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diff --git a/11997-0.txt b/11997-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..707758a --- /dev/null +++ b/11997-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1845 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11997 *** + +[Illustration: THEY FOUND TOM AT THE LAKE-SIDE, STANDING OVER +A HUGE DEAD BEAR.] + + + + +The Crusoes Of +The Frozen North + + + +From the Well-known Story by +Dr. Gordon Stables + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +"I'm sure of one thing," said Aralia to her little sister Pansy, as they +sat together one lovely summer afternoon on the garden seat, and gazed +away and away far over the North Sea. "I'm quite sure of one thing. +Nobody ever could have so good an uncle as our uncle. Now, could anybody, +Pansy?" + +"Oh no!" answered Pansy, shaking her pretty head. Pansy was hardly eight +years old, and always agreed with her older sister, who was nearly +eleven. + +"How I wish he were home again from his old ship," sighed Aralia, "and +Tom with him!" + +"Well, Ara, we can sit here hours and hours every day and watch the sea, +can't we?" + +"Yes, and we shall easily know the ship. As she goes by, shell set all +her flags a-flying, and, if Father isn't at home, Mother will send up our +great red flag on the garden pole. Oh dear! I could nearly cry for joy to +think of it!" + +"And me too!" said Pansy. + +"And me too!" Veevee seemed to say, as he gave a short bark, and, jumping +down from the seat, ran round the garden, looking like a fluffy white +ball. + +The sea was very blue, only patched with green wherever a cloud-shadow +fell on it. Down beneath the cliff on which the cottage stood, the waves +broke lazily in long white lines of foam. On the sea itself were vessels +of almost every kind, from the little fishing craft with brown sails to +great ships sailing away to distant lands. + +Aralia knew what class of vessel each was by its rig; her best of uncles +had taught her. And well could she use the spy-glass too, which she now +held to her right eye. It had been hard at first to keep the left closed, +but she could manage it now quite easily without asking Pansy to clap a +hand over it. + +Soon she began to talk in little gasps: + +"Oh, Pansy--I think--Oh, I'm nearly sure--yes--yes--it must be! it _is_ +Uncle's ship! I can see the flags all a-flying--Hurrah! Come and look!" + +[Illustration] + +Pansy sat on her sister's knee and peeped through the glass. Then both +the children started up and waved their arms in the air at the far-off +ship. They were just about to rush off to tell Mother, when their cousin +Frank came up. He was a lad of about thirteen or fourteen, but he was so +tall and manly that he looked older. + +Frank came into the garden with a rush and a run when he heard the girls +call out. A fishing basket was slung over his back, from which the tails +of fish stuck out, showing what good sport he had had. + +"Hillo, Ara! Hillo, Pansy! What are you dancing and 'hoo-laying' about? +Been stung by a wasp, my little Pansy Blossom?" + +"Oh, Frank," cried the elder girl, "look through the glass! Uncle's +coming! Look at the ship, and all the flags." + +The boy was almost as excited now as the girls themselves, and presently +they were all running in a string through the pretty garden towards the +cottage with the news, Veevee bringing up the rear and barking bravely. + + * * * * * + +Rat-tat-tat at the door next afternoon, and little Pansy ran to open it, +expecting to see the postman, but the knocking was only a bit of Tom's +fun. Frank had left for Hull the evening before to meet him, and here was +Tom the sailor, tall and bonny and dark. Pansy jumped into his arms like +a baby, Aralia rushed to meet him, and his mother came out, though a +little more slowly. When the bustle was all over, and Tom had answered +nearly a hundred questions, they all went in to tea. + +"Yes, Aralia, Uncle is coming up from Hull with Father and Cousin Frank, +and we shall stop here three whole days before we go back to clear ship +and pay off" + +"And," added Tom, "Uncle has something so strange and nice to tell you!" + +"What is it, Tom?" said his two sisters, both in a breath as it were. + +"I can't, won't, and sha'n't tell you, girls," cried Tom, laughing, +"because that would spoil the fun when Uncle comes." + +So all, even Veevee, who would not get off Tom's knees for a minute, had +to be as patient as they could. But the time passed so quickly, listening +to all this hearty young sailor had to tell of his voyage to the far +north, that before anyone was aware it was nearly seven o'clock. + +And now down jumps Veevee and runs towards the door, barking aloud as if +he were a very big dog. + +"They're coming! They're coming! Veevee knows!" And coming they were +indeed. + +Tom had had a hearty welcome when he arrived, but when this best of +uncles at last managed to sit down on the sofa: "Shiver my timbers, +sister," he said to Mrs. Dunlop, "if it isn't worth while going all the +way to the back of the North Pole just to get such a welcome home as +this." + +Jack Staysail was a sailor every inch of him. He had roughed it so much +in the Greenland seas, and been out in so many storms, that his face was +as red as a boiled beet; but his eyes were as full of fun and merriment +as a boy's. + +"We're not all here yet," he said. "I have asked my friend, Professor +Peterkin, the Swede, to come in to-night with his mastiff." When their +uncle mentioned the mastiff, Aralia and Pansy began to tremble for +Veevee, but Tom only laughed. + +"Why," he said, "although Briton--that's his name--is big enough to +tackle a bear, he wouldn't injure a mouse." + +It was nearly nine o'clock when the professor arrived. Briton marched in +first, and a bigger and more noble-looking fellow was never seen. Veevee +said he couldn't stand another dog in the place. So he started up, +barking loudly, and offering to fight the mastiff to the death on the +spot. But Briton stepped gingerly over the little dog, and went and lay +quietly down on the rug. + +Then in bustled the professor himself, very droll, very small, +clean-shaven, merry-eyed, and with as much hair on his great head as +would have stuffed a cushion. He bowed and smiled to all, patted the +children, and at last sat down to supper. + +All made a very hearty supper, though it was long past the children's +bed-time. Only Uncle didn't come home every night, you know. + +When they had finished, Briton had a huge dish of scraps; Veevee sat +watching him eat, and the children were very much surprised to see +Briton shove one of the biggest and best morsels towards him. The tiny +dog picked up the titbit and wagged his tail. After he had eaten it, +he went and lay down beside Briton on the hearth-rug. + +The "something nice" that Uncle had to tell was soon told now. +Captain Staysail cleared his throat before he began: "Ahem! Oh, +you're all waiting, are you, to hear what I've got to say? Well, +then--ahem!--Professor Peterkin--" + +"Pete--Pete--Pete--Pete!" cried the droll, wee man, stopping him, and +one would have thought he was calling a dog. "I'm not going to be called +Professor, and I won't Peterkin. Just Pete, as I was on board ship, as I +am to everybody, and must be to you. + +"But just look here, Staysail, you're a sailor, and you can't make a +speech. Let me speak." And speak he did without waiting for a reply. + +"It's all in a nutshell, dear Mr. and Mrs. Dunlop, and I'll tell you in +two or three sentences what your worthy sailor-brother would have kept +you up all night to hear. Now listen! Briton, you lie down! Good again! +Now I, Dan Peterkin, am a man who has been used to study hard, and think +hard. You follow me so far? Good again! + +"Well, there is one thing has taken me years to work out, and that is, +where in this world gold and coal are to be found. And I've done it. I +can go right to the spots. One of them lies on an island right away up in +the Frozen North. And we're going there. Your brother, Mrs. Dunlop, is +going to take me. + +"Well, we may have some hardships. Paff! What do we care? We shall win +such wealth as has never been seen before. You follow still? Good again! +Well, I go to a town in the north last spring, when the seal ships are +all there, and I look for an honest face. I find Staysail. I say to him: +'You give me a passage to Greenland, my friend.' He say: 'What for I give +you passage?' I smile. I take him by one button, and pull him all the way +into a private room of the hotel. Briton follows. We all dine well--we +all come out smiling--Briton too. And now, my friends, all is arranged. +We sail away and away and away next spring for the seas of ice and the +islands of gold. + +"That is all. You have followed me? Good again!" And once more the +professor sat down, and the big arm-chair seemed to swallow him up. + + * * * * * + +Ara and Pansy lay awake a long time that night thinking of what Pete had +said. But the next day they went about their duties as usual. They did +not go to school, as they had a governess, of whom they were both very +fond. Nearly half their day would be spent out-of-doors with her and +Veevee. In spring and summer they would gather flowers inland, but what +they liked best was to play about on the sands, to go out boating with an +old seaman they knew, or climb the rocks and get into very steep and +giddy places. + +[Illustration] + +Poor Frank Dunlop was an orphan, and was now the adopted son of Ara's +father. As for Tom, who was a year or two older, his father had wanted +him to go into business at home in England, but nothing would satisfy the +lad but going to sea, so he had been sent to rough it with his uncle in +the stormy seas of the Frozen North. The cruise now ended was his second, +and Tom wasn't tired of the sea yet. + +Frank went back to school, and appeared no more at the cottage until +Christmas came round. Then not only Uncle, but Pete and Briton came to +spend a whole fortnight with the Dunlop family, and to make their final +plans for the spring. And I should say that no fortnight seemed to pass +so quickly to the children as did the two weeks when their visitors +stayed with them. + +At last, one day in early spring, there left Hull on a trial trip one of +the handsomest little steamers, and, for her size, one of the strongest +that ever put to sea from that port. She was Captain Staysail's new ship, +the _Valhalla_. Everything on board, both on deck and between decks, and +in the saloon, was as clean and beautiful as if she had been a royal +yacht. The decks were as white as ivory, the polished wood shone in the +sun, and the brass-work looked like gold. The saloon itself, with its +curtains, its mirrors, tables pillars, and piano, was really fit for a +fairy princess to live in. Everything had been prepared under the eye of +Professor Peterkin himself, so everything was perfect in its way. + +Pansy, who was on board, and had been peeping in some of the rooms, said +to Aralia at last: "Oh, Aralia, what a dear little doll's house of a +cabin; I should like to live in it always!" + +Neither of the children was sea-sick when the _Valhalla_ went out under +steam, and they had such fun with the sailors and the two dogs that they +were quite sorry when the ship once more steamed into port. + +And didn't everybody sleep soundly that night in the hotel! I should say +so! + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +The merry month of May had hardly begun when the brave _Valhalla_ steamed +away on her perilous cruise to the far and icy north. + +Frank, with his two little cousins, had begged leave to go to Hull in +order to see the very, very last of the beautiful ship and that best of +uncles, Captain Staysail. Leave had been given by their parents, because +"Wherever Frank is," said Mr. Dunlop, "the children are sure to be safe." + +There had been a good deal of stir and bustle on the very last evening, +and many visitors had been to the _Valhalla_, for somehow word had gone +out that Professor Peterkin, the great Swedish traveller, was off to find +the North Pole! + +And all believed that he would find it. Some of the sailors even went so +far as to say that he would bring it back with him rigged up as a mast of +his ship! + +But by the time eight bells had rung out all was quiet. The hands had +turned in, and only Tom and two men were left on watch. + +"Go forward," said Tom, "and have a cup of coffee and a smoke, and I'll +see to the safety of the ship here at the gangway." + +The men took the young officer at his word, and it was not very long ere +their smoke was finished, and they, too, were fast asleep. Had any other +eyes than Tom's been watching the shore, about half an hour afterwards, +they must have noticed that something very strange was taking place. + +Dark figures could be seen drawing near with stealthy footsteps to the +farther end of the gangway. Then they stopped as if in fear and dread. +But Tom whistled a long, low whistle, and three figures, muffled in +oil-skins, stole along the gangway and stepped silently on deck. + +Then Tom sprang a small bull's-eye lantern, and let its light shine right +in front of him, so that no one meeting him could have told who or what +was stealing up behind. In the same quiet way he led the little party +down a ladder to the deck below, and then beneath hammocks filled with +sleeping sailors, and along a passage, until he came to a door, which he +carefully unlocked, and soon afterwards locked again. + +[Illustration] + + * * * * * + +By midnight next night the _Valhalla_ was far out at sea, bearing to the +north, for Captain Staysail did not mean to touch at any of the English +or Scotch ports on this voyage. + +The weather at first was very beautiful, and so it remained, with a calm +sea and hardly a breath of wind, until nearly sunset of the second day. +Then clouds began to bank up, dark and threatening, and the glass--so +Webb, the first mate, reported to the captain--was going tumbling down. + +"We are going to have a blow, sir," he said, "and it's coming up sharp +behind us. I reckon, sir, we'll have a ten-knotter afore the middle watch +is called!" + +"Well, then, have the fires banked, Mr. Webb, as soon as the wind is +strong enough to get way on her. I wouldn't set too much sail, and if it +does come a gale, I'd ease her right away. You know what she can do, +Mate." + +"Ay, ay, sir!" + +"Well, I think that's all." + +But the mate didn't move. + +"Anything else, Mr. Webb?" + +"There is something else, sir," said the mate rather sheepishly. + +"Well, out with it. Why, you look as if you'd seen a ghost!" + +"Well, sir, there is a ghost, or demon, or something aboard of this very +ship, and some of the crew are in a state next door to mutiny about it." + +"What on earth do you mean, Mr. Webb?" + +The tall, handsome, fair-haired Webb leaned over the table and spoke to +Staysail almost in a whisper. + +"It's the little professor they all blame, sir; and there are four of +them who swear the ship is haunted--that he keeps evil spirits under lock +and key for'ard--" + +"But--but--Mr. Webb--Evil spirits under lock and key! Do you mean bad +rum? And who is he?" + +"Hush, sir! don't talk so loud. He's walking the deck now. It's the +professor I mean, sir. As to the evil spirits, I've heard them +myself--mutter, mutter, squeak, squeak, squeak! Ugh! it is awful, +sir--awful!" + +And the mate shuddered as he spoke. + +Now, Staysail was always a good laugher, but at this tale he fairly +yelled with laughter until everything jingled in the cabin, and the tears +ran down his cheeks. + +The mate never moved a muscle. + +"That awful fore-cabin, sir!" he said. "It's in there, and Broomberg, the +Finlander, declares that if you don't land him and his mates at Bergen +they'll seize the ship and sail for Aberdeen." + +"But why on earth don't you open the fore-cabin?" + +"Oh, that's where it is, sir! The key is lost, or else the professor has +it." + +"Hark!" + +A squall at that moment struck the ship and heeled her over. It blew with +tremendous force for a time, and at last settled down to a steady gale. +But in less than an hour the captain's orders were carried out, and the +good ship _Valhalla_ was speeding before the wind at a good rate with +very little sail on her. + +The storm increased towards midnight, and at that dark hour the +_Valhalla_ had to lie to under almost bare poles. So busy had all hands +been kept that there was very little time to think of ghosts or evil +spirits, and now that the crew had a chance of turning in, it is needless +to say that sleep was the first thing to be considered. + +But fresh trouble came with the new day. The wind had gone down, and the +sea as well, and the _Valhalla_ was now bowling along on a pretty even +keel, for the breeze was well astern. + +Webb, the mate, and Tom both slept in bunks in the same cabin. Just as +the steward was laying breakfast, Webb popped his head out from his cabin +curtains. + +"Hillo, steward!" + +"Good-morning, sah!" said Jake Brown, who, strange as it may seem, was a +tall and important-looking black man, with hair as white as snow. + +"Have you seen Master Tom? He hasn't been here all night. I slept too +sound to take much notice." + +"Sakes alive, no!" cried burly Jake. "I run and search de ship plenty +quick." And away he went. + +Webb was dressed and leaving his cabin when Jake returned. But neither +high nor low, fore nor aft, could Tom be found, nor had he been seen +since the main-topsail had carried away just before midnight. + +The captain was now roused and the terrible news reported. + +"Poor Tom! poor Tom! Washed overboard without a doubt!" he said. + +Tom had been a great favourite on board, and the news caused a general +gloom all over the ship. + +But Broomberg and his mates received the news in another way. + +"It is von unlucky ship," cried the former, "and did not those below hear +the shrieking of the ghosts when the waves and wind were highest? Come we +to the captain at once, men. I will not sail in a haunted ship. No, no." + +Some minutes before eight bells rang out in the morning air, the captain +on the quarter-deck, with Mr. Webb and the professor, were engaged in +angry talk with Broomberg and his fellows. + +"Return to your duty, men," the captain said. "I will make enquiries +into the matter. As for you, Broomberg, hand over that knife you are +fingering, and consider yourself under arrest." + +"I will not," shouted the fellow. "See!" + +He made a wild rush aft, holding the glittering blade high in air, and +seized the professor by the neck. + +But help from an unexpected quarter was at hand, and next moment +Broomberg was sprawling on his back with Briton's great paws on his +chest. + +Mutiny and ghosts and storm were at once forgotten. The men cheered +wildly, Broomberg's knife was snatched from his hand, and he himself +bound hand and foot, while everybody crowded round to shake hands with +the little professor, or to pat the noble dog who had saved his life. + +But suddenly joy was changed to terror, for shriek after shriek could be +heard forward, and in a few seconds' time the cook rushed helter-skelter +up on deck, almost pale with fright, followed by the men of the watch +below. + +"The ghosts!" somebody shouted. + +The captain stood as if stupefied, the little professor's eyes were as +big as watch-glasses, and the mate had to catch hold of a back-stay to +prevent himself from falling. + +The whole crew now took to the rigging, and the only marvel is that some +of them did not slip overboard and make food for the sharks. + +"Look, look!--oh, look, sir!" shouted the mate with a cry like one in +a nightmare; and the next moment he fainted and fell on the top of +Broomberg the mutineer. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +Two little girls, one little boy, and one little dog, all as black as +chimney-sweeps, the girls with their arms in the air, now came wildly +racing aft. + +Tom himself, come back to life, was standing on the capstan waving his +cap in the air, and cheering and laughing like a mad thing. + +Aralia and Pansy reached the quarter-deck before anyone could say +"knife", and, black as they were, sprang right into Captain Staysail's +arms, hugging him and kissing him. + +"What!--what!--what!--" He tried to get out a sentence, but failed. + +"Oh, I was so frightened, Unky dear, but I is so happy now!" cried Pansy. + +"Bless my soul and body," cried Staysail at last, "how did all this +happen?" + +[Illustration] + +Then he went forward a few paces, the little ones clinging to him all the +time, and Veevee racing round the deck like a live muff. + +"Tom, you young rascal, jump down here at once. This is all your work. +Now, give a full account of it, sir." + +"Oh, I do hope, Uncle, you'll forgive me, but Frank and little Pansy and +Aralia did want to come with us so much, that--that--!" + +"That you took them as stowaways, eh?" + +"I'm afraid that's it, sir." + +The captain pretended to be awfully angry, and said he would put about +and land the lot at Aberdeen. + +"In the meantime, go below, children, and get yourselves washed; the +steward will see to you. Steward!" + +"Ay, ay, sir, I'se heah, sah." + +"Let Miss Aralia and Pansy have that spare cabin near mine. I'll talk to +you afterwards, Tom." + +Tom hung his head in sorrow--so it seemed,--but it really was to hide a +smile. + +He got near enough to his sisters to say: "Keep up your pecker, Pansy, +for there won't be any Aberdeen about it." + +In the spare cabin stood a big box that nobody had noticed before. Tom +had smuggled it on board, and it contained his sisters' best things, and +a full rig-out for them for the Arctic regions. + +Sly old Tom! + +He now stole into their cabin and gave them their clothes, and when +Staysail came down to dinner at twelve, with his spy-glass under his arm, +no wonder he cried: "Hillo! Hillo!" + +For here were the three children, all mirth and smiles, seated beside +Pete, and Tom, with head bowed down, waiting to take his seat. + +"Hillo! Hillo! But what will your father and mother think, my dears?" + +"Oh," cried Tom, "we made that all right! Father gave his consent, and +he'll easily manage Mother." + +"Steward!" shouted the captain, and Jake came running. "Put the other +half-leaf in the table to-night, and lay covers for three more, for these +young ragamuffins must mess with us in future." + +There was no more word about ghosts now, and the kind professor forgave +the Finlander. He was set free and sent to duty, and now for weeks and +weeks there wasn't a much happier vessel afloat than the brave ship +_Valhalla_ bound for the Frozen North. + +The two dogs became great friends, but, strangely enough, both disliked +Broomberg, and kept out of his way whenever they could. Once, indeed, +when the man bent down to stroke Veevee, Briton stood guard over his +little friend and growled. + +"Hands off!" the mastiff seemed to say, "hands off till we know more +about you!" + + * * * * * + +Of course Uncle was chief favourite with the children, but all the three +of them came to like the little professor very much indeed. He was with +them nearly all day long. Tom was usually very busy; so, too, was Uncle +Staysail; and though it must not be thought that Pete was an idle man, +for he had much to study, still he always found time to romp and play +with Aralia, Pansy, and the two dogs. + +Though the weather grew colder for a time, it was all one long, long +summer's day. For in the Arctic regions the sun never sets for at least +three months, but just goes round and round, blazing high in the south at +mid-day, and lower in the north at midnight. Indeed, in these seas, if +you were not to look at the clock, you could not really tell whether it +was night or day. + +Every evening now the little party gathered round the large stove, on +which a copper urn of coffee was always gently simmering. Then the +professor told his strangest stories, with perhaps Pansy on his knee, and +Aralia lying on the hearth-rug with the dogs. Most of his yarns were +about the Frozen North, its dangers and perils, its joys and pleasures. + +"And shall we see all these strange sights?" Pansy used to ask. + +"Yes, dear, and many more than these, because I mean to give you a treat +if you are good and don't get your fingers frozen." + +One day great lumps of white snow-clad ice came floating by, and that +same evening the crow's-nest was hoisted high, high up at the very top of +the main-mast. The crow's-nest was like a big barrel with a lid at the +bottom, Pansy said, and Tom, or the mate, used to climb and crawl through +the bottom, and stand, spy-glass in hand, and look all about them. + +"Oh," cried Pansy one day, "shouldn't I like to get up just once! +Wouldn't you, Ara?" + +"But we could never climb up," sighed her sister. + +The clever professor heard them, and lo and behold! the very next day he +had a kind of easy-chair ready for them to go up in. He himself sat down +in it with the children, and up they were hoisted, up and up. It was so +fearsome that the girls shut their eyes and clung to Pete, but when they +did open them what a sight they saw! + +They were not far off the main pack, and as far as the eye could see was +one vast field of snow-covered ice. Their eyes were dazzled in looking at +it. + +They were not in the crow's-nest, but close beside it, and Pete made them +look through the spy-glass. This was wonderful, for away yonder to the +north, and near to the edge of the pack, where the sea looked as black +as ink, they could see four great ships, with their crews on the ice, +shooting seals and dragging skins. But in two hours' time the _Valhalla_ +herself got north as far as these ships, and was stopped. + +Neither of the girls felt cold, for they wore great mits and hoods, and +were altogether as snug as mice. + +Then a boat was lowered, and when they looked down they could see Tom +himself get in with shooting-clothes on and a great rifle in his hand. He +waved his cap to them, and Pansy cried: "Hoo-lay!" The boat pulled away +and soon touched the ice; Tom sprang nimbly on shore, and before long he +could be seen only as a little black dot on that dazzling plain of snow. +Then he was observed to stop and kneel down while some huge monster, +yellowish-white in colour, came rushing towards him. + +Aralia must have the glass now. + +"Oh, the bear! the bear!" she cried in grief. "It is going to kill Tom. +Oh! oh! oh! my brother Tom!" + +"Let me see! let me see!" screamed Pansy. + +"Look now!" said Aralia with a smile. "Isn't Tom brave?" + +Tom was indeed. For Pansy could now see the monster lying dead, and Tom +leaning on his gun, and once more waving his cap. Then men came up and +skinned the bear, and dragged the head and hide and paws to the ship. + +[Illustration] + +Tom was a splendid shot, and this was his first bear. When he came +aboard, his sisters met him with pleasure, although with tears in their +eyes, for he had run a great risk. + +A day or two after this, when still farther north, the children had had +their first run upon the ice. It was all so strange, and the ice was so +white, that they felt very giddy for a time. But the professor held +Pansy, and Tom walked by Aralia. + +The whole ice-pack seemed one vast plain, like a bleak moorland in +winter, only with little hillocks of ice here and there called hummocks, +for the flat pieces of ice were all frozen hard together, and Ara +wondered where "Greenland's icy mountains" had all got to. + +There were no bears about to-day, and no seals, only the sea-birds that +went wheeling and screaming about them in thousands. When they got back +to the ship it was dinner-time, and both were snow-blind. The black +steward carried them down and seated them at table, but it was quite half +an hour before they could see. + +Although the ship was now kept well away from the ice-pack, they could +often see vessels far in through frozen ice, but busy, busy at their +terrible work. Sometimes Tom and the mate would have a boat lowered, and +would set off bear-hunting. One day Tom brought home a young seal. It was +such a beauty, with soft eyes and long, warm, fluffy hair. It was so +small that even Pansy could carry it a little way in her arms. + +"Oh, do let us have it for a pet!" cried Aralia, and her uncle consented. +So they called the seal "Flossy", and warmed frozen milk for it--great +stores of which had been taken on board,--and fed it with a spoon, and +soon the wee thing knew Pansy, and used to crawl and waddle after her. + +The dogs didn't know what to make of Flossy at first, and Briton used to +roll it all round the deck with his big nose; but Flossy rather liked +this. But one day, when Briton tried to lift it up by the tail, it struck +him a slap with its flipper that could be heard from stem to stern. + +"Take that," Flossy seemed to say, "and leave my tail alone!" + +The vessel was now kept farther to the east, and every day they passed +between great patches of ice, big pieces of which kept striking the ship +with such a noise that when anyone wanted to be heard he had to shout +aloud. + +The professor was very busy now, taking soundings almost every day, and +doing all kinds of clever work that even Tom, smart as he was, couldn't +understand. But in the evenings he still played with the children, or +amused them by showing them, through magnifying-glasses, some of the +wonderful things he had brought up from the bottom of the ocean. + +It was all very strange and beautiful, and the children were enchanted. +But their greatest treat was when he brought some little glass tanks +containing forms of animal life they had never seen before, and were +never tired of watching. Only Professor Pete didn't--because he said he +couldn't--bring them out every night. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +On and on sailed the beautiful _Valhalla_. East and west, but always +north, went she. + +Peterkin was on a voyage of discovery, and one of his chief objects +seemed to be to keep clear of the ice, which had grown very heavy indeed. + +It was a delightful holiday for the children as yet, but for the +professor a time of harder work than many know anything about at all. It +was really wonderful how this busy little man found time to play with the +children, with Flossy and with the dogs, or even to play his fiddle. But +this, he would have told you, was his way of taking exercise; and he told +Pansy that if it were not for her he didn't think he should ever be able +to find the island of gold he was in search of. + +Do not think, though, it was all and always plain sailing. There were +dangers of many kinds. Sometimes storms would suddenly rise and blow for +a day or two at a stretch. At such times the sun was hidden, and the +cold became intense. The waves that broke on board were turned into ice, +covering the decks and bows, and giving to the ship a wondrous +appearance. + +One evening, after a gale like this had blown over, the stowaways, who +had not dared to show face all day, were told to come up on deck. + +What a sight! Why, the _Valhalla_ was like a ghost-ship. The decks were +white, and the bulwarks too. Every rope and stay seemed made of frosted +silver, while great icicles hung everywhere around. + +It was very dark this evening, so that the children at first could hardly +see anything. But Pete soon had them all hoisted up on to the bridge. + +And now he turned on the electric and coloured lights--crimson, blue, and +orange. Then, what a sight was there! It was one that caused Pansy and +Aralia quite to forget the beauty of a pantomime they had seen the winter +before. + +They stood spell-bound, and would not have been a bit surprised if all +the deck had suddenly been crowded with fairies, with silver wands, +garlands of flowers, and wings of pearly gauze. But the only fairies were +the sailors, and every one of these looked like a very old man, because +heads and beards were white with frost and snow, and little icicles hung +round their hats. + +The children dreamt of it all again that night; but lo! when they went on +deck next morning, before breakfast, to have a romp and a run with the +dogs and Flossy, everything was changed. + +And what a change! + +The sun was now shining brightly, with not a cloud in the blue sky. +Icebergs lay far astern; all around was a calm blue sea, with one great +whale half-asleep on its surface, wild birds more beautiful than any they +had ever seen before sailing around, and, more wonderful than anything +else, the _Valhalla_ was safe at anchor in front of a pretty island, +patched with the greens, reds, and browns of lovely flowers. + +"Behold!" cried Peterkin, as he lifted Pansy up. "Behold, my child, the +land of gold and coals!" + +Pansy's reply was to the point. + +"Very pretty, very pretty," she said; "but, 'Fessor Pete, I wants to see +the gold--not the nasty coals." + +This very forenoon Peterkin started off in the biggest boat to "spy out +the land", as he called it Tom and the three little stowaways were +allowed to come too. To them it was going to be a kind of picnic, and the +steward sent with them a huge basket, filled with enough good things to +last the whole crew for a week. As there was no wind, the men had to row +all the way. + +"Oh," cried Pansy, "I hope dear Flossy won't swim away!" + +Yes, they had taken Flossy with them as well as the dogs. + +The water was deep and dark quite close to the beautiful shore, and the +girls could not help marvelling at the monsters of jelly-fish they saw +far down in its depths. Their bodies were as great as sunshades, and of +the same shape, and the legs they jerked out from under were spangled +with stars of blue and red. Once a huge shark swam up to the boat, leered +at them with his sly and evil eyes, then, turning on his back, showed a +mouth that could have swallowed them all. Poor Pansy drew nearer to the +professor with a cry of horror. + +They found a little bay at last, and landed for a meal. + +"I don't think there is anything that can hurt you here," said Peterkin, +"and, if you like, you can run about and gather flowers while I cruise +round the coast for an hour. There, I will leave you all the rugs, the +bear-skin, and the basket too." + +They were delighted. + +So off they set, Veevee and Briton bounding and barking in front, and +Flossy waddling behind. Tom had his rifle and plenty of cartridges, but +there was really nothing to shoot but the lovely gulls, and the boy was +not so cruel as to touch one of these. + +So they wandered on and on and upwards, until they came to a level spot +all one lovely carpet of small wild flowers. Poppies of many colours grew +here, mosses, yellow stone-crop, and grasses of every hue, but they +agreed not to pick any until they should be returning. Still higher they +went up the mountain-side, when suddenly little Pansy exclaimed: "Look, +Tom! look, Ara! the sea is all flied away!" + +[Illustration] + +Tom stared behind him and stood aghast. + +A huge wall of fog or white mist had quite covered the ocean and even the +shore, shutting them out from view, and was now slowly advancing towards +them. But that was not the worst, for a low, moaning wind came on before +it, and flakes of snow began to fall. + +It was easy for Tom to say: "Let us get back at once to the beach, the +boat must be there already." They had come miles from the bay. Before +they could walk half the distance back, the snow-fog had swallowed them, +and it was no wonder that they lost their way, and became cold and faint +and dizzy. + +Both Aralia and Pansy began to cry now, and at last sank down among the +dry snow, unable to move another yard. + +Tom was a boy of great courage. He thought for a little, and then he +said: "Frank, if you can carry Pansy I'm sure I can manage Ara; and we +will try to find shelter somewhere till the storm is blown over." + +So on again in this way they struggled, till, more dead than alive, they +found, by good luck, the welcome shelter of a cave. The cave was by no +means large, but they were surprised to find it so warm. The first thing, +however, that Tom did was to walk all round the inside, rifle in hand. +Tom had not been two years at sea for nothing. Meanwhile, where was +Flossy, and where was Briton? + +Tom whistled again and again, till he said he had nearly whistled the +whites of his eyes out, but never a dog replied. + +Something else had begun to whistle also, and that was the wind, and +although Tom made several attempts to leave the cave, to have a look at +the weather as he called it, he found it impossible to stand. Hours and +hours passed away like this, and the tempest seemed only to increase in +force. + +They were all very hungry now, and so Tom shared out some biscuits he had +brought with him, and after they had swallowed a little snow they all sat +down to talk. + +"I fear," said Tom, "we'll have to stay here all night. It will be good +fun, won't it, girls?" + +He knew it was anything but fun himself, but he spoke in that way to keep +up the children's courage. + +When Aralia said, "Yes," so did Pansy, but both looked very quiet. + +Soon after this, to their great joy, in bounded Briton himself, and close +behind him waddled Floss. It was clear to all that he had been helping +Flossy along, for Flossy was still little more than a puppy; but, poor +wee beauty, how glad she was to see them all again! + +She crawled up to Pansy, and lay down on her back to be scratched, which +was always Flossy's way of showing she was pleased. + +Well, after they had all talked till they were tired, Tom said: "Now, +girls, just you lie down to sleep. Frank, here is my ticker." He gave his +cousin his watch as he spoke. "You have to do sentry for three hours. +Then wake me up and I'll let you lie down. See, I'll put my rifle and +belt, with fifty cartridges in it, beside you. Mind, that is only for +show, because you're too little a boy to touch guns. Anybody want a +little more snow? No? Very well." + +So the girls curled up with Veevee and Floss, and Tom lay near. But +Briton seemed to say: "No, I won't sleep; I'll lie and watch with Frank." + +Frank was not sorry to have the dog beside him for it was terrible to +feel all alone in such a dismal place. + +Well, the night wore slowly on--one, two, three, four hours--and Frank +was just looking at the rifle, and pretending to aim at something in the +falling snow, when, all at once, Briton uttered a low warning growl and +sprang to his feet. + +Next moment a great shambling bear was right in the mouth of the cave. He +gave a roar that seemed to shake the whole island. + +Whether the boy took aim or not, I never could tell, but he certainly +fired the rifle, and down dropped Bruin dead, and lay in the snow with +his great tongue hanging out, a marvellous sight to see. + +The noise in the cave was fearful, but as soon as the girls had stopped +screaming, Frank told what had happened. + +"I tell you what it is, girls," he said more than once, "there wasn't the +least bit of bravery about it. I just held out the gun, and off it went." + +"Oh, but you were brave!" said Aralia; "and if you hadn't killed the +awful monster, we should all be dead now. + +"No, no," cried Tom, "it was only Flossy that the bear wanted! He just +wanted a bit of seal for supper." + +"Wowff!" barked Briton. + +"Wiff!" barked Veevee, as much as to say: "No bear shall touch Flossy +while we are alive." + +But nobody thought of sleeping any more, and as they were all very +hungry, Tom served out more snow. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +The tempest howled for many hours more. Then at last it grew almost calm, +and the sun shone out on the pure white snow. + +"I know what to do now," said Tom. "Let us find our way to the beach. The +boat may be there, you know." + +But long before they reached the shore they beheld a wondrous sight, for +as far as the eye could reach there was no water to be seen, only huge +icebergs covered with dazzling snow, all gently moving up and down with +the swelling waves beneath. The noise made by these great bergs as they +ground their sides together was deafening. + +But there were no signs of the boat, and no ship was to be seen. The +_Valhalla_ had either been crushed to atoms or been driven out to sea. +Tom clung to the last hope, and even told his sisters that she was sure +to return for them soon. He would not get downhearted. + +"This is a queer business, Frank," he said with a light laugh, which had +no sound of fun in it however; "but we must do the best we can till they +come back. Eh, Frank?" + +"Yes, of course." + +But Pansy was clinging to Aralia, quietly crying. + +"Well, Frank, we must live in the cave for a little, and so we had better +get everything in, and be as jolly as we can." + +[Illustration] + +When they had got everything up to the cave, which took a long time, +everybody had a good breakfast. There was really enough food to last a +week, and it was lucky there were several boxes of sardines, for Floss +would take nothing else. + +"It's going to be a big, big picnic," said Frank, and the girls began to +laugh. "We're going to have lots of fun." + +Frank and Tom could climb like monkeys, and in about an hour's time they +had put all the food high up in a hole in the rock out of the reach of +bears or foxes. + +By twelve o'clock, when the sun was as high as it could get, the snow had +disappeared, and once more there was a soft, warm breeze blowing, and +beauty everywhere. + +Two days flew by and nothing happened, only at night they could hear +foxes barking in the distance. They never attack people singly, as bears +do, but they are dangerous in packs, as Tom one day found out to his +cost. + +The food was getting low, and Tom thought it was time to do something. +They had found strange fruits like strawberries growing, and also some +sort of roots that tasted like nuts; but unless they could get some fish +poor Flossy would die. + +So Tom started off all alone on a voyage of discovery. Frank stayed in +the cave with the girls, and they promised to be very good. + +The morning was very calm, and so still that Tom could hear Pansy calling +to him "not to be long" when he was quite a mile up the mountain-side. +Why he took this course he could never tell, but, when he crossed the +top, marvellous indeed was the view that lay before his eyes. + +Uncle Staysail used to tell him that the natives of the north say there +is an open sea somewhere near the Pole, with many islands in it, and +trees, and flowers, and birds. + +And now, behold! such a sea lay right down in the round valley yonder at +his feet. It was not really a sea, but a lovely round lake, and right in +the middle was a large green island. + +Tom rubbed his eyes and gazed and gazed, and then rubbed his eyes and +gazed again. + +"Was it all a dream?" he wondered. + +No, there was no dream about it. It took Tom some hours to explore this +lake. He walked round it and found that at the far side a ridge of rocks, +very narrow, led right out to the island. He crossed this natural bridge +and found himself in a perfect paradise. Flowers and fruit everywhere, +and beautiful wild birds the like of which he had never seen before. +There were rabbits, too, and very tame they were, for they followed him +about, and seemed to wonder what he was and where on earth he came from. + +Tom knocked one on the head, though he was not cruel, and with this slung +over his shoulder, and his pockets full of nuts, he started to walk back. + +But I suppose that walking round in a circle had confused him. Anyhow he +walked miles out of his way, and lost himself. He sat down on a big stone +at last, and wondered what he should do. He was tired and hungry, so he +ate a handful of nuts. And then he began to nod. + +"I'll just have five minutes of a nap," he said, "and then get on again." + +So down he lay. But his five minutes lasted for an hour, and still the +lad lay fast asleep. + +A large gray fox stole up and smelt the rabbit. + +"That'll just suit me," said he to himself. "I'll go and call my brothers +and sisters, and we'll kill this two-legged creature and steal his +rabbit." + +"Yap-yap-yap!" barked the fox, and soon he had a whole pack round him. +But just as they were getting near to Tom, he awoke and sat up. Bang went +his rifle at once, as he saw his danger. One fox fell dead, but the +others came on with a rush, and there was soon a lively fight. Tom laid +about him with the butt end of his rifle, and, being a strong young +fellow, dead and dying foxes were soon lying all round him. + +The rest of the pack drew back a little way, only to come on again, +yelping and yelling more than ever. Poor Tom's wrists were dripping with +blood, for he had been bitten in many places. He thought it was all over +now, yet he meant to fight to the last. + +But help was at hand, for the next moment Briton bounded into the centre +of the spiteful pack, and the savage beasts fled in every direction. + +What a happy meeting that was! The mastiff led Tom back over the hills, +and in an hour's time he was safe and sound at the cave. + +Pansy wept with delight, and Aralia bound up Tom's wrists. He made very +light of the bites, however. + +There were many pieces of old black wood in the cave, so Frank collected +them and lit a fire; and when it was quite clear, the rabbit was roasted, +and everybody made a splendid dinner. + +Then Tom told them all he had seen; and, after a night's rest, they all +started off the next morning for the lake and the island, taking the +skins and rugs with them. They reached the long ridge of rocks and +crossed over. Then, indeed, were the girls surprised and delighted. What +a lot they would have to tell Father and Mother when they got home again! + +Tom sighed. He feared in his own mind that they would never, never see +their home any more. + +When Flossie saw the lake she made a spring towards it and dived below +the surface. They could see her darting about beneath, and soon up she +came, looking as pleased as Punch, with a fine, great fish in her mouth. +She laid it gently at Pansy's feet, and dived in again. + +"I'll be happy here," she seemed to say, as she brought another fish, +"and we need never be hungry any more." + +After Tom had well explored the island, he told Frank they must build a +fort. He had found the very spot for it, too, on a little hill. This was +about a hundred feet high, and the top was hollow, like a cup, with only +one opening into it. In fact, the top of the hill was part of the crater +of an extinct volcano, and was shaped like the letter G, the doorway +being only a gap in the rocks, through which no bear could squeeze. + +Inside, the walls were twenty feet high all round, all bare rock; but the +floor was covered with grass, and moss, and wild flowers. + +Aralia and Pansy were wild with delight, and Pansy said she would now be +able to sleep without ugly dreams. + +Veevee would be her bed-fellow, and Floss would curl up with Sissie, and +big Briton could sleep at the entrance. + +So it was all arranged. + +But as there could be no telling how long they might have to remain here, +and as rain would be sure to fall, even if snow did not, Tom and Frank +began to build a hut inside Fort Fairyland, as they called their strange +abode. + +[Illustration] + +Now each boy had--like all Greenland sailors--not only a large, +many-bladed knife, with a saw in it, but a huge broad dagger in a +leathern belt round his waist. So they did not want for tools. + +They found the best wood for what they wanted growing close by the lake, +in the shape of straight and strong willows. There were plenty of leaves, +and grasses, and heath also. + +It would be rather a long job, but they set to work with a will, and in +three days' time they had dragged everything they wanted up to Fort +Fairyland. The building of the hut was fine fun. At first it was only +meant to be a kind of shelter on poles, but, as they had so much time +upon their hands, they agreed to build real walls, and leave space for a +door and a window. In little more than a week they had the framework all +up, and the roof all made. It was thatched first with broad leaves, and +then with grass. And, mind you a short ladder had to be made first to +permit them to do the thatching. When this was finished, all the sides +were filled in with willow branches, except door and window. Never a hole +was left in it, for Aralia and Pansy collected heaps and heaps of dried +moss, and the boys worked this in to fill up the gaps. + +And when all was finished, and wicker seats made, it did look a cosy +little hut indeed. + +But all the cooking was done out-of-doors. There were no sauce-pans to +clean, nor knives nor forks. The plates were broad leaves, and for knives +and forks the castaways used pointed sticks. + +It really wasn't bad fun at all being Crusoes in such a place as this. + +But--dear me! there is always a "but" about everything--how was it all to +end? + +And where was the _Valhalla_? + +Except for these two questions, which would keep on running through Tom's +and Frank's minds, they could have been quite contented--well, for a time +at all events. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +In their rambles through this little Arctic fairy land, Tom noticed that +the squirrels were now busy every day running away to their holes with +nuts and leaves. Of course they might have young ones to feed, he +thought; but surely it was something more than this which made them act +thus. + +Creeping all alone one morning through the bushes, as quietly as a mouse, +Tom came upon a sight which taught him a useful lesson. For high up in +the trunk of an old tree was a big round hole with a squirrel's tail +hanging out. Presently up ran another squirrel, carrying a great mouthful +of leaves and clay. + +The new-comer made a slight noise, when out came No. 1 and took the +bundle from No. 2, which then darted off for more. + +"Ho! ho!" said Tom to himself, "they seem to be storing up food for +winter. Heigho! I thought it would always be summer in this fairyland. +But thank you, Master Squirrel, I shall go and do the same." So off went +Tom to tell Frank and the girls what he had seen the squirrels doing. + +"As there is no sign of the ship coming back for us, children," he said +somewhat seriously, "and we may have to spend the winter here, I think, +you know, we ought to be making ready for it." + +"So do I," said Pansy, looking very wise. "We want food, and we want wood +and all, doesn't we, Tom?" + +"It won't be very, very cold in this island," said her brother, "because +we have the warm-water lake all round us. But perhaps the squirrels know +best." + +So now began a very busy season indeed, for everybody went nut-gathering. + +Tom opened up a squirrel's store, and a pretty noise the little creature +made about it. But he did not rob it; he only wanted to learn a lesson. + +He noticed that the nuts it had collected were a little green on one +side, so these must be the best. Then he looked at the leaves and clay +that were packed over them, and thought he would get some just the same. + +This going a-nutting in fairyland was real fine fun, and to have heard +their merry voices, talking and laughing and singing, with every now and +then Briton's great bass "Wowff!" and Veevee's shrill "Wiff!" no one +would have taken them for castaways and Crusoes. + +Nutting made everyone so hungry too! + +Rabbits were very plentiful on the island. The boys caught them by means +of snares made of a kind of tough creeper. And bonny Flossy caught as +many fish as would have kept a large family alive. + +Tom seldom used his rifle, though he always carried it. The cartridges +were too precious to waste. + +Another thing which these Crusoes had to be very careful to do was never +to let the fire go out. It was easily kept in by placing a kind of mossy +peat among the hot ashes and covering it quite over. + + * * * * * + +So they collected an immense quantity of nuts, and these were placed in +holes found in the rocks, and covered right up with the same sort of +cement as the squirrels used. The roots that served them instead of bread +every day, and which were cooked by placing them for a short time in the +hot ashes, they also collected and stored. So when the harvest was all +over, Tom told Frank and his sisters that they needn't be afraid to spend +their Christmas in this beautiful island. + +"Oh, but, Tom," said Pansy, "we'll all be home long, long before +Christmas, won't we?" + +Poor child! She was beginning to long for her mother's cosy cottage on +the cliff, and for the fires that in the long winter evenings always +burned so brightly in the parlour grate. + +"Now, about light for the long Arctic winter night, which will soon be +here?" + +This was the question that Tom put to Frank just after sunset one +beautiful evening as the snow on the tops of the highest mountains was +changed to a rose tint in the sun's parting rays. + +"It is a very serious question, you know," he added. + +"Very serious," said Pansy, who heard him, shaking her wise, wee head. + +Sitting by the camp fire there, with its lights and shadows chasing each +other over her face and through her sunny hair, Pansy looked a very +beautiful child indeed. + +For some time they had all been sitting round the fire, watching the +curling smoke and the dancing flames, everyone intent on his or her own +thoughts. Aralia had been wondering what they were all doing at home, and +if her father and mother were anxious about her and Pansy. It was such a +long, long time--hundreds of years it seemed--since they had sailed away; +so many strange things had happened since that day. Pansy was a little +maiden who took the world very easily, and enjoyed each day and hour as +it passed. Her thoughts were hardly worth a penny. Frank was not unlike +Pansy, and took things as they came, and if they were not nice, just let +them slide. The mastiff was asleep, so was Veevee, and both seemed to be +dreaming, and talking in their dreams. But Flossy's eyes were very wide +open now. She was really wondering if she could catch another fish +to-night. Flossy had lately taken to waddling away towards evening for a +swim in the warm lake, and never came back without something in her +mouth. + +So nobody was surprised when they missed her from the fire, only, as she +stayed rather longer to-night than usual, and as the long twilight would +soon end, Tom took up his rifle and went off all by himself to look for +her. + +"Oh, dear!" cried Pansy, as the sound of a shot startled everyone in the +fort. "Tom's gone and killed something!" + +"Let's run and see," said Frank. Veevee and Briton had already rushed +off. + +They found Tom at the lake-side, standing over a huge dead bear, with +Flossy near him. + +"That bear," said Tom, laughing, "was keeping poor Floss in the lake; but +he won't do so again. Isn't he a fine one?" + +"Yes," cried Frank; "he is indeed." + +"And now, children," said Tom, when he was once more seated in front of +the camp fire, "the question of lights is settled for good. Frank and I +are going to make candles out of that bear's tallow." + +"Yes, Pansy, we are. Oh, we shouldn't be half Crusoes if we couldn't make +candles!" + +So the boys arranged to start work the very next morning at sunrise. + +"But first let us have a look through this beautiful isle of the sea, +while the girls are asleep. There may be more bears. Briton, you must +stay and watch. Veevee, you may come." + +Though Veevee searched every bush and grove, no bear was found. The one +Tom had so cleverly killed must have crossed to the island alone by the +bridge of rocks. + +So, after breakfast, the boys built their fire. With big blocks of lava +they made a sort of stove, and on top of this was placed a large cup-like +stone, which they had chanced to find. Into this they put the tallow to +melt. In the meantime Tom pulled a quantity of thick rushes, and set +Frank and the girls to peel them, while the dogs looked on as if +wondering what it was all about. + +[Illustration] + +"It's something to eat, I suppose," said Briton, looking very wise. + +"A sort of soup of some kind from the smell of it, I should think," was +Veevee's remark. + +The long threads of white pith were about as thick as a penholder, and +these were to form the wicks. When dried they were tied two and two by +one end. + +Then between two uprights Tom placed a long willow rod, with three dozen +strong thorns stuck in it about two inches apart, to serve as hooks. + +By this time the tallow was melted and all was ready. + +"Now, ladies and gentlemen," said Tom, "you shall see how candles were +built in the Royal Navy when Uncle was a boy." He rolled up his sleeves, +and, picking up a double wick, dipped it in the pan, and then hung it on +the first peg for the tallow to set. He did the same with all the rest, +and by the time he had the thirty-sixth wick hung up, No. 1 was ready to +be taken down and dipped again. So on he went all along the row, till he +had dipped them a dozen times at least, when, lo! and behold! they were +thick and beautiful candles, each one strong enough to give the light of +half a dozen ordinary ship's candles. + +He worked for two days, and made about a hundred in all, so there was no +fear of their having to sit in the dark. + +Next night, while the moon was shining low over the snow-clad hills, the +whole camp was alarmed by the fierce barking of Briton. The mastiff was +"wowffing", Veevee was "wiffing", and Flossy was moaning and wagging her +tail in the air. Though it was long past midnight, Briton wanted to be +off out and kill something or somebody he had heard, and Veevee would +also go on the war-path for fear Briton might get hurt. + +Almost immediately after came the most tremendous yelling the Crusoes had +ever heard, and it was clear that a whole pack of foxes had invaded the +island, and if Briton and Veevee had been allowed to go out, they would +both have been torn to pieces. The awful din lasted for hours, with a +sound now and then of fighting. + +Then it stopped, and all was still. + +Everybody went quietly off to sleep again, but next day, when they went +to the lake-side, behold not a trace of the bear was to be seen. The +beasts had eaten all the flesh, and carried away the bones and skin. + +"Now, what if these wild dogs return some night," said Tom to Frank, "and +attack the camp. Although no bear could squeeze in here, these half-bred +wolves might, and tear us all in pieces. + +"Don't frighten a fellow, Tom," said Frank. "But I say, old man, we must +puzzle our heads once again and make a gate." + +"Well, that's good!" cried Tom, laughing; "why, there is only one head +between the two of us, and that belongs to me, Master Frank; and don't +you forget it." + +"Well, well, you may have it, only for goodness' sake make good use of +it!" + +The cup-like top of the hill in which our Crusoes were living had but one +entrance, as I have before told you, and the path leading to it was very +steep, and made up of large stones and lumps of lava. + +"It would be a good thing," Tom said, "to get a lot of these inside. They +would come in very handy to throw at an enemy, eh?" + +"That they would," said Frank. + +Well, it took them three whole days to make and fix up a gate, which they +could raise or lower before the entrance by means of ropes made out of +long trailing weeds, or creepers. + +Then, after they had carried about a hundred big stones inside, they +began to feel happier and safer. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +One morning, a month or two after this, the Crusoes awoke to find that +the sun rose that day for the last time, and, until spring should return, +they would see his golden beams no more. + +But there was a bright and beautiful twilight every mid-day for two weeks +longer. Then they knew that the long, dreary Arctic night had come in +earnest. For about a month the Crusoes had been eating very heartily +every day and were getting quite fat. It was the same with the animals. + +Flossy had long ago lost her puppy coat, and was now a bonny +whitish-yellow seal, not very large, and with a black saddle on her back. +But Flossy got drowsy too, and if the boys had not stirred her up every +day, and sent her off to catch fish, I believe she would have slept +nearly all the time. + +Even the boys felt sleepy, though they could not tell why. Said Tom one +day to Frank as they sat playing draughts on a rough board, with nuts for +men: "Frank, old man, by this time all the bears will have gone into +winter quarters. They won't come out much until the sun returns." + +"Fancy," cried Aralia, clapping her hands, "Fancy all of us sleeping all +night long--three months, didn't you say, Tom? Wouldn't it be nice? And +if Uncle Staysail should come in to wake us in the morning! 'Get up,' he +would say, 'are you going to sleep all day?'" + +They all laughed at the idea, but it was not carried out. Besides the +candles, which they only burned at supper and after, they had torches +made of wood which they could burn at any time. Moreover, there was the +light of the camp fire, which they kept always burning, for they had laid +in a vast store of peat and wood. + + * * * * * + +Tom was time-keeper. He had a little log-book in which he had been +careful to note down day and date every morning, and, like a good lad, he +never forgot to wind his watch. He made a really first-class Crusoe. + +But they were all good. And what a grand guard Briton was! If ever he +heard the slightest sound of bird or rabbit down amongst the trees or +bushes beneath them, he gave a low growl. One night he sprang to his feet +and barked very loudly and angrily. + +The Crusoes were awake at once. + +And no wonder, for terrible noises, like distant thunder, were heard just +beneath their feet. They were startled still more when explosion after +explosion took place, both in the air and in the earth, while the ground +was shaken under them. + +It was a curious, giddy movement, and made them all feel rather sick. + +Then the thunder-storm burst in earnest, with rain and hail in torrents, +and the whole island seemed to be on fire with the lightning. + +Tom had to take Pansy in his arms to soothe her, for she shook and +trembled like a little bird. But in two hours it was all over, and the +stars were shining as bright and large and near as before. + + * * * * * + +Sometimes the moon shone with a stronger light than it ever does in this +country. It seemed so close to them, too, that Pansy used to say it was +only just resting on the snowy hill-top. + +On moonlit days the children were always abroad in the forest or by the +lake-side watching Flossy catching fish. She dived and swam far more +quickly than an eel. + +It is terribly dreary to want the sun, but after a month one gets used to +it. Besides, one knows that bright and beautiful days are on ahead. Older +people might have felt very weary, but none of our Crusoes lost heart. + +I have not told you yet of the Aurora Borealis, which was best seen on +dark, starry nights. It was not in the north only, but all around them, +great bright fringes of coloured lights--chiefly green, crimson, or pink. +How they danced and flickered, to be sure! Such dazzling beauty no pen +could describe, and I will not attempt it. + +Well, Christmas-day came at last, and how glad they all were to be still +spared alive and in comfort! + +Tom meant to make the most of it. But, of course, there was no turkey or +goose to roast. Instead, they had a splendid great rabbit stuffed with +nuts, and roasted roots to eat with it. + +They had no crackers either, but Tom and Frank got an immense pile of dry +wood, and heaped it in the middle of the rocky bridge that led to the +mainland, and early in the day or night--whichever you like to call +it--they set it alight. + +[Illustration] + +Now, probably this pile saved some of their lives. It had been placed +there about five days before Christmas, and a huge bear, who had the +nightmare I suppose, came yawning out of his cave and down the +mountain-side. + +He had shambled along to about the centre of the bridge, then lain down +among the wood and gone off to sleep. + +He slept so soundly that he did not hear the boys crossing over to set +the bonfire ablaze. + +But when the smoke and crackling flames got towards him he started up and +began to trot off, coughing and roaring till all the hills sent back the +sound. + +So awful was the echo that the boys were for a time almost +terror-stricken. They thought that about a score of bears had left their +snow-caves and were swarming down the hill. + +Tom fired his rifle, but missed. Veevee wanted to follow up. + +"Only just let me get at him," cried the little rascal, "and I'll tear +him limb from limb!" + +Anyhow that was a fine fire, and it lit up the lake and the woods all +about, while the numerous sparks that rose and fell in the air were like +golden rain. + +After the fire began to fade and to die they all returned to their +Christmas dinner in the hut. + +No fewer than four candles were lighted to-night, one in each corner of +the room. Oh, Tom meant to do everything in first-class form, I can tell +you! + +And I feel pretty certain that even at home in Merrie England no one that +evening ate more heartily or made a better dinner than our Crusoes, all +alone though they were in the far-off Frozen North. + +After supper they all came round the fire, and the dogs went off to +sleep, perchance to dream; but the children kept very wide awake indeed. +And Tom told lots of droll, funny stories, and everybody sang songs. +After this, all the talk was about home and the delightful time they were +sure to have in one year's time, when Christmas came round again once +more. + +Then came sleep, and when Tom looked at his watch--next morning let me +call it--it was very nearly twelve o'clock! + + * * * * * + +Although it now wanted but a fortnight, according to Tom's reckoning, of +the first sunrise, it was still as dark as ever, and but for the moon and +stars and glorious Aurora, life about this time would have been very tame +and dreary indeed. + +Yet, owing to the clearness of the air and the purity of everything +around them, the children never once lost heart. In fact they were as +merry as sky-larks, and often made the island resound with song and mirth +and laughter. + +And the dogs, as well as Flossy, were merrier still. They barked and +laughed as only dogs can, and chased each other round and round in great +circles, often disappearing for ten minutes at a time, and springing out +and rolling Flossy over and over when she least expected them. + +Flossy was gay enough, although she couldn't run, and often leapt fully +six feet high, turning over and over in the air before she came down +again. + +And when she did manage to entice the dogs into the water, it was her +turn to show them her skill; and indeed her feats in the water were +marvellous. Anyhow, she used quite to astonish the dogs. They were all +very well in the woods, but couldn't match Flossy in the water, and there +was no use trying it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +The long mid-day twilights came first, uncertain and gray to begin with, +but getting brighter and more lovely as time went on. It was as if Nature +were trying her hand in painting the sky to give the great king of day a +glorious welcome. + +But one day the snow on the mountain peaks changed to a bright red, while +above floated just one streak of crimson cloud; higher up, the stars +shone in a strange, green light, and all the horizon was of the richest +orange colour. + +"Oh, surely," cried Pansy, "the sun will rise to-day!" + +But the red faded from the mountain-top, the little cloud turned brown, +then gray, then black, and it was night once more. + +"No, little sister," said Tom kindly; "but the sun will rise to-morrow." + +All went to bed early that night, and were up very early in the morning. +In fact, breakfast was finished before the stars had begun to pale in the +west. Then came twilight itself, and, long though it was, its intense +beauty was the best reward for the waiting, watching little Crusoes. + +Every heart was beating quickly, and Pansy was standing on brave Tom's +shoulder, just to be "nearer the sky", she said. + +All were silent. + +The sun came at last, and with such a silvery sheen, too, that the +children were dazzled. + +This was best, for they could not thus see the tears that slowly trickled +down each other's faces. + +"Look! look! look!" was all Pansy could say. + +"Oh, isn't it splendid!" said Tom, as soon as he could speak. + +"Uncle is sure to come now," said Aralia firmly. + +"I'll go and fish," Flossy seemed to say as she sprang three times her +length in the air, and turned head over heels like the clown in a circus. + +"Come on, Veevee," cried the mastiff, "come for a run in the sunshine." +And off they set. + +But the day soon ended, for the sun quickly disappeared. Yet the Crusoes +had seen it, and that was joy enough for once. + +And now the days began to lengthen out, but at the same time earthquakes +and thunder-storms became more and more frequent. The lake felt hot +again, and the water tossed about so much at times, that even Flossy was +afraid to venture in to catch the fish she could not live without. + +There was a most terrible earthquake-storm about two weeks after the +first sunrise. + +Even Tom himself was frightened this time, for the thunderings and +lightnings and explosions were awful, and lasted for three long days. +It was pitch dark all the time, and the rain came down in sheets. + +To make matters worse, smoke of a strange red colour was seen on the +hills. It looked as if it came from rents in the mountain-sides, and +there was a smell like burning sulphur in the air. + +But this season of terror ended at last; the stars shone out, there was a +fine display of northern lights, and, soon after, the sun rose. A stiff +breeze sprang up, and all the clouds and vapours were blown away, the +last thing seen being a rainbow in the east. + +The joy of the Crusoes now knew no bounds. The dogs dashed about, Veevee +barked "Wiff!" Briton barked "Wowff!" and Flossy frisked her tail and +went off to fish. + +The children now set out for a stroll, and saw many curious sights. Close +to the lake, in several places, the earth seemed to have been ripped +open, and, looking down as they stood hand in hand on the edge, they +seemed to be gazing right into the world's dark depths. + +Next day Tom took a long walk alone. He went to the top of one of the +highest hills, having left his sisters in charge of Frank and Briton, but +taking Veevee and his rifle with him. + +Pansy watched him go up and up the mountain, until he was lost to sight. + +"Oh," she cried, as she clapped her hands, "I know where Tom has gone! He +has just gone away to bring Uncle and 'Fessor Pete back again." + +Well, anyhow, Tom had a look at the sea. It spread out as far as the eye +could reach, and was covered everywhere with great snow-clad bergs of +ice, except just close to the island, where it was clear, but black as +ink. + +It was nothing more than he expected, but somehow he wished it had been +otherwise. + +He marched down the other side of the hill for quite a mile, keeping a +good look-out, however, lest some huge ice-bear should catch him +unawares. + +By and by he missed his little four-footed friend, and traced him by his +footprints into a cave. + +He called aloud, but received no answer. The cave seemed to be a vast +one, and he had to feel his way in the dark with his rifle, for fear of +falling down some hole. + +As he could hear nothing, he thought poor Veevee must be dead, and slowly +and sadly turned back. + +His foot kicked against something hard when he was near to the entrance, +and, stooping down, he picked up what seemed to be a piece of white +stone, and put it into the pocket of his jacket. + +When he got back home at last, poor Pansy cried very much indeed at the +loss of her pet. But when, next morning, she found him curled up at her +feet, she thought it must have been all a dream. + +How the dog got back was never known, but it is possible he had been +wandering all night in that cavern, deep down in the earth, and come out +at the lake side of the range of hills. + + * * * * * + +It was quite a month before Tom crossed the hills again. By this time +spring had already come back to Fairy Island. The buds were all out on +the trees, and the green leaves on a thousand bushes. Wild flowers were +everywhere. The birds, too, had returned, and the sea-gulls had taken up +their abode on a great patch of level ground just on the other side of +the lake. When anyone went near to their nests, which were in thousands, +and so close together that it was difficult to thread one's way through +them, the noise and screaming they made was deafening. + +Now I don't think that Tom and Frank were cruel, but they had to live, +and those great green-speckled eggs made a splendid addition to the +larder, so that, what with sunshine and better food, the girls soon got +back all the colour they had lost during the long, long night of winter. + +But where was the _Valhalla_ and her crew all this time? Would they +never, never come? + +The Crusoes lived in hope. + +Now in spring-time the foxes and bears of the north, that have slept or +starved for months, become bold and dangerous through hunger. Bears are +always to be feared, but more so at this time of the year than any other. + +[Illustration] + +One day the prisoners of Fairy Island had been gayer than usual, but at +last, tired and happy, they had lain down to rest. It might have been +about midnight when they were awakened by a warning growl from Briton. +Then, with Veevee, he sprang up and rushed to the gate barking furiously. + +Tom sprang to his feet, and snatched up his rifle. He was not left long +in doubt as to who the enemy was. The wild wolf-foxes were in force, and +the yelping and howling outside was terrible to listen to. + +He fired his rifle several times right into the centre of the pack, +killing many and wounding more. This only made matters worse. The fierce +and hungry beasts dashed themselves at the gate and tried to tear it in +pieces. + +Stones were hurled at them, but all in vain. Poor Briton was as anxious +to get out as they were to get in, and had to be kept back by force. + +"Go, quick, Frank," shouted Tom, "and stir up the fire; heap more peats +and wood on, and bring lighted torches as soon as you can. I will guard +the gate till you come." + +So there Tom stood opposed to the whole awful crowd, with their glaring +eyes, red tongues, and white-flashing teeth, with only a slight gateway +between him and death. When he thrust his rifle between the willow bars +to take a shot, the beasts bit and tore at it, as if they would have +dragged it from his grasp. + +Aralia was busy helping Frank, and presently both came running up with +lighted fir-torches, which Tom at once flung over the gate, together with +pieces of burning peat and wood. These did splendid work, and after a +time the terrible pack drew off. + +There was no more sleep that night, however, and towards morning the +attack began again. The foxes had dragged off their dead and wounded and +devoured them. In the gray light of morning they rushed to the gate once +more, and the battle raged again in all its fury. + +Poor little Pansy was trembling and shaking with fear as she looked up +and saw that high up on the walls of the fort those savage, wild animals +had taken their stand. + +It was a terrible morning, and hope seemed at last to fade, for even +brave Tom had grown faint and weary, and could fight but little longer. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +"Come along, Professor! Come along, Mate! The children are there +somewhere, over in that strange island. Ha! here is a bridge of rocks! +Thank goodness for that! And look! here, too, are tracks!" + +It was Uncle Staysail who spoke, and behind him was 'Fessor Pete himself, +and at least a dozen well-armed sailors. + +"Listen!" cried the captain. "What is that?" + +"Wolves, I think," said the professor. "And hark! surely that was a +rifle-shot. Pray Heaven we may be in time, Staysail!" + +"Hurry up, men! Hurry up!" cried the captain; and the men dashed onwards. + + * * * * * + +Tom had revived a little, and he and Frank were fighting harder than ever +to hold the gate, as bold + + "Horatius kept the bridge + In the brave days of old". + +But it was already giving way, and the beasts without seemed to know it. + +Briton was on his legs ready, and all seemed to be lost, when suddenly a +rattling volley of rifle fire was heard from beneath, with shouts of men. + +Volley followed volley, and in less time than it takes me to tell it, the +wild wolf-foxes were seeking safety in flight. + + * * * * * + +"Tell us all your story again," said Tom to his uncle, as the children +sat round the stove that same evening in the cosy cabin of the +_Valhalla_. + +They were all washed and clean by this time, and the girls were +beautifully dressed. + +[Illustration] + +"Ah! well, you see," said Uncle as he relit his pipe, "the professor here +made a dart for the vessel when the storm came on. He wanted a stronger +crew. + +"He caught us just in time, for though the gale was a furious one we +could steam up to it, and were doing so, when suddenly there was a loud +explosion; one of the boilers had burst, and the engines were smashed and +useless. + +"We were now at the mercy of the sea, the waves, and the icebergs too, +and before another day we were blown far away to sea. + +"Even then we had hope. But in a week's time we were frozen into the main +pack, and there we have had to winter, and it is hardly a week since we +got clear by cutting a canal with our great ice-saws. Oh! it has been a +dreary time for us, but must have been more so to you, poor darlings! and +well and bravely you have borne it all! + +"I am sure," he added, "that even Pansy has grown, and her mother will +hardly know her again when we all get home." + +"We are going now, aren't we, 'Fessor Pete?" said Pansy, who was sitting +on his knee. + +"Yes, my dear, yes. It is no use staying here when we have no steam, so +the ship is now making for England's sunny shores. And we'll get there in +the rosy month of June. Won't it be nice?" + +Pansy was jumping with joy. + +Aralia clapped her hands and cried: "Just too jolly for anything!" + +By and by Aralia sat down to the piano, and Pete brought out his fiddle, +and a very happy evening indeed was spent in the _Valhalla_. + +The men were keeping it up forward too, around the galley fire, singing +songs and spinning yarns, for the ship was "homeward bound". + + * * * * * + +"Oh, by the by," said Tom one day to the professor, "I forgot to tell you +that in the cave where poor Veevee got lost I picked up this curious +stone!" + +The professor put his spectacles on his nose and gazed at it for a +moment. + +"Why, my dear Tom, this is solid gold, in the centre of a coating of +quartz! You're in luck, lad; and it is just as I said; that is the Island +of Gold. We shall return another year, and you will be one of the richest +men in the kingdom." + + * * * * * + +My story is finished, or almost. + +'Fessor Pete and Tom, with Uncle Staysail, to say nothing of the mastiff +Briton, are out there in the Frozen North this very summer, and I do hope +they will have luck. + +But Aralia and Pansy, with sometimes Frank and always Veevee, may be seen +any day playing on the sands not far from their mother's home, and Flossy +too. + +Flossy is wondrously tame, and spends an hour or two almost every day in +the sea, or on the beach, to the great delight of all who see her. But +Aralia has a whistle, and no matter how far away in the water this +strange pet may be, whenever the call is sounded she comes ploughing back +to the beach, and after she has shaken her bonny coat in the sunshine, +goes waddling home with her little friend Veevee and the Crusoes of the +Frozen North. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Crusoes of the Frozen North, by Gordon Stables + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11997 *** |