After that they dreaded more than anything the fate that would overtake them with the disappearance of their slender stock of provisions.

While this diminished with alarming rapidity, despite their efforts at economy, their ice island drifted out from the strait, and soon afterwards became incorporated with the great Arctic pack that always in the spring forces its resistless way steadily south-ward towards the melting waters of the Gulf Stream.
Land had disappeared with the second day of the ice movement, and after that, for a week, nothing occurred to break the terrible monotony of life on the pack, as experienced by our young castaways.

Then came the dreaded announcement that one portion of their supplies was exhausted.
There was no longer a drop of oil for their lamp..