“To the North Pole?” cried Steve.
“No,” said the captain, smiling. “My dear boy, you have North Pole on the brain. Would you be ready to go with me if I said that I would try and penetrate the ice as far as I could?”
“Of course,” cried Steve. “But you have no confidence in me, sir.”
“What do you mean?”
“You will not let me go up even to the crow’s-nest to use the glass.”
“Yes, I will, my lad,” replied the captain. “Take the glass and go up. But warily, mind. No excitement. You will be quite cool?”
“Yes,” cried Steve, snatching at the glass and starting for the main-mast shrouds.
“Stop!” cried the captain. “Come here.”