“To observe and record conditions,” I said. “An ornithologist, for instance, would classify and name any new birds that we might find in the Southern Hemisphere, and an——” “Hold on,” interrupted Gale, “we don’t want any of that yet. We’ll discover the country first. We’ve got science enough right here to do that, I guess, if anybody has. Besides I’m a pretty good hand at naming things myself, and if we find any strange animals or birds wandering about down there without titles, I’ll just give ’em some.” “Oh, Papa,” laughed Miss Gale. “Why, yes, of course; and now as to those other things. Mr. Sturritt here can give an order in five minutes for enough provision to last ten years, and have it on board in twenty-four hours. Whatever instruments and material you need for your balloon and telephone machine can be had about as quick, I’m thinking, and if we need any mechanics of any kind I can put my finger on a hundred of them to-morrow. If we’ve got to lay up six months against an ice-wall we’ll want something to do, and will have time enough to build things to fit the case in hand. What I want to know is, if we can be ready to start from here in a week, so’s we’ll miss this winter up here and get safe in the arms of that ice-wall before winter sets in down there! I’m simply pining to get up against that two thousand foot ice-bluff, and I don’t want to wait a year to do it. What do _you_ say, Bill, can we be ready to start from here in a week?” My heart sank. It was but a huge joke then, after all, and this was his way out of it. But Sturritt, who knew him, was taking it seriously. “Yes—that is—why certainly, in—er—three days!” he said with nervous haste. “I can be ready to-morrow,” said Ferratoni, quietly. “I am ready to start to-night,” said Edith Gale. I hastened to add that the materials needed for the balloon could doubtless be procured without delay. “And you, Biffer?” Gale turned to the Captain who had been a silent unprotesting martyr during this proceeding. “Are you ready to start in a week for the South Pole?” “Admiral,” said the Captain solemnly, and making a sincere effort to fix him with both eyes at once, “you own this boat and I’m hired to sail it. I don’t believe in no South Pole, but if there _is_ one, I don’t know of a better place for a crowd like this. And if you give the order to go to the South Pole, I’ll _take_ you to the South Pole, and sail off into space when we get there, if you say so!” Mr. Biffer’s remarks were greeted with applause and a round of merriment in which the Captain paid himself the tribute of joining. “We’ll have the balloon for navigating space, Captain Biffer,” said Edith Gale. “And my opinion is that we’ll need it, ma’am, if we ever get back.” But amid the now general enthusiasm Chauncey Gale had sprung to his feet. There was a flush of excitement on his full handsome face, and when he spoke there was a ring of decision in his voice.