The visitors received the kindest hospitality from the superintendent, whose name was G. E. Schmidt. He listened to their story with deep interest, and insisted that they should make their home with him as long as they could stay in Ivigtut. He brought in his wife and introduced them to her.
They found her a most pleasant lady, and the three soon felt entirely at home.
"By the way," he asked, as the preparations for supper progressed, "what did you say was the name of the ship on which you left London?"
"The 'Nautilus,'" replied Rob; "we fear she foundered in the gale a few days ago which separated us from her."
"I'm not so fearful about that," put in Jack; who felt that such remarks were a slight upon the ship to which he was attached; "she has rid out a good many tough storms, and I don't see why she couldn't pull through that one."
"Let us hope that she did," said the superintendent, kindly, and with a twinkle of his fine eyes which the others did not notice.
"I was hopeful that she had possibly made her way to Ivigtut," added Fred, who continued, turning to the sailor, "we forgot to take a look in the harbor."
"No use of that," replied Jack; "she might have come in at some of the other ports, but not here."
"I suppose, Mr. Schmidt, that we can go home by way of Denmark?"
"There will be no trouble about that; the only inconvenience is that it will extend the trip much longer than is pleasant, but I understand that you contemplated a visit to one of the posts of the Hudson Bay Company."