Steve Young Part 63

"No, not even a fox."

"But there are deer," said Johannes; "and where there are deer you generally find wolves to prey upon them. Yes, the cold weather is bringing them now. It must be wolves."

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

PREPARING FOR THE ENEMY.

"Well, Johannes, what do you say to this?" said the captain, when he appeared on deck the next morning--a natural morning Steve called it, for there had been darkness once more in the night.

"Winter's coming, sir," replied the Norseman, as he glanced round him at the dark, clear, metal-like ice which spread from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e, and looked strong enough to bear.

"Yes, but has it come? Surely this will melt before sunset, and we shall have some mild weather ere the cold regularly sets in?"

"If we were two or three hundred miles farther south, sir," replied the man, "I could answer you; but who can tell what the weather is likely to be up here, where man has had no experience. We can only wait and see."

They waited; and for a fortnight longer the ice which formed in the night melted in the day. Then came one that was dull and sunless, when the ice did not melt, and they had a fall of snow. That night the ice more than doubled in thickness, and they started ash.o.r.e next morning for a good long tramp eastward, drawing a light sledge bearing provisions, and ready for the carriage of any game that might be shot.

This was a new experience, for winter garments were now worn, with heavy boots and mittens, fur caps, and eye-protectors. The snow filled up the inequalities of the ground, and the sledge glided easily upon its runners; but its load was soon increased, for the walking was heavy, and as the sun shone out the men were glad to pile their heavy coats upon the light framework and walk without them.

The scene was brilliant, and every here and there they found traces of animals, of whose presence they would otherwise have been ignorant.

Skene was the first to notice footprints, snuffling loudly and growling, and setting up his fur about his neck, according to his custom when he smelt an enemy; and upon these tracks being examined, they proved to be similar to those which would be made by a dog with thick claws and very hairy feet.

"Wolves," said Johannes directly. "Those which you heard the other night, Mr Steve."

A sharp look-out was kept for these visitors, but none were seen. Soon after, though, they came upon the fresh-looking footprints of a bear-- marks so big that they indicated an animal of large size. But the beast which printed the long marks had gone toward the sh.o.r.e, and though arms were kept ready for instant use, they marched on seeing nothing but the dazzling snow.

After a time the doctor called a halt and gave orders. "Spectacles at once," he said, "or I shall be having cases of snow-blindness to attend."

So eye-protectors were mounted, and the party moved on again, the captain choosing a fresh direction, one not previously tried, and, in spite of the heavy walking, as there was no halting to track game, they made plenty of progress, getting miles beyond any point previously reached before they stopped to attack the provisions and rest.

It was intensely cold, but the sun shone brilliantly, and there was not a breath of air; so that the great lowering of the temperature was not unpleasant, especially as the exertion had sent the blood racing through their veins, while the novel aspect of the scene was full of interest for Steve. The peaks glittered in the new-fallen snow, and, look where they would, it was at a world of dazzling whiteness, save where the shadows and valley-like rifts in the mountain-sides appeared to be of a delicate blue.

"We must take advantage of all the light now, Steve," said the captain, "and make expeditions inland whenever it is possible. We might pick out a few places and make _caches_ of provision, so as to get farther out each time. But it is more from a sense of duty than anything else. We must feel that we have done everything possible to find our friends."

"Yes, sir. Why not make our way right across?"

"Across where?"

"The island to the farther sh.o.r.e, and then work right round the coast, and come up again on our side."

"For several reasons, my lad," said Captain Marsham, smiling. "It would be very risky to take the men so far from our headquarters, not knowing how soon we may be attacked by a terrible storm. We do not know that we are upon an island with a farther sh.o.r.e. And it would be impossible to make such a journey as you propose. Are these reasons enough?"

"Plenty, sir. Are we going any farther?"

"No. We have got by the days of endless light, my lad, and I don't wish for us to be benighted out in these snowy valleys."

So the captain gave the word to turn back, and they reached the ship just at dusk, after a most uneventful journey, not having encountered a single head of game.

The next morning they found that more snow had fallen, and the deck had to be cleared. There was not the most remote prospect now of doing more that season, so the boats were made snug and covered; and as there was no likelihood of the ship moving in a drift, so set fast was she in the ice, the men were now started to rig up an awning like the roof of a hut and completely cover in the deck. This was worked at with a will, till a double thickness of canvas was spread, and over that tarpaulins.

"Keep some of the cold out, eh, doctor?"

"Yes," said that gentleman; "and I suppose in a night or two you'll have snow over it to keep us warmer."

"It is probable. Wonderful how rapidly we are settling down into winter. A long one, too," he added in a low voice. "Can you keep us all in good health till the summer comes again?"

"It depends more upon yourselves than upon me," said Mr Hands...o...b.. sharply. "Keep every one so busy that he gets tired and has no time to think."

"I mean to," said the captain quietly. "There will be enough to keep them pretty well employed in getting and sleighing over to here all the coal I hope to have on board--enough, that is, to make up for all that is gone, and so as to give us an ample supply to keep our stoves burning as much as we like."

"Well," said the doctor, "with plenty of work, plenty to eat and drink, and the means of keeping up bonny fires, I do not see why we should not pa.s.s through the winter pleasantly enough. The darkness will be depressing when it comes, but the men will have grown pretty well accustomed to it; for it comes on, I suppose, so thoroughly by degrees.

Let's see, how long will it be perfectly dark?"

"Not at all, I hope," said Captain Marsham. "Nature counteracts a great deal of the gloom by the brilliancy of stars and moon, and the reflection from the dazzlingly white earth. Then, too, I suppose we shall have the aurora pretty often."

"But for how long does the sun disappear entirely?"

"About eighteen weeks," said the captain. "Once it has reached its farthest point to the south I don't care, for then it will be journeying back to us. Our task seems to be to keep the men in good heart up to the shortest day; after that we can manage."

Days pa.s.sed with a fair amount of sunshine, and then came a week of storm, the wind giving them a taste or two of what might be expected later; and the snow fell heavily, loading down the great tent-like arrangement over the deck to such an extent that the men were busily employed rigging up the extra spars and spare yards as rafters and ridge-poles, to help bear the strain put upon the ropes; and then all knew that there was to be no autumn, for the brief northern summer gave place at one bound to winter.

After the storm the snow was piled and drifted up round and about the bows to such an extent that in one place there was a complete slope from the top of the bulwark, and the snow lay deep upon the ice, though here and there a few pa.s.sages were left where the wind had swept the surface pretty clear; and as the day was fairly bright and the way open in the direction of the narrow, jagged rift, it was decided to take advantage of the opportunity and have a trip through the gorge to the seash.o.r.e.

Antic.i.p.ating that the zigzagging, ca.n.a.l-like waterway would be too slightly frozen in so sheltered a spot to bear a party of men, a boat was run down the snow-slope on to the ice, and then skated along on the iron of the keel where the snow was absent, and driven over or through it when it lay deep. The men took to the task readily, the dog entered into the excitement of the business, and Steve followed sedately enough with the captain and doctor, envying Watty his spirits, for the lad had permission to accompany the party, and he was revelling in the excitement of a day's freedom from the slavery of the galley. The men, too, thoroughly enjoyed their task, dragging and pushing with plenty of cheering as they got the boat through some great snow-wreath which barred their way to the chasm-like opening in the side of the fiord.

"Black water--no ice!" cried Steve, who made his way to the front when they were nearly across.

"Na, tat's not watter," said Watty, who had followed him. "She's a'

ice."

"Nonsense! Look how clear it is!" cried Steve. "It must be water."

But as he reached the entrance he had to alter his opinion, for the black-looking water proved to be perfectly solid; and Watty dashed on, slid some distance, and ended by jumping upon it.

"Tak' car', laddie!" cried Andrew; "ef she gangs through she'll hae to stay."

But there was no fear, and the boat was left upright in a snow-drift, the provisions packed on the little hand-sleigh brought as well, and the journey commenced through the chasm. At first every one proceeded cautiously, expecting moment by moment to hear a sharp crack; but after a few minutes confidence was felt in the strength of the ice, and all stepped out boldly.

"Hadn't we better have brought the boat, after all, sir?" Steve asked the captain. "There'll be open water as soon as we are through, and we might get a seal or two, if we didn't get a walrus."

"If the water is frozen in this sheltered pa.s.sage, my lad," replied the captain, "there is no fear about the water on the other side."

"What! you think it would be frozen?"

"Certainly. I expect we shall find the open sheet of water along the sh.o.r.e frozen from side to side."