ALL AT WORK. 297 " I think so, sir," replied Mac-Nab ; " in fact, I may almost say I am sure of it. You remember how we strengthened it, it has been
- casemated,' and the vertical beams between the ceilings and floors
must have offered great resistance ; moreover, the layer of earth and sand with which the roof was first covered must have broken the shock of the fall of the blocks of ice from the icebergs." " God grant you may be right, Mac-Nab," replied Hobson, " and that we may be spared the great grief of losing our friends ! " The Lieutenant then sent for Mrs Joliffe, and asked her if plenty of provisions had been left in the house. " Oh, yes," replied Mrs Joliffe, *' there was plenty to eat in the pantry and kitchen." " And any water % " " Yes, water and rum too." " All right, then," said Hobson, " they will not be starved — but how about air 1 " To this question Mac-Nab could make no reply, and if, as he hoped, the house had not given way, the want of air would be the chief danger of the four victims. By prompt measures, however, they might yet be saved, and the first thing to be done was to open a communication with the outer air. All set to work zealously, men and women alike seizing shovels and pickaxes. The masses of ice, sand, and earth, were vigorously attacked at the risk of provoking fresh downfalls ; but the proceed- ings were ably directed by Mac-Nab. It appeared to him best to begin at the top of the accumulated masses, so as to roll down loose blocks on the side of the lagoon. The smaller pieces were easily dealt with, with pick and crowbar, but the large blocks had to be broken up. Some of great size were melted with the aid of a large fire of resinous wood, and every means was tried to destroy or get rid of the ice in the shortest possible time. But so great was the accumulation, that although all worked without pause, except when they snatched a little food, there was no sensible diminution in its amount when the sun disappeared below the horizon. It was not, however, really of quite so great a height as before, and it was determined to go on working from above through the night, and when there was no longer any danger of fresh falls Mac-Nab hoped to be able to sink a vertical shaft in the compact mass, so as to admit the outer air to the house as soon as possible.
