128 THE WORLD OF ICE.

unloading.—Then, Mr. Saunders, do you go and set a
gang of men to cut a canal through the young ice
from the ship to the island. Fortunately the floes
there are wide enough apart to let our quarter-boats
float between them. The unshipping won't take long.
Tell Buzzby to take a dozen men with him and
collect moss; we'll need a large quantity for fuel, and
if another storm like this comes it'll be hard work to
get down to it. Send Meetuck to me when you go
on deck; I shall talk to him as to our prospects of
finding deer hereabouts, and arrange a hunt.—Doctor,
you may either join the hunting-party, or post up the
observations, ete., which have accumulated of late.”

“Thank you, captain,” said Singleton ; “Tl accept
the latter duty, the more willingly that I wish to
have a careful examination of my botanical speci-
mens.”

« And what am I to do, captain?” inquired Fred.

“What you please, lad.”

“Then I'll go and take care of Meetuck; he’s apt
to get into mischief when left—”

At this moment a tremendous shout of laughter,
long continued, came from the deck, and a sound as if
numbers of men dancing overhead was heard.

The party in the cabin seized their caps and sprang
up the companion ladder, where they beheld a scene
that accounted for the laughter, and induced them to
join in it. At first sight it seemed as if thirty Polar
bears had boarded the vessel, and were executing a
dance of triumph before proceeding to make a meal of