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Wardour on the shore。 Let this be a lesson to you； my dear。 Never be
foolish enough to believe in presentiments again。〃
Clara's eyes still wandered suspiciously to and fro among the crowd。
〃Are you not satisfied yet？〃 asked Mrs。 Crayford。
〃No；〃 Clara answered； 〃I am not satisfied yet。〃
〃What！ still looking for him？ This is really too absurd。 Here is my
husband coming。 I shall tell him to call a cab； and send you home。〃
Clara drew back a few steps。
〃I won't be in the way； Lucy； while you are taking leave of your good
husband；〃 she said。 〃I will wait here。〃
〃Wait here！ What for？〃
〃For something which I may yet see； or for something which I may
still hear。〃
〃Richard Wardour？〃
〃Richard Wardour。〃
Mrs。 Crayford turned to her husband without another word。 Clara's
infatuation was beyond the reach of remonstrance。
The boats of the _Wanderer_ took the place at the landing…stage
vacated by the boats of the _Sea…mew_。 A burst of cheering among the
outer ranks of the crowd announced the arrival of the commander of the
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expedition on the scene。 Captain Helding appeared； looking right and left
for his first lieutenant。 Finding Crayford with his wife； the captain made
his apologies for interfering； with his best grace。
〃Give him up to his professional duties for one minute； Mrs。 Crayford；
and you shall have him back again for half an hour。 The Arctic expedition
is to blame； my dear ladynot the captainfor parting man and wife。 In
Crayford's place； I should have left it to the bachelors to find the
Northwest Passage； and have stopped at home with you！〃
Excusing himself in those bluntly complimentary terms； Captain
Helding drew the lieutenant aside a few steps； accidentally taking a
direction that led the two officers close to the place at which Clara was
standing。 Both the captain and the lieutenant were too completely
absorbed in their professional business to notice her。 Neither the one nor
the other had the faintest suspicion that she could and did hear every word
of the talk that passed between them。
〃You received my note this morning？〃 the captain began。
〃Certainly； Captain Helding； or I should have been on board the ship
before this。〃
〃I am going on board myself at once；〃 the captain proceeded； 〃but I
must ask you to keep your boat waiting for half an hour more。 You will be
all the longer with your wife； you know。 I thought of that； Crayford。〃
〃I am much obliged to you； Captain Helding。 I suppose there is some
other reason for inverting the customary order of things； and keeping the
lieutenant on shore after the captain is on board？〃
〃Quite true！ there _is_ another reason。 I want you to wait for a
volunteer who has just joined us。〃
〃A volunteer！〃
〃Yes。 He has his outfit to get in a hurry； and he may be half an hour
late。〃
〃It's rather a sudden appointment； isn't it？〃
〃No doubt。 Very sudden。〃
〃Andpardon meit's rather a long time （as we are situated） to keep
the ships waiting for one man？〃
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THE FROZEN DEEP
〃Quite true； again。 But a man who is worth having is worth waiting for。
This man is worth having； this man is worth his weight in gold to such an
expedition as ours。 Seasoned to all climates and all fatiguesa strong
fellow； a brave fellow； a clever fellowin short； an excellent officer。 I
know him well； or I should never have taken him。 The country gets plenty
of work out of my new volunteer； Crayford。 He only returned yesterday
from foreign service。〃
〃He only returned yesterday from foreign service！ And he volunteers
this morning to join the Arctic expedition？ You astonish me。〃
〃I dare say I do！ You can't be more astonished than I was； when he
presented himself at my hotel and told me what he wanted。 'Why； my good
fellow； you have just got home；' I said。 'Are you weary of your freedom；
after only a few hours' experience of it？' His answer rather startled me。 He
said； 'I am weary of my life； sir。 I have come home and found a trouble to
welcome me； which goes near to break my heart。 If I don't take refuge in
absence and hard work； I am a lost man。 Will you give me a refuge？'
That's what he said； Crayford； word for word。〃
〃Did you ask him to explain himself further？〃
〃Not I！ I knew his value； and I took the poor devil on the spot； without
pestering him with any more questions。 No need to ask him to explain
himself。 The facts speak for themselves in these cases。 The old story； my
good friend！ There's a woman at the bottom of it； of course。〃
Mrs。 Crayford； waiting for the return of her husband as patiently as
she could； was startled by feeling a hand suddenly laid on her shoulder。
She looked round； and confronted Clara。 Her first feeling of surprise
changed instantly to alarm。 Clara was trembling from head to foot。
〃What is the matter？ What has frightened you； my dear？〃
〃Lucy！ I _have_ heard of him！〃
〃Richard Wardour again？〃
〃Remember what I told you。 I have heard every word of the
conversation between Captain Helding and your husband。 A man came to
the captain this morning and volunteered to join the _Wanderer_。 The
captain has taken him。 The man is Richard Wardour。〃
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THE FROZEN DEEP
〃You don't mean it！ Are you sure？ Did you hear Captain Helding
mention his name？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then how do you know it's Richard Wardour？〃
〃Don't ask me！ I am as certain of it； as that I am standing here！ They
are going away together； Lucyaway to the eternal ice and snow。 My
foreboding has come true！ The two will meetthe man who is to marry me
and the man whose heart I have broken！〃
〃Your foreboding has _not_ come true； Clara！ The men have not met
herethe men are not likely to meet elsewhere。 They are appointed to
separate ships。 Frank belongs to the _Sea…mew_； and Wardour to the
_Wanderer_。 See！ Captain Helding has done。 My husband is coming this
way。 Let me make sure。 Let me speak to him。〃
Lieutenant Crayford returned to his wife。 She spoke to him instantly。
〃William！ you have got a new volunteer who joins the _Wanderer_？〃
〃What！ you have been listening to the captain and me？〃
〃I want to know his name？〃
〃How in the world did you manage to hear what we said to each
other？〃
〃His name？ has the captain given you his name？〃
〃Don't excite yourself； my dear。 Look！ you are positively alarming
Miss Burnham。 The new volunteer is a perfect stranger to us。 There is his
namelast on the ship's list。〃
Mrs。 Crayford snatched the list out of her husband's hand； and read the
name：
〃RICHARD WARDOUR。〃
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Second Scene。
The Hut of the _Sea…mew_。
Chapter 6。
Good…by to England！ Good…by to inhabited and civilized regions of
the earth！
Two years have passed since the voyagers sailed from their native
shores。 The enterprise has failedthe Arctic expedition is lost and ice…
locked in the Polar wastes。 The good ships _Wanderer_ and _Sea…mew_；
entombed in ice； will never ride the buoyant waters more。 Stripped of their
lighter timbers； both vessels have been used for the construction of huts；
erected on the nearest land。
The largest of the two buildings which now shelter the lost men is
occupied by the surviving officers and crew of the _Sea…mew_。 On one
side of the principal room are the sleeping berths and the fire…place。 The
other side discloses a broad doorway （closed by a canvas screen）； which
serves as a means of communication with an inner apartment； devoted to
the supe