"To ruin me. He seems to defy me, and speaks as if he were lord and master. He thinks he has my destiny in his hands, and knows all my projects. Didn't we see the man in his true colours when we were giving names to the different coasts? Has he ever avowed his object in coming so far north? You will never get out of my head that this man is not the leader of some expedition sent out by the American government."
"Well, Hatteras, suppose it is so, does it follow that this expedition is to search for the North Pole? May it not be to find the North-West Passage? But anyway, Altamont is in complete ignorance of our object, for neither Johnson, nor Bell, nor myself, have ever breathed a word to him about it, and I am sure you have not."
"He must be told in the end, for we can't leave him here alone."
"Why not? Can't he stay here in Fort Providence?"
"He would never consent to that, Hatteras; and, moreover, to leave a man in that way, and not know whether we might find him safe when we came back, would be worse than imprudent: it would be inhuman. Altamont will come with us; he must come. But we need not disclose our projects; let us tell him nothing, but simply build a sloop for the ostensible purpose of making a survey of the coast."
Hatteras could not bring himself to consent, but said--
"And suppose the man won't allow his ship to be cut up?"
"In that case, you must take the law in your own hands, and build a vessel in spite of him."
"I wish to goodness he would refuse, then!"
"He must be asked before he can refuse. I'll undertake the asking," said Clawbonny.
He kept his word, for that very same night, at supper, he managed to turn the conversation towards the subject of making excursions during summer for hydrographical purposes.
"You will join us, I suppose, Altamont," he said.
"Of course," replied the American. "We must know how far New America extends."
Hatteras looked fixedly at his rival, but said nothing.
"And for that purpose," continued Altamont, "we had better build a little ship out of the remains of the Porpoise. It is the best possible use we can make of her."
"You hear, Bell," said the Doctor, eagerly. "We'll all set to work to-morrow morning."
[Illustration: The carpenter began his task immediately.--P.154]