pole!" He had become quite delirious with excitement, and fever burned in his veins. His eyes shone with unnatural brilliancy, and his brain seemed on fire. Perfect rest was what he most needed, for the Doctor found it impossible to quiet him. A place of encampment must therefore be fixed upon immediately. [Illustration: Altamont speedily discovered a grotto composed of rocks.--P.234] Altamont speedily discovered a grotto composed of rocks, which had so fallen as to form a sort of cave. Johnson and Bell carried in provisions, and gave the dogs their liberty. About eleven o'clock, breakfast, or rather dinner, was ready, consisting of pemmican, salt meat, and smoking-hot tea and coffee. But Hatteras would do nothing till the exact position of the island was ascertained; so the Doctor and Altamont set to work with their instruments, and found that the exact latitude of the grotto was 89 deg. 59' 15". The longitude was of little importance, for all the meridians blended a few hundred feet higher. The 90 deg. of lat. was then only about three quarters of a mile off, or just about the summit of the volcano.