"TURN out, all hands!"
Leslie opened his eyes, aroused by an imperative order resounding throughout the limited expanse of theBird of Freedom'scabin.
The speaker was John Ranworth. Refreshed by his profound sleep, he had completely regained his customary energy. The absolute necessity for haste urged him to waste not a moment more. The passage across the ice-barrier having been found practicable, he was determined to follow up his advantage without further delay.
Guy was still drowsy when aroused; Rogers and Payne, somewhat surly at being awakened, were inclined to resume their dispute concerning the weighty matter of the "two half-dollars."
TheBird of Freedomwas still held to the ice by the two cables, but during the time her crew had been asleep the gradient had increased still more. From the water's edge to the mean level of the rest of the ice was a slippery slope as steep as the high-pitched roof of a house, its surface marked only by the half obliterated notches which Payne had cut some time previously.
"There's no time to be lost," declared Ranworth. "Get her fairly on the ice and we can have breakfastwhile we are moving. Look alive, Leslie, with the motor, or we'll be baulked."
While the two seamen were unmooring and coiling away the rope, Leslie started the engines, coupled up the air propellers, and lowered the "decapod" wheels.
"All ready, sir," he reported.
"Then, easy ahead," ordered Ranworth.
Having manoeuvred theBird of Freedomuntil she was bows on to the obstacle, Ranworth brought her slowly towards the lowermost visible part of the slope, until the two foremost wheels touched the ice.
For a brief instant the forepart of the sleigh reared itself clear of the water; then, with a dull splash, it slipped backwards. Even the spiked wheels could obtain no grip on the hard, polished surface.
Again and again theBird of Freedomreturned to the charge, but without success.
"If only we could get the whole under surface of both bands to grip, we would manage it," declared Ranworth. "Come aft, all hands, and see if we can lift the bows clear of the water."
Manipulating the steering gear by means of two cords fixed to two opposite points of the wheel, Ranworth made yet another attempt. This time the sleigh drew itself completely clear of the water.
Success seemed within the grasp of her crew, when the wheels began to race, sending out showers of crushed ice. With a thud that threatened to break her back, theBird of Freedombelied her name by slipping backwards into the sea.
"Try the runners, sir," suggested Rogers. "If she won't crawl over the ice like a blessed caterpillarp'r'aps she'llslide over it."
"Very good," assented Ranworth.
The steel runners were lowered to transfer the weightof the sleigh from the caterpillar wheels, and the air propellers were again put in motion.
This time, success seemed even more within their grasp, for under the action of the huge propellers, the sleigh ran more than half-way up the incline. Then her pace began to diminish appreciably, until she came to a standstill within her own length of the summit of the slope, the traction of the propellers being just sufficient to overcome the force of gravity.
"If we could only get out a rope," suggested Guy.
"What would be the use?" asked Payne. "And how are we a-going to do it? I don't mind any level risk, but I'd think twice before venturing on that ice with those propellers a-runninglike mad!"
"Ease her gently and let her slide back," decided Ranworth. "We're only wasting current uselessly."
Slowing down the motors sufficiently to check her descent, theBird of Freedomreturned yet again to the surface of the water.
"I certainly cannot see how a rope will help us, Guy," said Ranworth. "It must be led straight ahead to get any result out of the strain, and it's a moral cert. the tips of the propeller blades will foul it; then, good-bye to the propellers. We must, I'm afraid, give up further attempts to land here, and try again some way to the west'ard."
"We've some canvas aboard, sir, I believe?" asked Leslie.
"Yes, a couple of bolts—why?"
"If we could lay them on the ice, one strip in the track of each pair of wheels, the caterpillars would be able to obtain a grip."
"By Jove, yes!" ejaculated Ranworth. "Leslie, you're a brick. We'll try it." Then, in a lower tone he added: "I can't quite make out what is the matterwith Rogers and Payne. They may be a bit off colour, but they seem almost on the verge of mutiny." Payne, quick of hearing, overheard Ranworth's words.
"Mutiny, eh?" he repeated. "Don't know so much about that, sir; but me and my mate didn't sign on for no monkey tricks in this blessed hooker. Give us a seaworthy craft and we are game. So if you want to fool about with good canvas, you jolly well do it yourself. What say you, mate?"
"I'm with you," repeated Rogers, hesitatingly. "I'm fed up with this 'ere contraption."
Ranworth made a step forward and planted himself squarely in front of the first speaker.
"Look here, Payne," he said sternly. "You saved our lives some little time ago, and we are grateful. Now you are trying to undo all the good you have done, and threaten to imperil the success of the undertaking. Perhaps you are still feeling the effects of the night on the ice. So do your duty, and I'll overlook your behaviour."
"Supposin' I don't feel inclined?" demanded Payne.
"Then I shall take steps to compel you."
Payne laughed insolently.
"Remember we are two to one," he said. "You can't reckon them two youngsters; they don't count when it comes to the compelling part of the show."
With a quick movement Ranworth stepped backwards for a couple of paces and whipped out a revolver.
"Either you'll knuckle under before I count ten, or you are a dead man, Payne," he said in level tones. "One—two—three——"
"Might just as well have a bullet in my hide as——"
"Four."
"Snuff it by inches in this——"
"Five."
"Snuff it by inches, I says,"
"Six."
"—In this rotten box of tricks."
"Seven."
"Here, I say,"
"Eight."
"Hold on, sir. I was a-sayin'——"
"Nine."
"Drop that pistol, sir. I'll give in. What do you want us to do?"
"That's sensible," said Ranworth grimly. "Now get to work sharply, and I'll take a lenient view of the affair. The pair of you must go ashore and carry a couple of grapnels up to the top of the slope. There you'll wedge the flukes and await orders."
TheBird of Freedomhaving been brought alongside the ice, the two seamen, armed with ice-axes, proceeded to recut the niches in the sloping ice. This done, they carried the two grapnels, with ropes attached, to the place Ranworth had indicated. Although they showed no zeal in their work, the men did their part satisfactorily.
"Now, Leslie," continued Ranworth, "help me to unroll the canvas. My word, I'm sorry this has happened. We can't trust these fellows. It will mean our being always on our guard. We'll have to take turn and turn about in snatching a few hours' sleep. By the bye, this revolver isn't loaded. I'll put that matter right at once."
Both lads realised the danger of being shipmates with two insubordinate men. Prudence would have suggested returning to thePolarityand making a fresh start with more reliable hands. Even Ranworth revolved the thought over in his mind, but the urgent call for assistance from his brother's party compelled him to push forward at all costs. Enough time had already been spent in fruitless efforts and exasperating delays.
Having unrolled the two bolts, Ranworth attached one end of each rope to the end of each strip of canvas. Then, ordering the men to haul in, he proceeded to pay out the material until a double track of canvas extended up the slope. To prevent the fabric from slipping, it was firmly secured to the grapnels. Again the motors were started, the decapod wheels being brought into play. As theBird of Freedom'sforepart touched the ice, the canvas began to give, yet the wheels gripped.
"It's only the stretch being taken out of the stuff," said Ranworth, reassuringly. "She'll do it, by Jove."
He was right in his surmise. Slowly, but yet surely, the huge bulk of theBird of Freedomraised itself from the water. The wheels, taking a firm hold of the canvas, groaned under the strain. Fortunate it was that the canvas was new and of tough material. Up and up climbed the sleigh, till, toppling over the ridge of the summit of the slope, it gained the comparatively level ground beyond.
As soon as the grapnels had been removed from their holding places, and the canvas recovered and rolled up, Rogers and Payne came on board again. They were still morose, and curtly accepting their shares of the meal which Guy had prepared, they retired to the farthermost part of the after-cabin.
"They may feel better tempered after a good feed," remarked Ranworth. "For the present I prefer to ignore their presence."
Seven minutes from the time of starting from the southern limit of the ice-barrier, theBird of Freedomglissaded down a gently-shelving slope and gained the water beyond. Only twenty miles of comparativelyopen sea lay between them and the nearmost point of Nova Cania.
"So this is what they call the early breaking up of the ice," remarked Ranworth, as he looked astern in the direction of the rapidly receding "pack." "ThePolarityis jammed in by one big floe. She has still to find a way through that barrier. We'll be lucky if we see her at Desolation Inlet on our return."
Leslie and Guy had already forgotten the hardships they had undergone. In the well-warmed cabin, refreshed by sleep, and having fed, they felt quite comfortable. Under these conditions, the dreary aspect of the frozen ice lost its terrors.
"Guy," said Mr. Ranworth after a while, "you might relieve me at the helm. Keep a sharp look-out for growlers. I've had to dodge a good many masses of floating ice. You'll soon get accustomed to the steering-gear."
Glad of an opportunity of doing something, Guy took the wheel.
"That's the course," continued Ranworth, indicating the compass, "north 88 degrees east. I'll snatch forty winks. Turn me out directly you sight land."
Ranworth had given Guy the helm with a double purpose. He knew that, owing to the strained relations on board, it was necessary for some one to be constantly on the watch. He also realised that there was always a chance of his being put out of action. With a second helmsman, theBird of Freedomwould still be able to keep going.
For nearly an hour Guy stuck to the helm. Several times he had to alter course to avoid detached masses of floating ice.
"Leslie," he exclaimed. "What do you make of that?"
Right ahead, and as far to east and west as the eye could discern, rose a lofty, irregular line of glistening white, partly obscured in places by motionless clouds of light, fleecy vapour.
"Another berg!" ejaculated Leslie. "The others were mere mole-hills compared with this. It will take something to dodge that. I'll call Mr. Ranworth."
Ranworth, although newly awakened from sleep, was on the alert in an instant. Tumbling out of his bunk he hastened to the foremost scuttle.
"That's not a berg," he announced calmly. "It's solid earth covered with snow. This is your first acquaintance with Nova Cania."
As theBird of Freedomclosed with the snow-clad land, the precipitous nature of the coast became more and more apparent.
Steep and often overhanging cliffs reared themselves eight hundred feet or more above the level of the sea, their bases fringed by a line of foam. No sign of any landing place could be made out; the whole aspect was one of the wild grandeur of a dead land.
"We must have fetched too far to the westward," declared Ranworth, as he brought out his sextant from a locker. "Do you recognise any familiar outlines of the coast, Rogers?"
"No, sir, I don't," replied that worthy bluntly.
Ranworth questioned him no further. By the man's manner it was clearly evident that, although he put no definite obstacles in the way, he was not the least anxious to assist his employer.
"I cannot understand their attitude," soliloquised Ranworth. "Both men had good certificates and bore excellent characters. Up to a few hours ago they worked splendidly. Either their brains have been affected by the shock of their adventures in the blizzard, or else they are doing their utmost to induce me to abandon the attempt by means of the sleigh. If that's the move, by Jove, they are making a big mistake."
It was no easy matter taking an observation, owing to the liveliness of the floating sleigh, but when Ranworth had worked out his position and had pin-pricked it on a very incomplete chart of the south coast of Nova Cania, he announced that theBird of Freedomwas eighty miles to the westward of Desolation Inlet.
For hours, with both the aerial and sea propellers running at their maximum speed, theBird of Freedomskirted the iron-bound coast, until a rift in the cliffs betokened the entrance to Desolation Inlet.
As the approach opened out, the lads could see that the inlet strongly resembled a Norwegian fiord. Barely a hundred yards in width, it was bordered by cliffs rising to twice that distance. How far it extended they could not see, owing to the fact that the inlet turned sharply to the right a quarter of a mile or so beyond the entrance.
"Slow her down a bit, Leslie," ordered Ranworth. "We don't want to carry on at too great a speed and barge into something. We'll have to watch for air currents, too. It looks as if there were no wind, but it may be perfectly calm out here and blowing a gale through those ravines. By Jove, there's a sea running on the bar."
"Are you going in with this 'ere hooker, sir?" asked Payne, who, unknown to Ranworth and the two lads, had come for'ard to view the approach.
"I am," replied Ranworth coldly.
"Better wait for the oldPolarity," continued the seaman. "How can you expect a bloomin' egg-box like this to get through a smother of sea like that? It's madness. It ain't fair on us."
"When your opinion is wanted it will be asked," said Ranworth sternly.
Mumbling to himself, the man went aft, and forsome minutes the two malcontents conversed in low tones.
TheBird of Freedomwas now nearing the foam-swept bar. Already the undulations were more rapid and erratic. With very little grip upon the water she rocked heavily. Her stability was in peril.
"Lie down, all hands," ordered Ranworth.
The order was promptly carried out, and with more than a quarter of a ton of live ballast as low down as possible, theBird of Freedomshowed signs of greater stability. Although she still rolled considerably, her "recovery" was more pronounced.
It was a tough business while it lasted. Lurching over the foaming breakers, enveloped in spray as the tips of the aerial propellers whisked the steep crest of the waves, theBird of Freedomcrossed the bar and was soon riding in the absolutely tranquil waters of the inlet.
So land-locked was it that not a ripple disturbed the placid surface. The hard granite rocks capped with ice and snow were faithfully mirrored in the water. It was like fairyland without life.
Rounding the next bend, theBird of Freedomfound herself in a broader reach, with the cliffs considerably lower than those nearer the open sea. Once the water was violently agitated by the fall of a huge mass of ice and snow, but the ripples subsided quickly, and the surface resumed its mirror-like aspect.
"That's what we have to look out for," commented Ranworth. "There is always the risk of a miniature avalanche taking place. Farther up, I understand, there is no such danger."
For quite five miles theBird of Freedomthreaded her way up the sinuous creek, till, rounding a precipitous bluff, her astonished crew found thePolarityat anchor.
They could hardly believe their eyes. They had left the staunch old ship fairly imbedded in the ice. Between her and Desolation Inlet a huge, seemingly impassable ice-barrier was known to exist; yet, in spite of these difficulties, she had reached the meeting-place before her swift courier.
The noise of theBird of Freedom'saerial propellers had already announced her approach, and thePolarity'slower rigging was black with fur-clad forms, as the crew cheered the rejoining sleigh.
Leslie happened to glance at his leader's face. Ranworth showed no signs of elation; on the contrary, his features wore a strained and worried look. The mystery of thePolarityforestalling him had given rise to serious doubts.
"Stand by to make fast!" he ordered, at the same time telling Leslie to disconnect the air propeller shafting.
With an agility that had been foreign to them for several hours, Rogers and Payne clambered through the hatchway in the roof and prepared to receive the mooring lines from the ship.
"Look out!" shouted Captain Stormleigh in stentorian tones, at the same time pointing astern of the approaching sleigh.
The warning came too late. Sweeping down between a gap in the low cliffs, a terrific gust of wind struck theBird of Freedomon her broadside.
The next instant the sleigh was lying on its side, pinned down by the resistless force of the wind, while it drifted to leeward like a bladder.
Ranworth and his two young companions were thrown violently against the side of the cabin, where for some moments they lay half stunned. Then, slowly, as the gust eased down, theBird of Freedomrighted herself.
"Start her up, Leslie," exclaimed Ranworth breathlessly, "or she'll be ashore."
But Leslie was not equal to the occasion. His brain was whirling, everything in front of his eyes seemed to be dancing.
It was Guy who saved the situation. Having got off more lightly than his chum, he retained possession of his senses. Thanks to Leslie's tuition, he now thoroughly understood how to set the motors in motion.
"Reverse her!" shouted Ranworth.
There was not room to turn. It was doubtful whether the single sea-propeller, running full speed astern, would be sufficient to check theBird of Freedom'sway and convert the forward into a backward motion.
The whole fabric of the sleigh trembled under the retarded movement. Anxiously, Ranworth watched the granite cliffs now barely ten yards ahead. Nearer and nearer they appeared to approach, but more and more slowly, until, when only a hand's breadth separated the forepart of the sleigh from the rugged rocks, theBird of Freedomcame to a standstill, then slowly backed astern.
Once more man's command of science had overcome the forces of Nature.
Having withdrawn to a safe distance from the ice shore, Ranworth ordered easy ahead, and put her helm hard over. By this time the squall had entirely ceased.
Just then, from sheer force of habit, Ranworth glanced at the chronometer. It had stopped.
"Strange," he thought. "It must have had a knock when we heeled."
He looked at his watch. Like the chronometer, it was an eight-day timepiece. It also had stopped.
It was not a proper occasion to go into the matter. TheBird of Freedomwas again approaching thePolarity.
"Stand by there!" he shouted to the two seamen who had been ordered to receive the securing ropes.
There was no reply. Rogers and Payne were not likely to maintain a sullen silence when within hailing distance of Captain Stormleigh.
"Perhaps it's the noise of the motors," remarked Ranworth. "Stop her, Guy."
Guy obeyed promptly. TheBird of Freedomwas now to leeward of the ship, and comparatively safe from any more squalls.
Leaving the helm, Ranworth agilely ascended the steel ladder communicating with the almost flat roof. As his head and shoulders drew clear of the circular hatchway, he saw that Rogers and Payne were no longer there.
A coil of rope hurtled through the air. Securing the end, he took a couple of turns round a bollard. As he did so, Ranworth noticed that most of the men of thePolaritywere aft, their eyes fixed in a certain direction.
A dozen boats' lengths from the ship was thePolarity'scutter. The boat's crew were backing slowly, while Travers, the second mate, was standing in the stern sheets and steadying himself with the yoke-lines.
"We've lost them, sir," shouted Captain Stormleigh. "They must have sunk like stones."
The gust that had blown theBird of Freedomupon her beam ends had precipitated Rogers and Payne into the bitterly cold water. Weighed down by their heavy clothing and sea boots, they had sunk immediately.
Having made fast the second line, Ranworth hurried below to acquaint Leslie and Guy with the news of the fatality.
"Do not say a word about the insubordination of those poor fellows," he warned them. "It will do no good. We are not here to condemn our fellow-creatures."
He could say no more. The suddenness of the calamity had temporarily unnerved him.
By this time, Leslie had nearly recovered from the effects of theBird of Freedom'sattempt to turn turtle, but on the back of his head a lump the size of a pigeon's egg had already appeared, while his left hand was grazed from wrist to elbow.
"What luck, sir?" asked Captain Stormleigh, as Ranworth came over the side. "I fear our efforts have met with failure."
"Your efforts?" inquired Ranworth. "Why, Captain, you must have done splendidly, fetching Desolation Creek in this time. How did you manage it?"
It was Captain Stormleigh's turn to look perplexed.
"We stuck hard at it, sir," he replied. "But how did you fare over there?"
And he pointed in the direction of Observation Camp, where Claude Ranworth's expedition was supposed to be awaiting relief.
"Now, what do you mean, Captain?" demanded Ranworth. "Are you dreaming, or am I? We haven't been there yet; we've only just arrived at Desolation Inlet. If you——"
He broke off. The horrible suspicion which had but recently sprung up in his mind was becoming more and more pronounced.
"This is Tuesday, isn't it?" he asked.
"No, sir, Thursday," replied Captain Stormleigh.
Like a flash Ranworth understood. The stopping of both chronometer and watch was accounted for. After their exhausting experience on the ice barrier, the crew of theBird of Freedomhad slept solidly—not for twelve hours as they had imagined—but for forty-eight. Thus, while the sleigh was lying inactive, thePolarityhad contrived to extricate herself from the ice, find a passagethrough the great barrier by keeping well to the eastward, and so arriving at the meeting place four hours before Ranworth and his party.
On the other hand, Captain Stormleigh, finding no trace of the sleigh, had naturally concluded that Ranworth had arrived before him, and had pushed on to the relief of the original expedition. When he saw the sleigh returning, as he thought, from the interior of Nova Cania, he could only come to the conclusion that nothing but the dead bodies of Claude Ranworth and his companions had rewarded the heroism and dash of the rescuers.
"But, man, you are in wireless communication with my brother," exclaimed Ranworth.
Captain Stormleigh shook his head.
"Up till the day before yesterday—yes," he replied. "From that time till now all attempts to communicate have proved in vain."
Ranworth clenched his fists.
"There may yet be time," he said. "Ask for two more volunteers, Captain. We'll make another start at once."
"How's Aubrey Hawke?" asked Ranworth, without pausing in the midst of his preparations.
"Still pretty groggy, sir," replied Travers.
"H'm; it's a pity. I'm afraid, Leslie, I must ask for your assistance once more."
"Only too pleased, sir," replied the lad, his eyes sparkling with delight.
"It's hard lines after having your skull well-nigh cracked, to say nothing of other hardships."
"I hardly feel it," declared Leslie. "But how about Guy? Can he come, too?"
"If he's quite willing," assented Ranworth. "It's well to have a second substitute; but, on the other hand, don't press him, I can get Baker or Long to assist you."
"What do you take me for?" demanded Guy, when, a minute later, Leslie broached the matter to him. "Where you go I jolly well go, too; so that settles the matter. It's only a matter of forty-four miles, isn't it? TheBird of Freedomwill do that on her head."
"I would vastly prefer her to do it on her runners," laughingly rejoined Leslie. "Anyhow, we're to make a start as soon as possible. Do you know that we are a couple of days out? It's Thursday instead of Tuesday."
"It might be Monday for all I know," said Guy. "This midnight sun business has muddled me up entirely—not that I am complaining. I only hope we won't have to put in a six months' night; that must be horrible."
Within three hours of theBird of Freedom'sarrival at Desolation Inlet, she set out again for her dash to Observation Camp. This time Ranworth took only one seaman.
For one reason, there was to be no more sea work; the sleigh's course—except for the ascent of the inlet—lay across the frozen plains, snow-clad mountains and treacherous crevasses. For another, the carrying capacity of theBird of Freedomwas somewhat limited. It was just possible she could accommodate all the survivors of Claude Ranworth's party. Failing that, two trips would have to be made.
The new member of the relief expedition sleigh party was an Irishman—Mike O'Donovan by name. He was a short, thick-set man, with a little turned-up nose, a long upper lip and a profusion of shock hair and bushy side whiskers. He was a thoroughly trustworthy fellow, although inclined to be impetuous. The ship's company of thePolarityregretted his departure, from the fact that he was the life of the fo'c'sle.
For three miles theBird of Freedomthreaded her way up the tortuous and ever-narrowing creek, until further progress by water was barred by the abrupt termination of the water-way.
Ahead lay a forbidding-looking defile, enclosed on both sides by tall cliffs. Through the valley thus formed, a glacier wended its way—a gigantic river of ice mingled with masses of rock brought down by its resistless march from the lofty interior of Nova Cania.
The cliffs were curious to behold. For eighty or a hundred feet above the level of the glacier they were perfectly smooth, having been polished by the flow of the ice river during countless centuries. No doubt the size of the glacier was steadily diminishing. Above the ice-worn portion of the cliffs the granite rocks were rugged and fantastically shaped.
Cautiously the sleigh approached the end of the glacier. Here the ice slid gently towards the waters of the inlet. The surmounting of the glacier would be an easy matter provided the ice would bear, for the surface, mottled by pieces of rock and small stones, afforded a good grip to her decapod wheels.
Like a seal dragging itself clear of the water, theBird of Freedombegan the ascent of the glacial river. Under her weight, the ice creaked ominously.
Quite a hundred feet from the edge, and twenty feet above the sea level, the sleigh made its way, till its progress was stopped by a stretch of clear ice terminating at a ridge of large, smooth boulders extending from side to side of the ravine.
"We want an aeroplane to surmount this lot," observed Guy. "How is it these stones are found on the surface of the ice instead of at the bottom?"
Leslie did not know. He appealed to Ranworth.
"In time, by the process known as regelation, the boulders will sink through the solid ice," he explained. "What has happened fairly recently is that an avalanche has toppled these stones upon the ice. See, they have already sunk deeply into it. Nothing short of a powerful explosion would shift them. Put her on the runners for crossing this smooth patch, Leslie. We must find the most likely place to make an attempt to surmount the ridge."
Almost on the extreme right of the ravine, the lineof boulders was lower than elsewhere, averaging four feet above the surrounding ice. Even four feet of rock seemed to be a formidable obstacle.
Here Ranworth brought the sleigh to a standstill by putting her keen-edged steel plate which served as a rudder hard over until it was at right angles to the two main runners.
"Let us see what is beyond before we tackle this business," he said.
Leaving Leslie in charge, the rest of the crew alighted, and, with considerable difficulty, for the cold seemed to cut through their fur clothing and make their limbs sluggish and almost devoid of feeling, surmounted the line of boulders. Beyond was a heap of small stones which had quite recently slipped from the cliffs above.
"Hurrah!" shouted Ranworth. "These stones are priceless to us. Set to and throw a lot of them over the ridge. In half an hour we can build up an incline sufficient to allow the decapods to get a grip."
Ranworth worked his two assistants hard, but he did not spare himself. Within the specified time a sloping rampart of stones had been packed against the outside face of the barrier.
Then, having regained the sleigh, Ranworth gave the order for the decapod wheels to be brought into play.
The inclined plane served its purpose. Crunching over the loose stones, theBird of Freedomrolled ponderously up the hitherto formidable obstruction.
Barely had she traversed ten yards beyond the surmounted obstacle, when, with an appalling crash, the lower portion of the glacier broke off and tumbled into the waters of Desolation Inlet. Where the sleigh hadbeen but a few seconds previously a yawning gulf appeared, while the huge mass of ice, floundering violently in the agitated water, moved slowly towards the sea.
The crew of theBird of Freedomhad just witnessed Nature's method of creating an iceberg. But there was no chance of watching further developments in the career of the floating mountains of ice.
The portion of the glacier adjacent to the newly-formed abyss was in a state of unrest. Ominous cracks appeared in all directions, accompanied by weird noises as the ice rasped and settled over the uneven ground.
The sleigh, rocking violently, was still in danger of being engulfed, in addition to the peril of being crushed by continual falls of rock and ice from the cliffs above; till, after five minutes of acute suspense, the crew found themselves on the still firm ice towards the upper part of the glacier.
"My word," ejaculated Leslie, as he turned over the runners in place of the decapod wheels. "That was thick while it lasted."
"Never mind," remarked Ranworth. "The rock barrier has gone. It won't trouble us on the return journey, and by that time the ice will have subsided sufficiently to allow an easy descent of the water. Now, keep her at it for all she's worth. It seems plain sailing now."
TheBird of Freedomwas now clear of the ravine. Ahead, the ground ascended with comparative regularity. All around the land was covered with a thick deposit of ice and snow.
Two hours later, Guy, who had relieved Ranworth at the steering wheel,reported a ridge of hillsahead, pierced by two narrow passes.
"Which one shall I make for, sir?" he asked, Ranworth having rejoined him.
"I don't think it matters much," was the reply. "Both diverge equally on either side of our current compass course. Take the right hand one for choice. Ease her down, Leslie, when we approach the defile. We don't want to barge into anything if we can help it."
Contrary to Ranworth's expectations, the passage through the line of hills was a fairly easy one. There were evidences of heavy falls of snow and débris from the cliffs on either hand, but the centre of the pass was almost unimpeded.
"What's that, sir?" asked Guy, as the sleigh rounded a gentle curve.
Projecting from a hole in the cliffs, was the largest animal the lad had ever seen. It resembled an elephant, yet in place of short hair it was covered with long whitish grey fur. The trunk was extended, and on either side was a curved tusk fully fifteen feet in length.
"Make straight for it," ordered Ranworth.
Guy obeyed, wondering what his companion intended doing. The sleigh, strong of build and powerfully engined, was not a fit object with which to ram a gigantic beast such as this.
"Near enough," directed Ranworth. "It's a pity we can't stop and examine the thing more closely. There's a fortune in those tusks."
"I thought it was alive, sir," said Guy.
"It was, countless centuries ago," replied Ranworth.
"It's a mammoth, and a unique specimen at that. Evidently this one has only recently been uncovered by the unusual thawing of the ice. So far as I could see, it was hardly damaged; no wonder you thoughtit was alive. Others have been discovered in Northern Siberia, but not so well preserved, We must have those tusks if there's time after we've accomplished our mission. One thing is pretty certain; my brother's party did not come this way. They made use of the left-hand pass."
"How do you know that, sir?" asked Guy.
"Because Claude would have discovered the mammoth. He did not, otherwise he would have sent a wireless report of the great discovery to the Royal Society."
"Unless," Guy ventured to remark, "the mammoth has only appeared since your brother's expedition passed."
Before Ranworth could reply, for a difficult piece of ground required careful handling of the steering gear, a dark object rising clearly above the waste of snow attracted his attention. It was a tent made of skins with the fur still adhering to them.
Ordering the motor to be stopped, Ranworth put the balance rudder hard over. For quite ten yards the hard steel ground itself edgewise over the ice before the sleigh came to a standstill. All hands alighted and hurried towards the solitary evidence of human occupation.
Ranworth untied the carefully secured double flaps and entered the tent.
It was deserted, and contained only a pile of fur rugs, neatly folded and corded, and a tin box conspicuously labelled:
"For emergency use only. R.P.E."
"That's part of my brother's equipment," said Ranworth. "The initials signifying 'Ranworth Polar Expedition' prove that. What else do you deduce from the evidence before us, Leslie?"
"That the expedition came this way, and not by the left-hand pass; that they were in no great hurry, and lastly that the mammoth we have just seen was not exposed to view."
"I don't see how you can state that they were in no great hurry," expostulated Guy, "although I agree with you on the other points."
"Well, the tent was pitched carefully, the spare stores and furs deliberately placed in position, and the flaps properly lashed. Men, famished and in an exhausted condition, would not, and could not pitch a tent in that way. It evidently points to the fact that Mr. Ranworth's brother had planned his line of retreat from Observation Camp and had placed tents in readiness at certain intervals."
"I quite agree," added Ranworth. "So we are bound to fall in with the remnants of the expedition, should they decide through shortage of provisions to make a desperate dash for Desolation Inlet."
Upon returning to theBird of Freedom, the rescue party resumed their journey. For another five miles the pass extended, the valley gradually opening out into a vast, rolling plain, glistening white with frozen snow.
"We must take precautions against snow-blindness," observed Ranworth, and, visiting every scuttle in turn, he drew a sliding pane of tinted glass across the various outlooks.
The sleigh was travelling well now, for the frozen ground made good going. Leaving a cloud of powdered snow in her wake, like the dust from a swiftly-travelling motor-car on a dry, chalky road, she was averaging forty miles an hour.
"Hardly any need for compass work now," remarked Ranworth, as pole after pole, set at intervalsof about a mile, flashed by. "Here are our finger posts. Do you know what they are?"
The lads shook their heads. At first they had failed to notice the slender, wand-like objects away on their right, but as the track of the sleigh and that of the poles gradually converged, they could not help seeing the solitary landmarks.
"Skis," explained Ranworth. "It proves pretty conclusively that the party found the ordinary Canadian pattern of snow-shoes more satisfactory. They took plenty of both, I know; so they utilised the skis for landmarks to guide them on their return journey. Another half an hour ought to bring us within sight of Observation Camp. Steady, Leslie," exclaimed Ranworth a few minutes later. "We're approaching another difficult patch. Ease her down a bit and stand by to put her on the decapods."
The warning was necessary, for theBird of Freedomwas about to cross the track of a former glacier.
Centuries previously, a river of ice wended its slow journey to the sea; but, possibly owing to a volcanic disturbance, the path of the glacier was diverted in a different direction. The "scour" could be seen clearly, while the bed was encumbered with boulders of all sizes, deposited there with the melting of the cut-off portion of the glacier.
Fortunately the irregularities between the various sized stones had been partly filled up with frozen snow, so that, by use of her decapod wheels, theBird of Freedomcould surmount the rough ground with but little difficulty.
On the far side, a ridge of gaunt rocks had to be avoided, necessitating a detour of nearly a quarter of a mile.
This done, Leslie was about to transfer the power to the twin aerial propellers, when Guy exclaimed:
"Look! There's a snow-squall bearing down ahead."
Even as the approach of a squall at sea can be detected by the peculiar ruffling of the water, so was the approach of the snowstorm marked by a darkening of the glistening expanse of white; while, like a deep-greyish, ill-defined cloud, the forefront of the blizzard whirled rapidly upon theBird of Freedom.
Well it was that the sleigh had a firm grip by means of the decapod wheels. Had she been supported solely by her runners, there was a great possibility of her being swept at a breakneck speed before the well-nigh irresistible gusts.
The whole fabric of the sleigh quivered as the snow-squall struck it. In less than ten seconds the observation scuttles exposed to the direct force of the wind were completely obscured with snow.
"She's holding," announced Ranworth cheerfully. "But there's no moving until the blizzard is over. It's much too thick to last long."
His surmise was correct, for almost as suddenly as it had begun, the stinging torrent of snow ceased, and once more the watery sun shone in the misty sky.
"We'll have to wait until the snow freezes before we can use the runners," said Ranworth. "Meanwhile, we must do the best we can with the decapod wheels. I'll go outside and clear the snow from the scuttle."
As soon as Ranworth returned after completing his task, Leslie started the motors, and applied the friction band which transmitted power to the broad-flanged wheels. Instead of "taking up the load," the motors stopped abruptly.
"Bother it! What's up now?" asked Ranworth, in a mild panic; for, much as he prized Leslie's services as an engineer, he had his doubts whether the lad would be able to tackle a serious breakdown.
Throwing out the clutch, Leslie restarted the engines. They ran without a hitch, but the moment the clutch was thrown in they stopped as suddenly as before.
"It's not the fault of the motors, sir," reported Leslie. "I should think that something jammed outside."
"It's frozen snow," declared Ranworth, after the crew had alighted. "The cogs are literally stuffed up. Get a crowbar, Guy, and try to shift the accumulation. And, O'Donovan, bring a couple of spades with you and cut away some of the drift in front of us. We couldn't be in a worse place for starting, although it protected us from the full fury of the storm."
The effect of the wind upon the fallen snow was most remarkable. As far as the eye could reach, the aspect resembled a frozen sea, the snow being piled up in long undulations, like the Atlantic rollers suddenly petrified. One of these snow waves had accumulated in front of theBird of Freedom. Even the decapod wheels would fail to find support upon the soft, slanting bank of snow. Ranworth and O'Donovan set to work to cut a passage through the obstruction.
"I'll bear a hand, too," volunteered Leslie, and, returning to the sleigh for another spade, he surmounted the mound of snow and vigorously began to attack the barrier.
"It's snowing again," declared Guy, as a few flakes drifted past.
"And the wind has changed," added Ranworth. "It's coming from almost due south."
"So much the better for us—until we start on the return journey," declared Leslie. "If we——"
He paused abruptly, and pointed in the direction of the still invisible Observation Camp. Trudging laboriously through the snow were two men.