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chance we'd ever have of finding stuff in those conditions。 As for landingeven if weather conditions were perfect； no plane big enough to have the range to fly here could ever hope to land on the ice cap。 You know that。〃
〃What's your middle name； Doc？〃 Rawlings asked dolefully。 〃Jeremiah？〃
〃The greatest good of the greatest number；〃 I said。 〃The old yardstick； but there's never been a better one。 If we just hole up here without making any attempt to help ourselves and the ice machine remains useless； then we're all dead。 All sixteen of us。 If I make it there safely； then we're all alive。 Even if I don't； the ice machine may be fixed and there would only be one lost then。〃 I started pulling on my mittens。 〃One is less than sixteen。〃
〃We might as well make it two；〃 Hansen sighed and began to pull on his own gloves。 I was hardly surprised； when he'd last spoken he'd talked at first of 〃you〃 having no chance and finished by saying that 〃we〃 had none； and it hadn't required any psychiatrist to follow his quick shift in mental orientation： whatever men like Hansen were handpicked for； it wasn't for any predilection for shifting the load to others' shoulders when the going became sticky。
I didn't waste any time arguing with him。
Rawlings got to his feet。
〃One skilled volunteer for the soup…stirring；〃 he requested。 〃Those two wouldn't get as far as that door without my holding their hands。 I'll probably get a medal for this。 What's the highest decoration awarded in peacetime； Lieutenant？〃
〃There are no medals given for soup…stirring； Rawlings；〃 Hansen said； 〃which is what you are going to keep on doing。 You're staying right here。〃
〃Uh…uh。〃 Rawlings shook his head。 〃Prepare yourself to deal with your first mutiny； Lieutenant。 I'm ing with you。 I can't lose。 If we get to the 〃Dolphin〃； you'll be too damned glad and happy to have made it to dream of reporting me； apart from being a fair…minded man who will have to admit that our safe arrival back at the ship will be entirely due to torpedoman Rawlings。〃 He grinned。 〃And if we don't make itwell； you can't very well report it； can you； Lieutenant？〃
Hansen walked across to him。 He said quietly： 〃You know that there's more than an even chance that we won't reach the 〃Dolphin〃。 That would leave twelve pretty sick men here； not to mention Zabrinski with a broken ankle； and with no one to look after them。 They've got to have one able man to look after them。 You couldn't be that selfish； now； could you； Rawlings？ Look after them； will you？ As a favor to me？〃
Rawlings looked at him for long seconds； then squatted down and started stirring the soup again。 〃As a favor to me； you mean；〃 he said bitterly。 〃Okay； I'll stay。 As a favor to me。 Also to prevent Zabrinski from tripping over his legs again and breaking another ankle。〃 He stirred the soup viciously。 〃Well； what are you waiting for？ The skipper may be making up his mind to dive any minute。〃
He had a point。 We brushed off protests and attempts to stop us made by Captain Folsom and Dr。 Jolly and were ready to leave in thirty seconds。 Hansen was through the door first。 I turned and looked at the sick and emaciated and injured survivors of Drift Station Zebra。 Folsom； Jolly； Kinnaird； Hewson； Naseby and seven others。 Twelve men altogether。 They couldn't all be in cahoots together； so it had to be a single man； maybe two； acting in concert。 I wondered who those men might be； those men I would have to kill； that person or persons who had murdered my brother and six other men on Drift Ice Station Zebra。
I pulled the door to behind me and followed Hansen out into the dreadful night。
6
We had been tired； more than tired； even before we had set out。 We had been leaden…legged； bone…weary； no more than a short handspan from total exhaustion。 But； for all that； we flitted through the howling darkness of that night like two great white ghosts across the dimly seen whiteness of a nightmare lunar landscape。 We were no longer bowed under the weight of heavy packs。 Our backs were to that gale…force wind； so that for every laborious plodding step we had made on our way to Zebra we now covered five； with so little a fraction of our earlier toil that at first it seemed all but effortless。 We had no trouble in seeing where we were going； no fear of falling into an open lead or of crippling ourselves against some unexpected obstacle； for with our useless goggles removed and powerful flashlight beams dancing erratically ahead of us as we jog…trotted along； visibility was seldom less than five yards； more often nearer ten。 Those were the physical aids that helped us on our way but even more sharply powerful as a spur to our aching legs was that keen and ever…growing fear that dominated our minds to the exclusion of all else； the fear that mander Swanson had already been pelled to drop down and that we would be left to die in that shrieking wasteland： with our lacking both shelter and food； the old man with the scythe would not be keeping us waiting too long。
We ran； but we did not run too fast； for to have done that would have been to have the old man tapping us on the shoulder in very short order indeed。 In far sub…zero temperatures； there is one thing that the Eskimo avoids as he would the plagueoverexertion； in those latitudes more deadly； even； than the plague itself。 Too much physical effort while wearing heavy furs inevitably results in sweat； and when the effort ceases； as eventually cease it must； the sweat freezes on the skin： the only way to destroy that film of ice is by further exertion； producing even more sweat； the beginnings of a vicious and steadily narrowing circle that can have only one end。 So though we ran it was only at a gentle jog…trot； hardly more than a fast walk； we took every possible precaution against overheating。
After half an hour； perhaps a little more； I called for a brief halt in the shelter of a steep ice wall。 Twice in the past two minutes Hansen had stumbled and fallen where there hadn't appeared to be any reason to stumble and fall： and I had noticed that my own legs were more unsteady than the terrain warranted。
〃How are you making out？〃 I asked。
〃Pretty bushed； Doc。〃 He sounded it； too； his breathing quick and rasping and shallow。 〃But don't write me off yet。 How far do you think we've e？〃
〃Three miles； near enough。〃 I patted the ice wall behind us。 〃When we've had a couple of minutes； I think we should try climbing this。 Looks like a pretty tall hummock to me。〃
〃To try to get into the clear above the ice storm？〃 I nodded my head and he shook his。 〃Won't do any good； Doc。 This ice storm must be at least twenty feet thick； and even if you do get above it the 〃Dolphin〃 will still be below it。 She's only got the top of her sail clear above the ice。〃
〃I've been thinking；〃 I said。 〃We've been so lost in our own woes and sorrows that we've forgotten about mander Swanson。 I think we've been guilty of underestimating him pretty badly。〃
〃It's likely enough。 Right now I'm having a fulitime job worrying about Lieutenant Hansen。 What's on your mind？〃
〃Just this。 The chances are better than fifty…fifty that Swanson believes we're on our way b