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"You will take that off at once, or we shall see!" "We shall see nothing," said Vasling; "my supper shall be cooked in spite of you." "You shall not eat it, then," cried Penellan, rushing upon Vasling, who seized his cutlass, crying, "Help, Norwegians! Help, Aupic!" These, in the twinkling of an eye, sprang to their feet, armed with pistols and daggers. The crisis had come.
The smoke now disappeared, and no elevation served as a guiding mark, for the ice-plain was one united level. It was important, nevertheless, not to diverge from a straight line. "Since we cannot guide ourselves by distant objects," said Jean Cornbutte, "we must use this method. Penellan will go ahead, Vasling twenty steps behind him, and I twenty steps behind Vasling.
All of them were kept on board, and beds were disposed for the new comers in the common lodging. Turquiette, Gervique, and Gradlin, during the absence of the others, had hollowed out a flight of steps in the ice, which enabled them easily to reach the ship's deck. André Vasling had been cultivating the good-will of the two Norwegian sailors.
It showed ten degrees below zero inside the house, though the fire was lighted. Vasling raised the canvas which covered the opening, and pushed it aside hastily; for he would have been lacerated by the fall of ice which the wind hurled around, and which fell in a perfect hail-storm. "Well, Vasling," said Penellan, "will you go out, then? You see that we are more safe here."
"We have been driven towards the north-east," said Vasling, reckoning by the stars, which shone with wonderful brilliancy. "That would not be bad," said Penellan, "if our sledge had come with us." "Is not the sledge there?" cried Vasling. "Then we are lost!" "Let us look for it," replied Penellan. They went around the hut, which formed a block more than fifteen feet high.
Penellan decided to keep their skins, which would be of no little use; but he did not think for a moment of eating their flesh. Besides, the number of men to feed was now much decreased. The bodies of Vasling, Aupic, and Jocki, thrown into a hole dug on the coast, were soon rejoined by that of Herming.
He went down into the steward's room for some salt meat, which he wished to soak in the boiling water. When he returned, he found André Vasling in his place, cooking some pieces of grease in a basin. "I was there before you," said Penellan roughly; "why have you taken my place?" "For the same reason that you claim it," returned Vasling: "because I want to cook my supper."
André Vasling, who was an excellent shot, several times brought down aquatic birds with his gun; innumerable flocks of these were always careering about the ship. A kind of eider-duck provided the crew with very palatable food, which relieved the monotony of the salt meat. At last the brig, after many turnings, came in sight of Cape Brewster. A long-boat was put to sea.
This succeeded completely. While Misonne was at work upon the sledge, Penellan, aided by Marie, was preparing the clothing necessary for the expedition. Seal-skin boots they had, fortunately, in plenty. Jean Cornbutte and André Vasling occupied themselves with the provisions.
André Vasling could not disguise the pleasure which this decision gave him. He showed himself more attentive than ever to the young girl, to whom he even held out hopes that a new search should be made when the winter was over; knowing well that it would then be too late!
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