And on that day the last piece of coal on board was thrown into the stove.
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE GREAT COLD AT CHRISTMAS.
For a moment he had a feeling of despair. The thought of death, and death by cold, appeared in all its horror; this last piece of coal burned with an ominous splutter; the fire seemed about to go out, and the temperature of the room fell noticeably. But Johnson went to get some of the new fuel which the marine animals had furnished to them, and with it he filled the stove; he added to it some tow filled with frozen oil, and soon obtained sufficient heat. The odor was almost unendurable; but how get rid of it? They had to get used to it. Johnson agreed that his plan was defective, and that it would not be considered a success in Liverpool.
"And yet," he added, "this unpleasant smell will, perhaps, produce good results."
"What are they?" asked the carpenter.
"It will doubtless attract the bears this way, for they are fond of the smell."
"Well," continued Bell, "what is the need of having bears?"