Besides, when it came to the question of cooking, it mattered very little to him whether it was here or there, so long as his stoves were set up somewhere.
So he said to his friend the mate, with his broad negro smile,-- "Luckily my kitchen did not go off with the schooner, and you shall see, Hurliguerly, if I do not make up dishes just as good as on board the _Halbrane_, so long as provisions don't grow scarce, of course--" "Well! they will not be wanting for some time to come," replied the boatswain.

"We need not fear hunger, but cold, such cold as would reduce you to an icicle the minute ycu cease to warm your feetwcold that makes your skin crack and your skull split! Even if we had some hundreds of tons of coal--But, all things being well calculated, there is only just what will do to boil this large kettle." "And that is sacred," cried Endicott; "touching is forbidden! The kitchen before all." "And that is the reason why it never strikes you to pity yourself, you old nigger! You can always make sure of keeping your feet warm at your oven!" "What would you have, boatswain?
You are a first-rate cook, or you are not.

When you are, you take advantage of it; but I will remember to keep you a little place before my stove." "That's good! that's good, Endicott! Each one shall have his turn! There is no privilege, even for a boatswain! On the whole, it is better not to have to fear famine! One can fight against the cold.

We shall dig holes in the iceberg, and cuddle ourselves up there.

And why should we not have a general dwelling-room?
We could make a cave for ourselves with pickaxes! I have heard tell that ice preserves heat.