“Why?”
“You said it was possible that they might have made for Jan Mayen and been frozen up there.”
“I did.”
“Well, there is the vessel,” said Steve piteously.
“How do you know?”
The boy looked at him almost angrily, and pointed to the wreck, as if there was the answer to the question.
“That is not satisfactory proof. I have been looking hard, but the stern is battered away, and there is no name. It may be any one of the hundreds of boats that sailed north during the past ten years, or a derelict brought up by the current and washed ashore.”
But Steve shook his head.
“Ah! you are determined to take the worst view of it, my lad,” said the captain kindly. “Even if it is the wreck of the Ice Blink, Steve, my boy, they must have had plenty of stores and timber, and we may find them with a snug cabin built up, and all well and hearty.”
“You think so?” cried Steve eagerly.