“So the navigator and the watch officer are both gone, eh? Who’d they leave in charge on deck?”
“Don’t know, captain,” answered the executive officer, “unless it might have been the ice-pilot. But Mr. Dunbar was halfway up the foremast when we came aboard, so I can’t just say.”
The skipper stroked his mustaches thoughtfully, finally ordered,
“Never mind the inspection, Chipp. I’ll delay it till they’re back. But this won’t do. Even if we are in the ice, I can’t have my crew disappearing from the ship whenever they see fit. Pass the word to all hands at the next muster that hereafter no officer or man leaves this vessel without first getting my permission. Do you understand that, Chipp?”
“Aye, aye, sir,” replied Chipp. “Having just been across thirty miles of this infernal ice, I quite agree with you, captain. We can’t have our men chasing God knows where among these hummocks and never knowing who’s gone nor why. But it’s not the men’s fault this time, sir, it’s mine. I should have covered that by an order a week ago when we entered the ice.”
“Never mind that, Chipp,” broke in De Long, “I’ll issue the order, you just tell Danenhower and Nindemann I want to see them when they return.” He rose abruptly, pulled on his fur parka, and went on deck.
Meanwhile on the distant pack, the bear hunt was in full cry, first the bear under a full head of steam, then Nindemann tenaciously following in his wake, then Danenhower a few hundred yards astern getting somewhat winded, and finally bringing up the rear of the column, Newcomb and Collins. Over the broken ice and in and out among the hummocks ran the bear, giving his pursuers no chance for a decent shot, and all the time (by instinct, no doubt) heading away from the Jeannette till it was lost to sight. After fifteen minutes of hot pursuit, Danenhower, torn between the need of supporting Nindemann ahead of him and the neglected Sunday inspection behind, and disheartened also by observing that the bear was steadily gaining, stopped at last, till the rear guard caught up with him and paused briefly at his signal.
“We haven’t a ghost of a chance now of catching that bear,” panted the winded navigator to his companions, “so I’m going back to prepare the ship for inspection. But you two keep on to help Nindemann in case that bear makes a stand. Savvy?”
Collins and Newcomb, saving their breath, nodded and set off again.
Danenhower, puffing heavily, returned to the ship, hurriedly mustered the crew on deck, officers to starboard, seamen to port, and finally, an hour late, went below to report to the captain that the ship was ready for inspection.