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arrangedmost wisely； as I thinkthat Chance shall decide among
us who goes with the expedition and who stays behind in the huts。
The officers and crew of the _Wanderer_ will be here in a few
minutes to cast the lots。 Neither you nor any one can object to
that way of deciding among us。 Officers and men alike take their
chance together。 Nobody can grumble。〃
〃I am quite satisfied；〃 said Frank。 〃But I know of one man among
the officers who is sure to make objections。〃
〃Who is the man？〃
〃You know him well enough； too。 The 'Bear of the Expeditions'
Richard Wardour。〃
〃Frank！ Frank！ you have a bad habit of letting your tongue run
away with you。 Don't repeat that stupid nickname when you talk of
my good friend； Richard Wardour。〃
〃Your good friend？ Crayford！ your liking for that man amazes me。〃
Crayford laid his hand kindly on Frank's shoulder。 Of all the
officers of the _Sea…mew_； Crayford's favorite was Frank。
〃Why should it amaze you？〃 he asked。 〃What opportunities have you
had of judging？ You and Wardour have always belonged to different
ships。 I have never seen you in Wardour's society for five
minutes together。 How can _you_ form a fair estimate of his
character？〃
〃I take the general estimate of his character；〃 Frank answered。
〃He has got his nickname because he is the most unpopular man in
his ship。 Nobody likes himthere must be some reason for that。〃
〃There is only one reason for it；〃 Crayford rejoined。 〃Nobody
understands Richard Wardour。 I am not talking at random。
Remember； I sailed from England with him in the _Wanderer_； and I
was only transferred to the _Sea…mew_ long after we were locked
up in the ice。 I was Richard Wardour's companion on board ship
for months； and I learned there to do him justice。 Under all his
outward defects； I tell you； there beats a great and generous
heart。 Suspend your opinion； my lad； until you know my friend as
well as I do。 No more of this now。 Give me the dice and the box。〃
Frank opened his locker。 At the same moment the silence of the
snowy waste outside was broken by a shouting of voices hailing
the hut〃_Sea…mew_； ahoy！〃
Chapter 8。
The sailor on watch opened the outer door。 There； plodding over
the ghastly white snow； were the officers of the _Wanderer_
approaching the hut。 There； scattered under the merciless black
sky； were the crew； with the dogs and the sledges； waiting the
word which was to start them on their perilous and doubtful
journey。
Captain Helding of the _Wanderer_； accompanied by his officers；
entered the hut； in high spirits at the prospect of a change。
Behind them； lounging in slowly by himself； was a dark； sullen；
heavy…browed man。 He neither spoke； nor offered his hand to
anybody： he was the one person present who seemed to be perfectly
indifferent to the fate in store for him。 This was the man whom
his brother officers had nicknamed the Bear of the Expedition。 In
other wordsRichard Wardour。
Crayford advanced to welcome Captain Helding。 Frank； remembering
the friendly reproof which he had just received； passed ov er the
other officers of the _Wanderer_； and made a special effort to be
civil to Crayford's friend。
〃Good…morning； Mr。 Wardour；〃 he said。 〃We may congratulate each
other on the chance of leaving this horrible place。〃
〃_You_ may think it horrible；〃 Wardour retorted； 〃I like it。〃
〃Like it？ Good Heavens！ why？〃
〃Because there are no women here。〃
Frank turned to his brother officers； without making any further
advances in the direction of Richard Wardour。 The Bear of the
Expedition was more unapproachable than ever。
In the meantime； the hut had become thronged by the able…bodied
officers and men of the two ships。 Captain Helding； standing in
the midst of them； with Crayford by his side； proceeded to
explain the purpose of the contemplated expedition to the
audience which surrounded him。
He began in these words：
〃Brother officers and men of the _Wanderer_ and _Sea…mew_； it is
my duty to tell you； very briefly； the reasons which have decided
Captain Ebsworth and myself on dispatching an exploring party in
search of help。 Without recalling all the hardships we have
suffered for the last two yearsthe destruction； first of one of
our ships； then of the other； the death of some of our bravest
and best companions； the vain battles we have been fighting with
the ice and snow； and boundless desolation of these inhospitable
regionswithout dwelling on these things； it is my duty to
remind you that this； the last place in which we have taken
refuge； is far beyond the track of any previous expedition； and
that consequently our chance of being discovered by any rescuing
parties that may be sent to look after us is； to say the least of
it； a chance of the most uncertain kind。 You all agree with me；
gentlemen； so far？〃
The officers （with the exception of Wardour； who stood apart in
sullen silence） all agreed； so far。
The captain went on。
〃It is therefore urgently necessary that we should make another；
and probably a last； effort to extricate ourselves。 The winter is
not far off； game is getting scarcer and scarcer； our stock of
provisions is running low； and the sickespecially； I am sorry
to say； the sick in the _Wanderer_'s hutare increasing in
number day by day。 We must look to our own lives； and to the
lives of those who are dependent on us； and we have no time to
lose。〃
The officers echoed the words cheerfully。
〃Right！ right！ No time to lose。〃
Captain Helding resumed：
〃The plan proposed is； that a detachment of the able…bodied
officers and men among us should set forth this very day； and
make another effort to reach the nearest inhabited settlements；
from which help and provisions may be dispatched to those who
remain here。 The new direction to be taken； and the various
precautions to be adopted； are all drawn out ready。 The only
question now before us is； Who is to stop here； and who is to
undertake the journey？〃
The officers answered the question with one accord〃Volunteers！〃
The men echoed their officers。 〃Ay； ay； volunteers。〃
Wardour still preserved his sullen silence。 Crayford noticed him。
standing apart from the rest； and appealed to him personally。
〃Do you say nothing？〃 he asked。
〃Nothing；〃 Wardour answered。 〃Go or stay； it's all one to me。〃
〃I hope you don't really mean that？〃 said Crayford。
〃I do。〃
〃I am sorry to hear it； Wardour。〃
Captain Helding answered the general suggestion in favor of
volunteering by a question which instantly checked the rising
enthusiasm of the meeting。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃suppose we say volunteers。 Who volunteers to
stop in the huts？〃
There was a dead silence。 The officers and men looked at each
other confusedly。 The captain continued：
〃You see we can't settle it by volunteering。 You all want to go。
Every man among us who has the use of his limbs naturally wants
to go。 But what is to become of those who have not got the use of
their limbs？ Some of us must stay here； and take care of the
sick。〃
Everybody admitted that this was true。
〃So we get back again；〃 said the captain； 〃to the old
questionWho among the able…bodied is to go？ and who is to stay？
Captain Ebsworth says； and I say； let chance decide it。 Here are
dice。 The numbers run as high as twelvedouble sixes。 All who
throw under six； stay； all who throw over six； go。 Officers of
the _Wanderer_ and the _Sea…mew_； do you agree to that way of
meeting the difficulty？〃
All the officers agreed； with the one exception of Wardour； who
still kept silence。
〃Men of the _Wanderer_ and _Sea…mew_； your officers agree to cast
lots。 Do you agree too？〃
The men agreed without a dissentient voice。 Crayford handed the
box and the dice to Captain Helding。
〃You throw first； sir。 Under six； 'Stay。' Over six； 'Go。'〃
Captain Helding cast the dice； the top of the cask serving for a
table。 He threw seven。
〃Go；〃 said Crayford。 〃I congratulate you； sir。 Now for my own
chance。〃 He cast the dice in his turn。 Three！〃 Stay！ Ah； well！
well！ if I can do my duty； and be of use to others； what does it
matter whether I go or stay？ Wardour； you are next； in the
absence of your first lieutenant。〃
Wardour prepared to cast； without shaking the dice。
〃Shake the box； man！〃 cried Crayford。 〃Give yourself a chance of
luck！〃
Wardour persisted in letting the dice fall out carelessly； just
as they lay in the box。
〃Not I！〃 he muttered to himself。 〃I've done with luck。〃 Saying
those words； he threw down the empty box； and seated himself on
the nearest chest； without looking to see how the dice had
fallen。
Crayford examined them。 〃Six！〃 he exclaimed。 〃There！ you have a
second chance； in spite of yourself。 You are neither under nor
overyou throw again。〃
〃Bah！〃 growled the Bear。 〃It's not worth the trouble of getting
up for。 Somebody else throw for me。〃 He suddenly looked at Frank。
〃You！ you have got what the women call a lucky face。〃
Frank appealed to Crayford。 〃Shall I？〃
〃Yes； if he wishes it；〃 said Crayford。
Frank cast the dice。 〃Two！ He stays！ Wardour； I am sorry I have
thrown against you。〃
〃Go or stay；〃 reiterated Wardour； 〃it's all one to me。 You will
be luckier； yo