94 HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



loss to himself of money and reputation if the voyage 

 dragged out too long or failed of its purpose. He had 

 chartered the schooner from Bom, and was responsible 

 for all the running expenses. While the latter was 

 aboard officially as engineer, yet as owner he had great 

 influence over Captain Larsson and could raise objec- 

 tions of legahty or formality in the most unexpected ways. 



The result of this talk was apparently a truce. 



We also grasped another shght opportunity of fur- 

 thering our objects. During the morning a launch 

 passed us from the Revenue Cutter "Bear." It was 

 anchored at the Reindeer station in the bay seven miles 

 from Teller. "Tools and possibly some other help," 

 flashed through our minds. Kleinschmidt took to the 

 suggestion and the launch was made ready. Elting had 

 just gone ashore for a walk. We headed him off, for he 

 had a letter of introduction to Captain Ballinger of the 

 "Bear," and we also picked up Larsson who came along 

 the beach at that moment. Frank Born ran the launch. 

 Elting thought that Ed Born wanted to get Captain 

 Balhnger, who had the proper authority, to appoint 

 Larsson chief engineer as well as captain of the "Abler." 

 With Frank as assistant engineer we would be technically 

 entitled to go to sea and in this way Ed could leave us, 

 go to Nome and await the return of the "Abler" from 

 the Arctic. "I had no business to come up here at all 

 this summer," said Ed. "I didn't have to do it, but I 

 thought I would have a nice trip, and I am sorry I 

 started." 



An hour's run in the launch brought us to the "Bear," 

 a steam brig built in the seventies for Arctic exploration 

 and still serviceable. Captain Ballinger was a medium- 

 sized, well-built man with the look of an eagle. Bishop 



