In the hope of attracting attention, Dr. Grenfell and William Taylor,
his companion, fired their guns at regular intervals. Expectantly they
waited, but there was no answering signal from shore and no sign of
life anywhere within their vision.
For a long while they waited and watched and signalled. With a turn in
the tide it became evident, finally, that the pan on which they were
marooned was drifting slowly seaward. If this continued they would
soon be out of sight of land, and then all hope of rescue would
vanish.
"I'll tell you what I'll do, now," suggested Taylor. "I'll copy toward
shore. I'll try to get close enough for some one to see me."
To "copy" is to jump from one pan or piece of ice to another. The gaps
of water separating them are sometimes wide, and a man must be a good
jumper who lands. Some of the pieces of ice are quite too small to
bear a man's weight, and he must leap instantly to the next or he will
sink with the ice. It is perilous work at best, and much too dangerous
for any one to attempt without much practice and experience.
They had a boat hook with them, and taking it to assist in the long
leaps, Taylor started shore-ward.
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