Part 20 (1/2)

But the kite was not gone. The word had barely left his lips when it rose half its length out of the water, and then fell, in melancholy inapt.i.tude for further mischief, flat upon the sea.

”Anything damaged?” asked the Captain, as he and Leo rowed their boats towards the _Charity_.

”Nothing,” replied Alf with a guilty look, ”the stick and things seem to be all right, but it has got _awfully_ wet.”

”No matter,” said the Captain, laughing at Alf's forlorn look, ”the sun will soon dry it. So long as nothing is broken or torn, we'll get on very well. But now, boys, we must go to work with oars. There must be no flagging in this dash for the Pole. It's a neck-or-nothing business.

Now, mark my orders. Although we've got four oars apiece, we must only work two at a time. I know that young bloods like you are p.r.o.ne to go straining yourselves at first, an' then bein' fit for nothing afterwards. We must keep it up steadily. Two in each boat will pull at a time for one hour, while the other two rest or sleep, and so on, s.h.i.+ft about; till another breeze springs up. Don't fold it up tight, Alf.

Leave it pretty slack till it is dry, and then put on its belt.”

”Don't you think we might have supper before taking to the oars?”

suggested Leo.

”I second that motion,” cried Benjy.

”And I support it,” said Alf.

”Very good, get out the prog; an' we'll lay ourselves alongside, three abreast, as Nelson did at the Battle o' the Nile,” said the Captain.

Their food was simple but sufficient. Pemmican--a solid greasy nutricious compound--was the foundation. Hard biscuit, chocolate, and sugar formed the superstructure. In default of fire, these articles could be eaten cold, but while their supply of spirits of wine lasted, a patent Vesuvian of the most complete and almost miraculous nature could provide a hot meal in ten minutes. Of fresh water they had a two-weeks'

supply in casks, but this was economised by means of excellent water procured from a pond in a pa.s.sing berg--from which also a lump of clear ice had been hewn, wrapped in a blanket, and carried into the Captain's boat as a supply of fresh water in solid form.

Laying the oars across the boats to keep them together, they floated thus pleasantly on the gla.s.sy sea, bathed in midnight suns.h.i.+ne. And while they feasted in comfort inexpressible--to the surprise, no doubt, of surrounding gulls and puffins--Benjamin Vane once again gave utterance to the opinion that it was the most glorious and altogether astonis.h.i.+ng state of things that he had ever heard or dreamed of since the world began!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

A GALE AND A NARROW ESCAPE.

This is a world of alternations. We need not turn aside to prove that.

The calm with which the voyage of our discoverers began lasted about four days and nights, during which period they advanced sometimes slowly under oars, sometimes more or less rapidly under kites--if we may so express it--according to the state of the wind.

And, during all that time the discipline of two and two--at watch, or at sleep, if not at work--was rigidly kept up. For none knew better than Captain Vane the benefit of discipline, and the demoralising effect of its absence, especially in trying circ.u.mstances. It is but just to add that he had no difficulty in enforcing his laws. It is right also to state that the women were not required to conform, even although they were accustomed to hard labour and willing to work as much as required.

In all three boats the bow was set apart as the women's quarters, and when Toolooha, Oblooria or Tekkona showed symptoms of a desire to go to sleep--(there was no retiring for the night in these lat.i.tudes)--a blanket stretched on two oars cut their quarters off from those of the men, and maintained the dignity of the s.e.x.

But soon the serene aspect of nature changed. Grey clouds overspread the hitherto sunny sky. Gusts of wind came sweeping over the sea from time to time, and signs of coming storm became so evident that the Captain gave orders to make all snug and prepare for dirty weather.

”You see, lads,” he said, when the three boats were abreast, and the kites had been furled, ”we don't know what may happen to us now. n.o.body in the world has had any experience of these lat.i.tudes. It may come on to blow twenty-ton Armstrongs instead of great guns, for all we know to the contrary. The lightning may be sheet and fork mixed instead of separate for any light we've got on the subject, and it may rain whales and walruses instead of cats and dogs; so it behoves us to be ready.”

”That's true, father,” said Benjy, ”but it matters little to me, for I've made my will. Only I forgot to leave the top with the broken peg and the rusty penknife to Rumty Swillpipe; so if you survive me and get home on a whale's back--or otherwise--you'll know what to do.”

”This is not a time for jesting, Ben,” said Alf rather seriously.

”Did I say it was?” inquired Ben, with a surprised look.

Alf deigned no reply, and b.u.t.terface laughed, while he and the others set about executing the Captain's orders.

The arrangements made in these india-rubber boats for bad weather were very simple and complete. After the lading in each had been snugly arranged, so as to present as flat a surface on the top as possible, a waterproof sheet was drawn over all, and its edges made fast to the sides of the boat, by means of tags and loops which were easily fastened and detached. As each sheet overhung its boat, any water that might fall upon it was at once run off. This, of course, was merely put on to protect the cargo and any one who chose to take shelter under it. The boat being filled with air required no such sheet, because if filled to overflowing it would still have floated. All round this sheet ran a strong cord for the crew, who sat outside of it as on a raft, to lay hold of if the waves should threaten to wash them off. There were also various other ropes attached to it for the same purpose, and loops of rope served for rowlocks.