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〃I want to know his name？〃
〃How in the world did you manage to hear what we said to each
other？〃
〃His name？ has the captain given you his name？〃
〃Don't excite yourself； my dear。 Look！ you are positively
alarming Miss Burnham。 The new volunteer is a perfect stranger to
us。 There is his namelast on the ship's list。〃
Mrs。 Crayford snatched the list out of her husband's hand； and
read the name：
〃RICHARD WARDOUR。〃
Second Scene。
The Hut of the _Sea…mew_。
Chapter 6。
Good…by to England！ Good…by to inhabited and civilized regions of
the earth！
Two years have passed since the voyagers sailed from their native
shores。 The enterprise has failedthe Arctic expedition is lost
and ice…locked in the Polar wastes。 The good ships _Wanderer_ and
_Sea…mew_； entombed in ice； will never ride the buoyant waters
more。 Stripped of their lighter timbers； both vessels have been
used for the construction of huts； erected on the nearest land。
The largest of the two buildings which now shelter the lost men
is occupied by the surviving officers and crew of the _Sea…mew_。
On one side of the principal room are the sleeping berths and the
fire…place。 The other side discloses a broad doorway （closed by a
canvas screen）； which serves as a means of communication with an
inner apartment； devoted to the superior officers。 A hammock is
slung to the rough raftered roof of the main room； as an extra
bed。 A man； completely hidden by his bedclothes； is sleeping in
the hammock。 By the fireside there is a second mansupposed to
be on the watchfast asleep； poor wretch！ at the present moment。
Behind the sleeper stands an old cask； which serves for a table。
The objects at present on the table are； a pestle and mortar； and
a saucepanful of the dry bones of animalsin plain words； the
dinner for the day。 By way of ornament to the dull brown walls；
icicles appear in the crevices of the timber； gleaming at
intervals in the red fire…light。 No wind whistles outside the
lonely dwellingno cry of bird or beast is heard。 Indoors； and
out…of…doors； the awful silence of the Polar desert reigns； for
the moment； undisturbed。
Chapter 7。
The first sound that broke the silence came from the inner
apartment。 An officer lifted the canvas screen in the hut of the
_Sea…mew_ and entered the main room。 Cold and privation had badly
thinned the ranks。 The commander of the shipCaptain
Ebsworthwas dangerously ill。 The first lieutenant was dead。 An
officer of the _Wanderer_ filled their places for the time； with
Captain Helding's permission。 The officer so employed
wasLieutenant Crayford。
He approached the man at the fireside； and awakened him。
〃Jump up； Bateson！ It's your turn to be relieved。〃
The relief appeared； rising from a heap of old sails at the back
of the hut。 Bateson vanished； yawning； to his bed。 Lieutenant
Crayford walked backward and forward briskly； trying what
exercise would do toward warming his blood。
The pestle and mortar on the cask attracted his attention。 He
stopped and looked up at the man in the hammock。
〃I must rouse the cook；〃 he said to himself； with a smile。 〃That
fellow little thinks how useful he is in keeping up my spirits。
The most inveterate croaker and grumbler in the worldand yet；
according to his own account； the only cheerful man in the whole
ship's company。 John Want！ John Want！ Rouse up； there！〃
A head rose slowly out of the bedclothes； covered with a red
night…cap。 A melancholy nose rested itself on the edge of the
hammock。 A voice； worthy of the nose； expressed its opinion of
the Arctic climate； in these words：
〃Lord！ Lord！ here's all my breath on my blanket。 Icicles； if you
please； sir； all round my mouth and all over my blanket。 Every
time I have snored； I've frozen something。 When a man gets the
cold into him to that extent that he ices his own bed； it can't
last much longer。 Never mind！ _I_ don't grumble。〃
Crayford tapped the saucepan of bones impatiently。 John Want
lowered himself to the floorgrumbling all the wayby a rope
attached to the rafters at his bed head。 Instead of approaching
his superior officer and his saucepan； he hobbled； shivering； to
the fire…place； and held his chin as close as he possibly could
over the fire。 Crayford looked after him。
〃Halloo！ what are you doing there？〃
〃Thawing my beard； sir。〃
〃Come here directly； and set to work on these bones。〃
John Want remained immovably attached to the fire…place； holding
something else over the fire。 Crayford began to lose his temper。
〃What the devil are you about now？〃
〃Thawing my watch； sir。 It's been under my pillow all night； and
the cold has stopped it。 Cheerful； wholesome； bracing sort of
climate to live in； isn't it； sir？ Never mind！ _I_ don't
grumble。〃
〃No； we all know that。 Look here！ Are these bones pounded small
enough？〃
John Want suddenly approached the lieutenant； and looked at him
with an appearance of the deepest interest。
〃You'll excuse me； sir；〃 he said； 〃how very hollow your voice
sounds this morning！〃
〃Never mind my voice。 The bones！ the bones！〃
〃Yes； sirthe bones。 They'll take a trifle more pounding。 I'll
do my best with them； sir； for your sake。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
John Want shook his head； and looked at Crayford with a dreary
smile。
〃I don't think I shall have the honor of making much more bone
soup for you； sir。 Do you think yourself you'll last long； sir？ I
don't； saving your presence。 I think about another week or ten
days will do for us all。 Never mind！ _I_ don't grumble。〃
He poured the bones into the mortar； and began to pound
themunder protest。 At the same moment a sailor appeared；
entering from the inner hut。
〃A message from Captain Ebsworth； sir。〃
〃Well？〃
〃The captain is worse than ever with his freezing pains； sir。 He
wants to see you immediately。〃
〃I will go at once。 Rouse the doctor。〃
Answering in those terms； Crayford returned to the inner hut；
followed by the sailor。 John Want shook his head again； and
smiled more drearily than ever。
〃Rouse the doctor？〃 he repeated。 〃Suppose the doctor should be
frozen？ He hadn't a ha'porth of warmth in him last night； and his
voice sounded like a whisper in a speaking…trumpet。 Will the
bones do now？ Yes； the bones will do now。 Into the saucepan with
you；〃 cried John Want； suiting the action to the word； 〃and
flavor the hot water if you can！ When I remember that I was once
an apprentice at a pastry…cook'swhen I think of the gallons of
turtle…soup that this hand has stirred up in a jolly hot
kitchenand when I find myself mixing bones and hot water for
soup； and turning into ice as fast as I can； if I wasn't of a
cheerful disposition I should feel inclined to grumble。 John
Want！ John Want！ whatever had you done with your natural senses
when you made up your mind to go to sea？〃
A new voice hailed the cook； speaking from one of the bed…places
in the side of the hut。 It
was the voice of Francis Aldersley。
〃Who's that croaking over the fire？〃
〃Croaking？〃 repeated John Want； with the air of a man who
considered himself the object of a gratuitous insult。 〃Croaking？
You don't find your own voice at all altered f