Hazard "ay-ay'd" this order, as usual, buttoned his pee-jacket tighter than ever, and saw his young superior--the transcendental delicacy of the day is causing the difference in rank to be termed "senior and junior"--but Hazard saw his superior go below, with a feeling allied to envy, so heavy were his eye-lids with the want of rest. Stimson was in the first-mate's watch, and the latter approached that old sea-dog with a wish to keep himself awake by conversing.
"You seem as wide awake, king Stephen," the mate remarked, "as if you never felt drowsy!"
"This is not a part of the world for hammocks and berths, Mr. Hazard," was the reply. "I can get along, and must get along, with a quarter part of the sleep in these seas as would sarve me in a low latitude."
"And I feel as if I wanted all I can get. Them fellows look up well into our wake, Stephen."
"They do indeed, sir, and they ought to do it; for we have been longer than is for our good, in their'n."
"Well, now we have got a fresh start, I hope we may make a clear run of it. I saw no ice worth speaking of, to the nor'ard here, before we made sail."
"Because you see'd none, Mr. Hazard; is no proof there is none. Floe-ice can't be seen at any great distance though its blink may. But, it seems to me, it's all blink in these here seas!"
"There you're quite right, Stephen; for turn which way you will, the horizon has a show of that sort----"
"Starboard"--called out the look-out forward--"keep her away--keep her away--there is ice ahead."
"Ice in here!" exclaimed Hazard, springing forward--"That is more than we bargained for! Where away is your ice, Smith?"