THE WORLD OF ICE. 161

entering for a time into the spirit of fun that char-
acterized most of the doings of his shipmates, and in
following the bent of his own joyous nature, in the
hours of solitude and in the dark night, when no one
saw him, his mind ever reverted to the one engrossing
subject, like the oscillating needle to the Pole.

As he continued to gaze up long and carnestly
into the starry sky, his thoughts began to wander
over the past and the present at random, and a cold
shudder warned him that it was time to return to
the hut. But the wandering thoughts and fancies
seemed to chain him to the spot, so that he could not
tear himself away. Then a dreamy feeling of rest and
comfort began to steal over his senses, and he thought
how pleasant it would be to lie down and slumber; but
he knew that would be dangerous, so he determined
not to do it.

Suddenly he felt himself touched, and heard a
voice whispering in his ear. Then it sounded loud.
“Hallo, sir! Mr. Ellice! Wake up, sir! d’ye hear
me?” and he felt himself shaken so violently that
his teeth rattled together. Opening his eyes relue-
tantly, he found that he was stretched at full length
on the snow, and Joseph West was shaking him by
the shoulder as if he meant to dislocate his arm.

“Hallo, West! is that you? Let me alone, man,
I want to sleep.” Fred sank down again instantly :
that deadly sleep produced by cold, and from which
those who indulge in it never awaken, was wpon
him.

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