The G.A. Henty MEGAPACK ®. G.a. Henty Henty
icebergs, whose tops seemed quite close, though the bases were yet some distance from the schooner.
“Is there any hope?” whispered a soft voice in our hero’s ear.
“I trust so, Miss Viola,” he answered. “See! yonder is the end of the ice mountain on the starboard bow.”
“But how close they are!”
“They look closer than they are in reality,” he replied.
All the time he was wondering if their end had really come.
Suppose the wind were to fail!
Fortunately for them, however, caught between the two bergs, it rather increased in force than diminished.
The icy tops seemed now ready to topple down on the deck.
The waves, running up the sides of the bergs, lifted the vessel on their swell as they rebounded.
Fifty yards on either side towered the glittering mountains.
Thirty yards, twenty yards! and the salt spray of the billows, which dashed on the icy cliffs, fell on deck.
Viola’s hand was clasped in Bob’s, and our hero felt some relief in facing death with her and his mother.
“Call your comrades,” cried Captain Sumner to the sailor. “Give them a chance for life. Come, Mrs. Cromwell, Viola, Bob, Jack—all of you. Prepare to jump for the ice, when we strike! It’s our only hope!”
CHAPTER IV
The Escape From the Icebergs
To Captain Sumner it looked as if the Dart would surely be crushed.
“Be prepared to jump!” he sang out again.
But even as he spoke a strong gust filled the yacht’s topsails.
She plunged forward.
The starboard berg was left behind, and the sea on that bow was open.
Bok instantly shifted the helm.
The Dart’s head fell away from the danger on the port bow.
A few minutes passed.
Then, with a crash as if an earthquake had riven a mountain chain, the two bergs met.
Our hero, who, with the others, was watching with breathless interest, saw them rebound.
Huge blocks and pinnacles of ice, thousands of tons in weight, fell into the gap between them.
Before these could rise to the surface the ice mountains had again collided.
A crunching, rending sound struck the ears of our friends, as the two monsters ground their sides against one another.
The rugged summits fell into the sea, and formed smaller bergs.
The yacht was lifted on to the top of the giant waves caused by the concussion, then sank into the hollow, only to be caught up again by the still higher swell.
But the danger was over!
After escaping so narrowly being crushed the Dart found the sea free from ice, and made good way to the southward.
However, about eight bells on the following day, a gale sprang up from the northeast, which drove down the eastern floe in dangerous proximity.
The waves rose, and sheets of spray flew ever the fast-driven schooner.
It was so cold that, in spite of all the warm clothing they could find on board, all hands felt numbed.
“Land ahead!” was an appalling cry which rang out suddenly.
Captain Sumner himself hurried forward.
A rough, rocky island, the waves dashing in foam against its low cliffs, was discerned through the flying spray.
Already the edge of the eastern floe was crushing itself to pieces against the projecting reefs.
On the right, or western side, was a lane of broken water.
To venture into it was very dangerous, but seemed their only chance.
Bok and another sailor were at the wheel.
Over it went, strained down by their united strength, and the Dartdashed through the breaking water.
The western side of the island was about a mile long.
Twice, by porting the helm, the little vessel escaped clear of rocks, over which the water spurted.
As she approached the southern end of the isle, Bok, who had been sent into the foretop, shouted that again there was land ahead, and that the passage between was full of ice.
The captain ascended the shrouds himself, halfway to the top.
“It’s like a cauldron,” he exclaimed on descending. “No ship, except perhaps a very powerful steam whaler, could live in it.
“There is only one chance for us,” he continued. “We must get under shelter of this island.”
As the south coast line opened, the helm was put down, and the vessel was hove to under a high cliff and jutting cape, which protected her from the rush of the ice-laden current.
Both anchors were at once let go.
Fortunately they found good holding ground.
All the rest of that day, and till dawn the next, did the gale rage; but as the short night passed, the wind sank, and by midday it was but a breeze.
The current running between the islands soon swept the ice away.
But before trusting himself in these strange waters the captain determined to send a boat across to the greater island, on which rose a rugged hill of considerable height.
Both Mrs. Cromwell and Viola begged for a run on shore, so the larger boat was manned by Bok and three seamen, Bob and Jack each taking an oar, while the captain and the women occupied the stern-sheets.
CHAPTER V
The Arctic Island
Once on the island, it was seen that the hill rose on its southernmost point.
The ground was rocky, and covered with deep patches of snow in sheltered places.
“I don’t like the look of that,” observed the captain. “That is this year’s snow. Once the frost sets in we are done.”
Finding it hard work to traverse the direct route, they made for the western shore.
Here, though they had to clamber over hillocks and steep rocks, they got along quicker.
Suddenly Bok, who was in front, uttered a shout.
On the others hastening up they saw the cause of his astonishment.
Beached in a little bay, with her topmasts gone and the hulk lying over on the port side, was a brig.
The water only washed her rudder-case, and the captain noticed, to his dismay, a thin coating of ice fringing the shore of the inlet.
Not a sign of life was to be seen.
“We must examine her before we do anything else,” exclaimed Bob.
Captain Sumner looked at his watch.
“We can spare an hour,” he said, “but not more.”
There was a rush down the steep rocks on to the sand.
Arriving alongside, for some time they could find no means of climbing on board, till our hero found a rope hanging from the port-bow, which, on being pulled, seemed strong and firm.
As soon as he, the captain, Bok, and one of the men were on deck, which sloped acutely, Bob called to the ladies to say that he would fetch a chair, or something to serve as one, and hoist them up.
To their surprise the companionway was not blocked