“Once; but our expeditions have generally been in the other directions—south and east.”
“And you have kept on making expeditions in this terrible weather?” said the doctor.
“Terrible? When it is quite calm, and the moon makes it like day,” said Captain Young, smiling. “There, we have had a year’s more experience, and have grown used to it. Whenever the weather was clear we have been out.”
“Then you have not come to save us?” said Steve, who had grown very thoughtful.
“No, my dear boy; you have got to save us,” said Captain Young cheerily. “We would not give up hope, but worked away; and at last we have found the help we wanted, for our ship can never sail again, even if we could get her afloat. You came to rescue us like the brave fellows you were, and here we are ready to be rescued and taken home to dear old England once again.”
Steve’s face was comic in its perplexity.
“We seem a nice party to save your great, strong, hearty men,” he said.
“Bah!” cried Captain Young. “We’ve done you good already, and you’ll all soon come round and be able to help us sleigh all our treasures across the mountains whenever the weather is fine. What a gloriously snug position you are in here; far more sheltered than we.”
Steve exchanged glances with the doctor; and just then, looking very weak, Mr Lowe tottered into the cabin, the coming of the crew of the Ice Blink having roused him too.
“You steamed up this fiord, of course?” said Captain Young.