She had heard, from Roland Clewe, of the successful beginning of the Dipsey's voyage, and before she had gone to her chamber she had received a last message from him on leaving Cape Tariff; and now, as she lay there in her bed, her whole soul was occupied with thoughts of that little party of people--some of them so well known to her--all of them sent out upon this perilous and frightful expedition by her consent and assistance, and now left alone to work their way through the dread and silent waters that underlie the awful ice regions of the pole.

She felt that so long as she had a mind she could not help thinking of them, and so long as she thought of them she could not sleep.
Suddenly there was a ring at the door, which made her start and spring from her bed, and shortly a telegraphic message was brought to her by a maid.

It was from the depths of the Arctic Ocean, and read as follows: "Getting on very well.

No motion.

Not cold.