“Nay, nay, my faithful friend,” cried the captain, “that isn’t all. We want to reach the Pole, to plant the British flag thereon, and return safely to our native shores again.”
“So you will, so you will,” said Magnus, “if—”
“What, another ‘if,’ Magnus?” said McBain. “What does this new ‘if’ refer to?”
“If,” continued Magnus, “Providence gives us just such another autumn as that we have had this year. If not—”
“Well, Magnus, well?”
“We will leave our bones to lie among the eternal snows until the last trump shall sound.”
After a pause, during which McBain seemed in deep and earnest thought.
“Magnus,” he said, “my brave boys and I have determined to push on as far as ever we can. We have counted all the chances, we mean to do our utmost, and we leave the rest to Providence.”
Allan had entered while he was speaking, and he said, as the captain finished,—
“Whatever a man dares he can do.”