274 ' COOK'S RETURN 



ley ; to the Canadian government, to the wild men of the North and last of all, 

 a casual mention of himself as the one who had at last achieved. He sought no 

 license of his quest, as he plainly said, and he showed a calm indifference to 

 captious criticism. 



Everywhere about him were the flags of his own land intertwined with the 

 banner of Denmark — the country which had first received him and approved 

 him as the finder of the axial terminus of the world. 



By his side sat Rear Admiral Schley, the rescuer of the Greely expedition ; 

 before him were friends and comrades of the arctic circle and leaders of the 

 scientific world and beyond, in a box at the center of the balcony, was the wife 

 whose devotion had inspired his achievement. 



Few and eloquent were the words with which the rear admiral introduced 

 Dr. Cook, the keynote of which was that he regretted that controversy should 

 have arisen concerning so gallant a feat, and he repeated the words which came 

 to him as from the past that there was "glory enough for both." 



Cheers rang through the hall ; men and women rose to their feet and joined 

 in the refrain, "For He Is a Jolly Good Fellow," as the explorer rose to his 

 feet. The applause lasted for several minutes, and then, when his auditors 

 paused for breath, Dr. Cook read his speech in a slow, even voice. 



Dr. Cook's speech was interrupted in the middle by his reference to his 

 backer, John R. Bradley, who had gone from his place at the principal table to a 

 group of his friends on the floor. 



"Bradley ! Bradley !" called many a voice, "Bradley, show yourself !" And 

 finally he was obliged to stand upon a clf^iir and bow his acknowledgments to 

 the tumultuous cheers. 



. All that Dr. Cook said carried with it conviction, and when he finished 

 with his tribute to the brave men who had gone before and his disclaimer for 

 more than his share of the glory the company hailed him with every expression 

 of confidence. It was plain that they agreed with all that Rear Admiral Schley 

 said in his speech of introduction. 



"I regret," the admiral said, "that there should have been any issue raised 

 concerning an achievement so full of glory for both. As president of the Arctic 

 Club of America, I believe that both Dr. Cook and Mr. Peary found the pole. 

 They succeeded in reaching that point in the frozen seas which was so long the 

 goal of the cherished ambitions of mankind. 



"Both endure inconceivable hardships under trying circumstances. These 

 two men reached the pole — -m.en willing to venture into fields of prolifi-c danger ; 



