Steve Young Part 64

"Then there'll be no walrus?"

"Not one."

"Nor seals?"

"I don't expect we shall see anything now for months but bears, wolves, and foxes. Beside them, we shall be the only occupants of the place. I have not seen a bird for days."

It proved as the captain had said, for as soon as they were well through the narrow pa.s.sage there lay the ice to right and left, and not a patch of open water was to be seen. Winter had set in indeed, and after a long tramp without seeing a single animal the party retraced their steps, and returned to the ship light enough, but in excellent spirits, the inevitable being accepted; and as there was an abundant supply of food in store, the absence of game in boat and sleigh, though it made Mr Lowe smile, was deemed to be of not the slightest consequence.

The next day the coaling began, the men being divided into four parties, one to hew down the coal on the mountain-side, another to collect and pa.s.s it down to the sledges, and the other two parties to draw the loaded and empty sledges to and fro. The mineral fuel was abundant, and the men worked so well that very soon the beaten track through the snow was blackened with dust and small fragments of coal; while, after this had been kept on for a week, the men treating the dirty job as quite a frolic, Steve felt that the sooner another fall of snow came down the better for the face of nature. He was not kept long waiting, for the second night after the captain had been satisfied that no more coal could be stored with any convenience down came the storm again, lasting a couple of days, and the last hope of the weather becoming open that season departed.

"No, sir," said Johannes; "the winter has come, and means to stay."

"Right on through the long, black darkness when there is no sun," said Steve with a slight shiver, and he went and looked at the gla.s.s.

The doctor saw him go, and joined him. "Down to zero, my lad," he said.

"That would make people at home stare. But it's only the mercury that's down to zero; our spirits must be up to a thoroughly genial height."

Steve nodded, but he could not help a curious sensation of awe creeping over him as once more he thought of the coming six months, during which they would almost have bidden good-bye to the sun.

"I can't quite think how we shall do without any light, Mr Hands...o...b..,"

said Steve quietly.

"Nor I neither, my lad; but _experientia docet_, as the Latin folk used to say."

"But doctors should not," said the captain merrily, as he came up.

"_Docet_ sounds suggestive from the lips of a medical man. Now, Steve, I appoint you commander-in-chief of the fires. See that they are properly kept up from now till the end of next spring."

"If spring there be," said the doctor. "I expect that we shall step from winter into summer, as we did from summer to winter; but we shall see."

"Yes," said the captain, "we shall see."

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

CHILL DAYS.

"Ha-Ha! Ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

A regular rollicking burst of good, sound, old-fashioned, honest, English laughter, which rang out clear, bright, and cheery in the frosty air.

"She'll pe laughin' at me, Meester Stevey?"

"Yes!" cried the lad, bursting out into another peal, in which Skene joined with a good, sound, rattling bark. "Why, even the dog can't help it. Look at him!"

"She'll pe only barkin' and not laughin'. Togs canna laugh."

"Well, they can show their teeth!" cried Steve. "Oh, I say, Watty, you do look a guy! Your mother wouldn't know you."

"Her ain mither wad ken her anywhere," said Watty proudly.

"Not like this. Why, you look like an old bear with a sheep-skin on.

Why, that coat's too big for you. What have you got underneath?"

"She isna a pit too pig. She wants a muckle great-coat to keep oot the caud."

"Why, you've got a blanket on under it!"

"Ay. She chust happit a planket roond an' roond her potty, an' tied it wi' a bit o' line to keep it oop, an' she's waarm as waarm a' but her foots an' han's!"

"I should think you are," said Steve merrily. "You're as big round as a hop pocket. You can hardly move."

"Oh ay, she can move when she wants to move. Hae ye got any chilplains?"

"No, have you?"

"Cot any chilplains? Why, her han's an' foots are chust a' ane creat chilplain, an' when she kets wairm they ding an' itch till she cauld scratch awa' a' her skin."

"I'll ask Mr Hands...o...b.. to give you something for them."

"Nay, she winna tak' it. She canna' tak' pheesek."

"Nonsense! I mean to rub on."

"Oh, mebby she micht try a wee drap ootside."

"Well, how do you like having the weather so cold as this?"

"She wants to gang hame. When shall we sail back again?"

"Next summer, I hope. What nonsense! How could we sail when we're frozen up?"

"Preak a way oot. She wadna mind helping."

"You don't know what you're talking about. But I say, I wouldn't dress up so warmly as that now."

"Why, she's tressed oop wairmly!"

"I've only got this sheep-skin coat on. If you dress like this now, what will you do when it grows cold?"

"Phwat!" cried Watty excitedly. "Ye dinna mean that she can be more caud than this?"

"Yes, this is nothing. Wait a bit till the sun does not rise at all, and it's all dark, and then I s'pose it's going to be tremendously cold."

"Dinna say it, sir; dinna say it!"

"Why not? It's true enough!" cried Steve.