They did not catch his meaning.
"Let us get on it!" he cried.
They saw his plan at once.
"Ah, Clawbonny, Dr. Clawbonny!" cried Johnson, kissing the doctor's hands.
Bell, with Altamont's aid, ran to the sledge; he brought one of the uprights, stood it up on the floe for a mast, making it fast with ropes; the tent was torn up for a sail. The wind was fair; the poor castaways put out to sea on this frail raft.
Two hours later, after unheard-of efforts, the last men of the Forward were taken aboard the Danish whaler Hans Christian, which was sailing to Davis Strait. The captain received kindly these spectres who had lost their semblance to human beings; when he saw their sufferings he understood their history; he gave them every attention, and managed to save their lives. Ten days later, Clawbonny, Johnson, Bell, Altamont, and Captain Hatteras landed at Korsoeur, in Zeeland, in Denmark; a steamboat carried them to Kiel; thence, via Altona and Hamburg, they reached London the 13th of the same month, hardly recovered from their long sufferings.
| "Two hours later, after unheard-of efforts, the last men of the Forward were taken aboard the Danish whaler Hans Christian." |
| "A steamboat carried them to Kiel." |