They got only one seal, and that was a small one--scarcely sufficient to afford a couple of meals to the dogs.
They were "misfortunate entirely," as O'Riley remarked; and to add to their misfortunes, the floe-ice became so rugged that they could scarcely advance at all.
"Things grow worse and worse," remarked Grim, as the sledge, for the twentieth time that day, plunged into a crack in the ice, and had to be unloaded ere it could be got out.

"The sledge won't stand much o' sich work, and if it breaks--good-bye to it, for it won't mend without wood, and there's none here." "No fear of it," cried Bolton encouragingly; "it's made of material as tough as your own sinews, Grim, and won't give way easily, as the thumps it has withstood already prove .-- Has it never struck you, Fred," he continued, turning to our hero who was plodding forward in silence--"has it never struck you that when things in this world get very bad, and we begin to feel inclined to give up, they somehow or other begin to get better ?" "Why, yes, I have noticed that; but I have a vague sort of feeling just now that things are not going to get better.

I don't know whether it's this long-continued darkness, or the want of good food, but I feel more downcast than I ever was in my life before." Bolton's remark had been intended to cheer, but Fred's answer proved that a discussion of the merits of the question was not likely to have a good effect on the men, whose spirits were evidently very much cast down, so he changed the subject.
Fortunately, at that time an incident occurred which effected the mate's purpose better than any efforts man could have made.

It has frequently happened that when Arctic voyagers have, from sickness and long confinement during a monotonous winter, become so depressed in spirits that games and amusements of every kind bailed to rouse them from their lethargic despondency, sudden danger has given to their minds the needful impulse, and effected a salutary change, for a time at least, in their spirits.

Such was the case at the present time.