--you, yourself?" And as she spoke, her voice trembled a little.

"Yes," said he, "I thought I would go myself, or else send
Sammy."

She laughed.

"Ridiculous!" said she. "Send Sammy Block! You are joking?"

"No," said he, "I am not. I have been planning the expedition,
and I think Sammy would be an excellent man to take charge of it.
I might go part of the way--at least, far enough to start him--and
I could so arrange matters that Sammy would have no difficulty
in finishing the expedition, but I do not think that I could give
up all the time that such an enterprise deserves. It is not enough
to merely find the pole; one should stay there and make
observations which would be of service."

"But if Sammy finishes the journey himself," she said, "his will
be the glory."

"Let him have it," replied Clewe. "If my method of arctic
exploration solves the great problem of the pole, I shall be
satisfied with the glory I get from the conception. The mere
journey to the northern end of the earth's axis is of slight
importance. I shall be glad to have Sammy go first, and have as
many follow him as may choose to travel in that direction."

"Yet it is a great achievement," said she. "I would give much to
be the first human being who has placed his foot upon the north