534 FAR THE S 2' NORTH 



" ' Well, this was how it was : I dreamed that Dr. 

 Nansen was going off across the ice to the Pole with four 

 men, and I asked to be taken, but you said that you 

 didn't need a cook on this expedition, and I thought that 

 was queer enough, for you would surely want food on 

 this trip as well. It seemed to me that you had ordered 

 the ship to meet you at some other place ; anyhow, you 

 were not coming back here, but to some other land. It's 

 strange that one can lie and rake up such a lot of non- 

 sense in one's sleep.' 



'"That was perhaps not such very great nonsense, 

 Pettersen; it is quite possible that w^e might have to 

 make such an expedition ; but if we did, we should 

 certainl}^ not come back to the Fram' 



" ' Well, if that happened, I would ask to go, sure 

 enough ; for it's just what I should like. I'm no great 

 snow-shoer, but I would manage to keep up somehow.' 



" ' That's all very well ; but there's a great deal of 

 weary hard work on a journey like that ; you needn't 

 think it's all pleasure.' 



" ' No, no one would expect that ; but it w^ould be all 

 right if I might only go.' 



" ' But there might be worse than hardships, Pettersen. 

 It would more than likely mean risking your life.' 



"' I don't care for that either. A man has got to die 

 sometime.' 



'" Yes, but you don't want to shorten your life.' 



" ' Oh, I would take my chance of that. You can lose 



