Part 6 (1/2)
”The ice of the sea frozen”
”Well, of course!” cried Steve; ”so are icebergs”
”Are they, sir?” said the”Have you ever seen one?”
”No; but I've often read of them”
”Wait till you see one, then, sir, and you won't say they're part of the frozen sea; they're bits of the great ice rivers that run down into the sea, and then break off Icebergs are fresh water when they're melted-- land ice Me and my mate have heard them split off with a noise like thunder, and then they float away”
”Ahoy, there aloft! Up she coan to chirrup and squeak as theand rail began to ascend rapidly higher and higher, till it reached where the three clung, and was then guided to where it was to be secured, with its botto on the place where the tops of the shrouds passed round the mast
”Hold on!” was shouted ”Make fast!” and the cask became stationary
Then the second of the two sailors stood on the newly-made ladder, and held the cask while the first passed a rope round it and secured it to the slightabove to steady it, and the crow's-nest hung there high above the deck, ready for use
”There you are, sir,” said Johannes ”As you've been helping you ought to have first try Up with you”
”Think it's safe?” said Steve, hesitating; and a curious sensation of shrinking came over him
”Shouldn't ask you to try her if she warn't fast, sir,” replied the rasp of the shrouds, and stepped on to the wooden ladder, looking up at the botto,” said the second Norseo down on deck”
”Of course not,” replied Steve; ”I know that”
”Yes, sir, and so do all of those who come up; but same time, a poor fellow don't think, and when he lowers hi off on to the shrouds, and I've known men fall and be killed”
”I say, don't talk about falling,” said Steve, with a shi+ver; ”it ood advice, sir,” said Johannes ”Now, then, up you go”
The lad mounted three of the steps, and his head touched the bottom of the tub
”It isn't opened!” he cried
”Never o on, push up”
Steve obeyed, thrust hard with his head, and the bottoes till it was vertical, and he passed up inside the tub, stepped on to the narrow ledge at the side, and the botto, with a ring at the edge ready for lifting it up
The nextround in all directions, finding that he was in a wonderfully co the sea, and noith his eyes already a little educated, h
There was the seat ready for resting upon; the iron rail all round for a rest for a telescope, and attached to this rail the broad piece of board which could be run round in any direction to act as a screen froive frost-bite to the unfortunate watcher up aloft