THE WORLD OF ICE. 3li

up and hastened back to the village, where he found
Captain Ellice in earnest confabulation with the pastor
of the place. Seizing his parent by the arm, Fred led
him into a room in the pastor’s house, and, looking
round to make sure that it was empty, he sought to
bolt the door. But the door was a primitive one and
had no bolt, so Fred placed a huge old-fashioned chair
against it, and sitting down therein, while his father
took a seat opposite, he unfolded the letter, and yet
once again read it through.

The letter was about twelve months old, and ran
thus :—

“GRAYTON, 25th July.

“My Daring Frep,—It is now two months since
you left us, and it seems to me two years. Oh, how
I do wish that you were back! When I think of the
terrible dangers that you may be exposed to amongst
the ice my heart sinks, and I sometimes fear that we
shall never see you or your dear father again. But
you are in the hands of our Father in heaven, dear
Fred, and I never cease to pray that you may be sue-
cessful and return to us in safety. Dear, good old
Mr. Singleton told me yesterday that he had an
opportunity of sending to the Danish settlements in
Greenland, so I resolved to write, though I very much
doubt whether this will ever find you in such a wild
far-off land.

“Oh, when I think of where you are, all the
romantic stories I have ever read of Polar Regions
spring up before me, and you seem to be the hero of