Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XXII. In Camp
Oughttheboattobekeptfortheneedsofourhibernation,orusedtoenableustoreturntotheicebergbarrier?
CaptainLenGuywouldnotpronounceuponthis;hedesiredtopostponethedecisionfortwenty-fourorforty-eighthours.Theboat,carryingtheprovisionsnecessaryforsuchavoyage,couldnotaccommodatemorethanelevenor,attheoutside,twelvemen.Ifthedepartureoftheboatwereagreedto,thenitspassengersmustbeselectedbylot.ThecaptainproceededtostatethatneitherWest,theboatswain,I,norhewouldclaimanyprivilege,butwouldsubmittothefortuneofthelotwithalltheothers.BothMartinHoltandHardywereperfectlycapableoftakingtheboattothefishing-grounds,wherethewhalerswouldstillbefound.
Then,thosetowhomthelotshouldfallwerenottoforgettheircomrades,lefttowinterontheeighty-sixthparallel,andweretosendashiptotakethemoffatthereturnofsummer.
Allthiswassaidinatoneascalmasitwasfirm.ImustdoCaptainLenGuythejusticetosaythatherosetotheoccasion.
Whenhehadconcluded—withoutanyinterruptionevenfromHearne—noonemadearemark.Therewas,indeed,nonetobemade,since,inthegivencase,lotsweretobedrawnunderconditionsofperfectequality.
Thehourofresthavingarrived,eachmanenteredthecamp,partookofthesupperpreparedbyEndicott,andwenttosleepforthelasttimeunderthetents.
DirkPetershadnotreappeared,andIsoughtforhiminvain.
