CROSSING THE LINE 149 



fore-deck, where by moving a number of the dogs we 

 had contrived to get a few square yards of space. 

 There was no lack of entertainment. A violin and 

 mandolin orchestra, composed of Prestrud, Sundbeck, 

 and Beck, contributed several pieces, and our excellent 

 gramophone was heard for the first time. Just as it 

 started the waltz from ' ' The Count of Luxembourg," 

 there appeared in the companion-way a real ballet-girl, 

 masked, and in very short skirts. This unexpected 

 apparition from a better world was greeted with warm 

 applause, which was no less vigorous when the fair one 

 had given proof of her skill in the art of dancing. 

 Behind the mask could be detected Gjertsen's face, but 

 both costume and dance were in the highest degree 

 feminine. Ronne was not satisfied until he had the 

 ' lady " on his knees hurrah for illusion! 



The gramophone now changed to a swinging American 

 cake-walk, and at the same moment there opportunely 

 appeared on the scene a nigger in a tail-coat, a silk hat, 

 and a pair of wooden shoes. Black as he was, we saw 

 at once that it was the second in command who had 

 thus disguised himself. The mere sight of him was 

 enough to set us all shrieking with laughter, but he 

 made his great success when he began to dance. He 

 was intensely amusing. 



It did us a great deal of good to have a little amuse- 

 ment just then, for this part of the voyage was a trial of 

 patience more than anything else. Possibly we were 



