The World of Ice | Page 8

be the talk of the neighbourhood. Meanwhile
Fred Ellice and Isobel grew and improved in mind and body, but
anxiety as to his father's fate rendered the former quite unable to pursue
his studies, and he determined at last to procure a passage in a
whale-ship, and go out in search of the brig.
It happened that the principal merchant and ship-owner in the town, Mr

Singleton by name, was an intimate friend and old school-fellow of
Captain Ellice, so Fred went boldly to him and proposed that a vessel
should be fitted out immediately, and sent off to search for his father's
brig. Mr Singleton smiled at the request, and pointed out the utter
impossibility of his agreeing to it; but he revived Fred's sinking hopes
by saying that, he was about to send out a whaler to the northern seas at
any rate, and that he would give orders to the captain to devote a
portion of his time to the search, and, moreover, agreed to let Fred go
as a passenger in company with his own son Tom.
Now Tom Singleton had been Fred's bosom friend and companion
during his first year at school, but during the last two years he had been
sent to the Edinburgh University, to prosecute his medical studies, and
the two friends had only met at rare intervals. It was with unbounded
delight, therefore, that he found his old companion, now a youth of
twenty, was to go out as surgeon of the ship, and he could scarce
contain himself, as he ran down to Buzzby's cottage to tell him the
good news, and ask him to join.
Of course Buzzby was ready to go, and, what was of far greater
importance in the matter, his wife threw no obstacle in the way. On the
contrary, she undid the lashings of the helm with her own hand, and
told her wondering partner, with a good-humoured (but firm) smile, to
steer where he chose, and she would content herself with the society of
the two young Buzzbys (both miniature facsimiles of their father), till
he came back.
Once again a whale-ship prepared to sail from the port of Grayton, and
once again Mrs Bright and Isobel stood on the pier to see her depart.
Isobel was about thirteen now, and as pretty a girl, according to Buzzby,
as you could meet with in any part of Britain. Her eyes were blue, and
her hair nut-brown, and her charms of face and figure were enhanced
immeasurably by an air of modesty and earnestness that went straight
home to your heart, and caused you to adore her at once. Buzzby
doated on her as if she were his only child, and felt a secret pride in
being in some undefinable way her protector. Buzzby philosophised
about her, too, after a strange fashion. "You see," he would say to Fred,

"it's not that her figure-head is cut altogether after a parfect pattern; by
no means, for I've seen pictur's and statues that wos better; but she
carries her head a little down, d'ye see, Master Fred, and there's where
it is; that's the way I gauges the worth o' young women, jist accordin' as
they carry their chins up or down. If their brows come well for'ard, and
they seems to be lookin' at the ground they walk on, I knows their
brains is firm stuff, and in good workin' order; but when I sees them
carryin' their noses high out o' the water, as if they wos afeard o'
catchin' sight o' their own feet, and their chins elewated so that a little
boy standin' in front o' them couldn't see their faces nohow, I make
pretty sure that t'other end is filled with a sort o' mush that's fit only to
think o' dress and dancing."
On the present occasion Isobel's eyes were red and swollen, and by no
means improved by weeping. Mrs Bright, too, although three years had
done little to alter her character, seemed to be less demonstrative, and
much more sincere than usual, in her grief at parting from Fred.
In a few minutes all was ready. Young Singleton and Buzzby having
hastily but earnestly bade Mrs Bright and her daughter farewell, leaped
on board. Fred lingered for a moment.
"Once more, dear Aunt," said he, "farewell! With God's blessing we
shall come back soon. Write to me, darling Isobel, won't you? to
Uppernavik, on the coast of Greenland. If none of our ships are bound
in that direction, write by way of Denmark. Old Mr Singleton will tell
you how to address your letter, and see that it be a long one."
"Now, then, youngster, jump aboard," shouted the captain; "look
sharp!"
"Ay, ay," returned Fred, and in another moment he