Steve Young | Page 6

the wind dropping like this? Does it mean change?"
"Yes," said another of the men, giving a sharp look round; "nor'-east
before long, I should say."
The man proved to be a true weather prophet, for in a couple of hours
the wind had swung completely round to dead ahead, and after a little
thought the vessel's course was altered and her head laid for the
north-west.
"But will not this take us quite out of our way?" said the doctor, as they
sat that day at dinner, with a lively sea playfully patting the shining
sides of the vessel as she glided rapidly onward.
"Which is our way?" said the captain, smiling.
"North, to find our friends."
"Exactly; but it does not matter whether we approach the north by the
north-east or north-west. It is all chance as to where they may have
wintered; and, as the wind is fair for the way north-west, let's take it."
"And if we keep on in this direction, where shall we make?" said the
doctor.

"Greenland!" cried Steve; and the captain nodded. "Right," he said;
"and there is a possibility that they may have reached an island there,
which I have often thought I should like to see."
"Yes?"
"Jan Mayen, a place seldom visited. If the wind holds fair we'll make
for that, try to explore it as far as the ice will allow us, and then sail
north along the edge of the floe for Spitzbergen, without you can
suggest a better plan."
"I? No!" said the doctor.
"Can you, Lowe?" asked the captain of the mate, who had now joined
them after a good morning's sleep.
"No, sir. It's all chance work, this sailing to the north. We must search
where we can. It's of no use to say we'll go here or there; we must go
where the ice will let us."
"Exactly; and take what walrus and seal we can on the way. Have you
ever touched at Jan Mayen?"
"No, and never could get near enough to the island for fog and ice."
"But you've heard a good deal about the place?"
"Yes; I've heard that it's a land of high mountains, and that there's a
volcano at one end. Let's see, there's a kind of seal there, too, that is
very abundant; but the place is rarely touched at, being famous for fogs,
currents, and ice--all enemies to navigation."
"Well, we will see if we cannot have better luck, and try to get there in
fine weather," said Captain Marsham. "What do you say, doctor?"
"That it will be a treat to land there. Besides, we may find our friends."
The doctor walked forward, and Steve followed, with the idea of
landing upon an unexplored coast growing in its fascination; and as the

naturalist leaned over the bows to peer down into the clear water, the
lad edged up alongside.
"Hullo, Steve! what are you thinking about?" saluted him.
"Volcanoes."
"Warm subject. Well, what about them?"
"I was wondering why it was that these burning mountains are always
found up in very cold regions among the ice and snow."
"But are they?"
"Oh yes," said Steve confidently. "There's Hecla in Iceland, and this
one Mr Lowe talked about, and Captain Marsham says he saw a
tremendous one amongst the ice toward the South Pole."
"Indeed!" said the doctor sarcastically. "That makes three. What about
the scores of others dotted about the earth in the hottest countries? Your
theory will not hold water, my lad. But what's that man going aloft for?
We can't be anywhere near land."
This remark was occasioned by one of the men climbing the shrouds of
the main-mast, making his way to the top, and then, as they watched
him, climbing higher to the main topgallant crosstrees, where he
stopped for some little time making an examination before descending.
"Gone up to see if the ropes are safe," said Steve at last. But this soon
proved to be a very lame conclusion, for the other three Norsemen and
a sour-looking Scotchman, with a little brown mark at the corner of one
lip, were busy getting something up out of the hold.
The something resolved itself into a big tub about five feet in height,
and narrow, while it was made higher by an iron framework or ring
rising another six inches above the open top, and held projecting like a
rail by means of stout bars attached to a hoop.
It is a bad plan on shipboard to ask questions of officers when they are

busy, and Steve had been to sea long enough to learn this. On the other
hand, it is a good thing, not only at sea, but through life, to investigate
as much as possible for yourself, and correct any