"Yes; you are making a ladder, so as to get from side to side," replied Steve; "but you can't make it very far down, it would take tremendously long pieces when we get lower."

"Only want ten or a dozen, my lad. You see what they're for now, don't you?"

"N-no."

"To step on to from the ratlines, and go up into the crow's-nest."

"What, that tub?"

"Yes; we haul her up and lash her just above us, close to the truck there, above the top piece of wood."

"I see now!" cried Steve; and, full of interest in the task, he handed the pieces till the last had been secured, when the Norseman ascended to the highest, took tight hold of the mast, and crossed over on to the port-side shrouds, where he began to make fast the other ends of the pieces of wood.

"How are you getting on up there, Steve?" cried the captain from the deck.

"All right, sir. Done one side."

"Good! Feel giddy?"

"Oh no, sir."

"Shall I send the boy to relieve you?"

Steve replied in the negative, and the captain went aft again.

"Ever been up here before, sir?" said the man, as he rapidly went on with his task.

"No, never."

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the Norseman, and he looked across at his companion inquiringly, but with his busy fingers working away till the last piece had been securely bound at the port side and a short wooden ladder extended from side to side.

"Now, what's next?" asked Steve.

"Get up the crow's-nest. It'll want two of us for that."

"Well, I'll help," said Steve.

"Ay, sir, and I'd like your help; but it'll want one of my mates, with his strong arms, to hold her securely while she's made fast."

He hailed the deck, and a man came up with a small rope, which Johannes took, climbed up a little higher and pa.s.sed the end through a little block high up just below the truck, drew upon it, and sent the end of the line down rapidly to the deck.

"Then this crow's-nest is for a look-out place?" said Steve.

"That's it, sir. Makes a nice snug cover for a man to stand in when we're among the walrus or seals, or seeking a way through the ice."

"And this ladder is for a man to creep up and get in through the bottom?"

"Right again, sir; you don't want no telling. He creeps up the ladder, in through the bottom, shuts the door down, and there he is, able to look out eight or nine miles any way."

Steve looked down, and could see that the men on deck were making the great cask fast to the end of the line. Then, turning to the man again:

"You said something about looking out for ice."

"Ay, sir, I did."

"How long will it be before we come in sight of any?"

The sailors both looked at him and smiled.

"'Bout as long as it takes to cast your eyes to the nor'ard, sir."

"What do you mean?"

"Look yonder," said the first Norseman, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "You can see ice, can't you?"

Steve looked in the direction indicated, and shook his head.

"Nonsense, sir!" said the other. "There's ice--one, two, three good-sized bits floating this way."

"I can't see them," said Steve sadly. "Your eyes are better than mine."

"Maybe, sir. We've been at sea longer than you. Try again."

The boy looked, holding on by pa.s.sing his arm round one of the shrouds, while the mast gave from the pressure of the wind, and produced a peculiar effect, as of swinging, now that his attention was not directed to the work going on.

"Feel all right?" said the first Norseman.

"Yes."

"Not giddy, sir?"

"No, I think not. I'm all right, but I can't see any ice."

"Try again. There, straight away where the sea shines in the sunlight."

"N-no," said Steve; "I can see the waves breaking and sparkling miles away."

"No, sir; you couldn't see the waves breaking and sparkling miles away on a day like this. What you see is ice."

"What, an iceberg? I thought that would be like an island."

"No, sir; a bit or two of floe ice going to the south'ard."

"Yes, I see now; but how big are these pieces?"

"Ten or a dozen feet out of the water, and perhaps a hundred feet long."

"But what do you mean by floe ice?"