THE WORLD OF ICH. 89

In stepping back to avoid the blow, the lad trod
on Dumps’s paw, and instantly there came from the
throat of that excellent dog a roar of anguish that
caused Poker to leap, as the cook expressed it, nearly
out of his own skin. Dogs are by nature extremely
sympathetic and remarkably inquisitive; and no
sooner was Dumps’s yell heard than it was vigorously
responded to by every dog in the ship, as the whole
pack rushed each from his respective sleeping-place
and looked round in amazement.

“Hallo! what's wrong there for’ard?” inquired
Saunders, who had been pacing the quarter-deck with
slow giant strides, arguing mentally with himself in
default of a better adversary.

“Only trod on Dumps’s paw, sir,” said Mivins, as he
hurried aft; “the men are sky-larking.”

“Sky-larking, are you?” said Saunders, going for-
ward. “Weel, lads, you’ve had a lot o’ hard work of
late, ye may go and take a run on the ice.”

Instantly the men, like boys set free from school,
sprang up, tumbled over the side, and were scamper-
ing over the ice like madmen.

“Pitch over the ball—the football!” they cricd.
In a second the ball was tossed over the ship’s side,
and a vigorous game was begun.

For two days past the Dolphin had been sailing
with difficulty through large fields of ice, sometimes
driving against narrow necks and tongues that inter-
rupted her passage from one lead or canal to another ;
at other times boring with difficulty through compact