396 A VOYAGE IN THE NORTH SEAS. 



wave, at length buried itself in an iceberg some hundred yards to 

 leeward* She immediately hauled up to the wind, and, without 

 taking in a single cloth, dashed into a stream of ice, and was presently 

 out of all danger, boring away through immense pieces where the 

 unfortified bows of the frigate would have been bulged in an instant. 

 A shot which struck through the bulwark, and snapped the wheel- 

 ropes of the other vessel, prevented her from following her com- 

 panion, and for a brief period placed her in imminent danger of 

 being thrown on her beam-ends. Another shot, fired rather to inti- 

 midate than do any injury, boomed above the heads of the crew of 

 the whaler, passing through the main-top-sail in its course. Re- 

 sistance would have been madness ; flight was now impossible, and 

 they instantly struck. In a few minutes an officer's boat from the 

 Blanche lay at their side. 



During the bustle which succeeded the discovery of the whalers, 

 Arundel had remained below, for it could be by no means grateful 

 for him to look on calmly, and see the lives or property of his coun- 

 trymen destroyed without being able to stir in their defence. Now, 

 however, that the business of the hour was concluded, he went on 

 deck, and beheld, to his great surprise, that the captured vessel was no 

 other than the Labrador. Her depth in the water proved that they 

 were well fished; a fact which the huge whales' tails hung over her 

 side corroborated. Arundel instantly informed the captain that this 

 was the vessel in which he had come to the country, and that it still 

 contained a considerable amount of treasure, the private property of 

 the lady under his protection. Captain Achille Danton bowed low at 

 this announcement, but said that " his duty obliged him to leave the 

 future destination of the property to the French authorities, who he 

 had no doubt would respect the interests of a young lady so dis- 

 tinguished for her charms." Again Captain Achille Danton bowed, 

 and then * stately strode away/ Frank however received permission 

 to go on board the Labrador, and secure the books which had been left, 

 as well as the dresses which Flora so much needed. As he stepped 

 on the deck of the whaler he was greeted by involuntary cries of 

 pleasure and surprise, and a thrusting forth of many horny hands by 

 the crew ; who, even amid their present reverses, could not but feel a 

 deep and joyful interest in the preservation of him whom they had 

 seen last in the very jaws of destruction. Arundel saw that the 

 smuggler crew who had been left on the shores of the inlet were 

 there ; and a few questions gained him the information that the La- 

 brador had succeeded in getting hold of the land during the fog, and 

 rescuing Captain Bellamy and his companions. 



There was little time however to exchange histories, for pistol- 

 shots suddenly resounded from the cabin, and a noise of struggling 

 succeeded. Arundel darted down the companion-ladder, calling on 

 some of the boat's crew to follow him. He there beheld a scene, to 

 account for which we must give a few words of brief explanation. 



When the miscreant Bellamy, having been foiled in his diabolical 

 intentions respecting Flora, was left on the shores of the inlet with 

 the smuggler crew, he coined a story, which his companions, on their 

 being picked up a day or two after by a boat from the ship, swore 



