“Cast an ice-anchor on that berg.”

Peter Grim obeyed the order, and, with a swing that Hercules would have envied, planted it securely.  In another moment the ship was following in the wake of this novel tug!  It was a moment of great danger, for the bergs encroached on their narrow canal as they advanced, obliging them to brace the yards to clear the impending ice-walls, and they shaved the large berg so closely that the port quarter-boat would have been crushed if it had not been taken from the davits.  Five minutes of such travelling brought them abreast of a grounded berg, to which they resolved to make fast.  The order was given to cast off the rope.  Away went their white tug on his race to the far north, and the ship swung round in safety under the lee of the berg, where the crew acknowledged with gratitude their merciful deliverance from imminent danger.

CHAPTER VII.

New characters introduced—­An old game under novel circumstances—­Remarkable appearances in the sky—­O’Riley meets with a mishap.

Dumps was a remarkably grave and sly character, and Poker was a wag—­an incorrigible wag—­in every sense of the term.  Moreover, although they had an occasional fight, Dumps and Poker were excellent friends, and great favourites with the crew.

We have not yet introduced these individuals to our reader, but as they will act a conspicuous part in the history of the Dolphin’s adventurous career in the Arctic Regions, we think it right now to present them.

While at Upernavik, Captain Guy had purchased a team of six good, tough Esquimau dogs, being desirous of taking them to England, and there presenting them to several of his friends who were anxious to possess specimens of those animals.  Two of these dogs stood out conspicuous from their fellows, not only in regard to personal appearance, but also in reference to peculiarities of character.  One was pure white, with a lively expression of countenance, a large shaggy body, two erect, sharp-pointed ears, and a short projection that once had been a tail.  Owing to some cause unknown, however, his tail had been cut or bitten off, and nothing save the stump remained.  But this stump did as much duty as if it had been fifty tails in one.  It was never at rest for a moment, and its owner evidently believed that wagging it was the true and only way to touch the heart of man; therefore the dog wagged it, so to speak, doggedly.  In consequence of this animal’s thieving propensities, which led him to be constantly poking into every hole and corner of the ship in search of something to steal, he was named Poker.  Poker had three jet-black spots in his white visage—­one was the point of his nose, the other two were his eyes.