Fred's duties, as manager and author, upon this occasion were by no
means light, for his troop, being unaccustomed to study, found the
utmost difficulty in committing the simplest sentences to memory.
O'Riley turned out to be the sharpest among them, but having agreed to
impersonate the First Bear, and having to act his part in dumb
show--bears not being supposed capable of speech--his powers of memory
had not to be exerted. Grim was also pretty good; but Davie Summers
could not be got to remember even the general arrangements of the piece;
and as for Buzzby, he no sooner mastered a line than he forgot the one
before it, and almost gave it up in despair. But by dint of much study
and many rehearsals in secret, under the superintendence of Fred, and
Tom Singleton, who undertook to assist, they succeeded at last in going
through it with only a few mistakes.
On the morning of the 1st December, while the most of the crew were away
at Red-Snow Valley cutting moss, Fred collected his _corps dramatique_
for a last rehearsal in the forecastle, where they were secure from
interruption, the place being so cold that no one would willingly go
into it except under the force of necessity. A dim lantern lit up the
apartment faintly.
"We must do it without a mistake this time," said Fred Ellice, opening
his book, and calling upon Grim to begin.
"'Tis cold," began Grim.
"Stop, you're wrong."
"Oh! so I am," cried Grim, slapping his thigh, "I'll begin again.
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