On the very night the survey was ended came another half-gale of wind from the south. There were the same terrible noises all around them, and as far as they could make out, the sea of ice was a perfect chaos.
No one could shout loud enough for his nearest companion to hear him, and the crew lived in constant terror of the ship being crushed.
When at long last the storm ceased, they discovered by the starlight, and very much to their delight, that the terrible neighbours, those monster bergs, had shifted their site during the gale.
They had, in fact, driven past the vessel's bows--what a mercy they came not near!--and were now fully seventy yards down to leeward.
The wind had fallen quite, and all had become still again.
"We have reason to be thankful to God for our marvellous escape," said Talbot.
"But may not the bergs drift back, or be blown down upon us?" said Frank, who was of a very inquiring turn of mind.
"Wherever they drift, Frank, we too shall drift, but the send of the current or sea beneath us is, I believe, northward now; and if the wind blows in winter as it must in spring, it will bear us towards the north-west. So one danger is removed or minimized."
"Hurrah!" cried Frank, who was nothing if not impulsive, "hurrah!"
"No chance, I suppose, sir," he said, "of getting any letters from home?"