Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XXII. In Camp
Whatevermightbeourultimatedecision,wecouldnotdobetterthanplaceourmaterialandinstallourselvesinthisopportuneshelter.
Afterwehadreascendedtheslopesoftheicebergandreachedourcamp,CaptainLenGuyhadthemenmustered.TheonlymissingmanwasDirkPeters,whohaddecidedlyisolatedhimselffromthecrew.Therewasnothingtofearfromhim,however;hewouldbewiththefaithfulagainstthemutinous,andunderallcircumstanceswemightcountuponhim.Whenthecirclehadbeenformed,CaptainLenGuyspoke,withoutallowinganysignofdiscouragementtoappear,andexplainedthepositionwiththeutmostfranknessandlucidity,statinginthefirstplacethatitwasabsolutelynecessarytolowerthecargotothecoastandstowitawayinoneofthecaverns.Concerningthevitalquestionoffood,hestatedthatthesupplyofflour,preservedmeat,anddriedvegetableswouldsufficeforthewinter,howeverprolonged,andonthatoffuelhewassatisfiedthatweshouldnotwantforcoal,provideditwasnotwasted;anditwouldbepossibletoeconomizeit,asthehibernatingwaifsmightbravethecoldofthepolarzoneunderacoveringofsnowandaroofofice.
Wasthecaptain’stoneofsecurityfeigned?Ididnotthinkso,especiallyasWestapprovedofwhathesaid.
AthirdquestionraisedbyHearneremained,andwaswellcalculatedtoarousejealousyandangeramongthecrew.Itwasthequestionoftheusetobemadeoftheonlycraftremainingtous.
