First at the North Pole Part 20

"I'll not believe father is dead until I see the proofs," he told his chum. "He may have been cast away on the coast of Greenland, and been unable to find a ship to bring him back home."

"Let us hope that is true," answered Andy. "And let us hope that he gets back soon." But though Andy spoke thus, he had small expectations of ever seeing Mr. Greene alive.

"I expect Professor Jeffer down tomorrow," said Barwell Dawson, one morning after reading his mail. "As soon as he comes we'll run up the coast to where the _Ice King_ is being fitted out."

The weather had cleared off warm, and the snow was fast vanishing. The professor arrived on time, and was full of enthusiasm concerning the proposed trip to the north.

"I wish we were sure of going," said Andy, to him, and then told of what had been said to Mr. Dawson.

"I like you lads very much," returned the old scientist. "I hope Mr.

Dawson sees fit to take you along."

"Perhaps you can put in a good word for us," suggested Chet.

"I'll do it," was the prompt answer.

Professor Jeffer was as good as his word, and that evening he and Barwell Dawson had a long talk concerning the boys. The hunter and explorer could not help but smile at Upham Jeffer's enthusiasm.

"Well, if you are on their side too, I'll surely have to take them," he said at length. "But it is a risky thing to do--they are not men, remember."

"They will stand the trip as well as though they were men," was the professor's answer. "They are in the best of health, and full of vigor.

Besides, it is well to have the enthusiasm of youth with us. It may help to cheer up many a lonely hour."

"I like the idea of their being without close family connections, Professor. I hate to take a man away from those near and dear to him."

"True, sir, true--especially when it is not actually necessary. Yes, I'd take the boys by all means. I do not think you'll regret it. Of course, though, each will have to have a complete outfit."

"You can trust me to get the best there is."

When Andy and Chet heard the good news they could scarcely contain themselves. Andy danced a jig right in the hotel room, while both lads had to shake Barwell Dawson by the hand several times, and then they shook hands with Professor Jeffer, too.

"It makes me feel just as if we were one big family," cried Andy, enthusiastically. "Oh, Chet, just to think of it! We'll hunt musk oxen, and polar bears, and seals, and walruses! And go clear to the Pole, too!"

"And travel on dog sledges," put in Chet. "Say, I'm ready to go this minute!"

"So am I! Mr. Dawson, you can't start any too soon for us."

"Well, boys, don't be too enthusiastic. Remember, this is going to be no child's play--trying to get to the North Pole. And we won't try to reach that point at all unless, when we get into the Arctic regions, we find the conditions more or less favorable. You must remember that many brave and vigorous men have tried to reach the Pole and have failed. There are immense fields of ice and snow to cross, and 'leads' or rivers of icy water. And if you lose your supplies, there remains nothing to do but to starve."

Nevertheless, even though he spoke thus, Barwell Dawson was secretly as hopeful as were the boys. Could he have seen what was before him, his enthusiasm might have quickly died within him.

Now that it had been settled that they could go, the two boys were eager to see the vessel which was to be their home during the coming summer and winter. The _Ice King_ was being fitted out at the seaport town of Rathley, and they took the train for the place, arriving there about noon. The vessel was tied up at the dock, and the lads and Professor Jeffer were invited by Mr. Dawson to come on board.

"I'll introduce you to Captain Williamson," said the hunter. "He is in charge of the repairs that are being made. He is a fine man, and I know you will like him."

The captain proved to be a bluff and hearty old salt, who had at one time commanded a whaler. He shook hands with a grip that made Andy and Chet wince, and looked them over with a twinkle in his eye.

"So you are going to try to hunt polar bears and such, eh?" he said.

"Well, you look out that the bears don't eat you up," and he laughed broadly.

"We'll try to keep out of the way," answered Chet, modestly.

"And what are you going to do when the thermometer drops to fifty below zero?"

"Work around and keep warm," answered Andy, with a grin, and this made the captain laugh again.

"Guess you'll do," he said. "Anyway, we'll try you."

The _Ice King_ was a two-masted steamer that had been built for use in the icy seas of the north. She was small, broad of beam, and shallow, with an outer "jacket" of stout oak planks, and a prow and stern of steel. Inside, all the bracings were extra heavy, and the railings of the deck were of the hardest kind of timber. She carried an engine of great power, and steam could be gotten up both with coal and with oil.

"You see, it will not do to take too large a ship," explained Barwell Dawson. "A small vessel can often get through where a big one would get stuck. The _Ice King_ is built shallow, so that instead of being crushed in the floating ice, she will slide up on it, or over it. The sides are two feet thick, and they ought to resist a tremendous pressure. We have to have great engine power, and a steel prow, for sometimes we'll have to simply smash our way through."

The entire lower portion of the ship was to be given over to the storage of provisions and coal, and coal was also to be stored, at the start, on deck. The quarters for the crew were forward, in a forecastle of the usual order. At the stern was a fair-sized cabin, half above and half below the deck, with quarters for Barwell Dawson, the captain, and the others. The boys were conducted to a stateroom not over six feet by seven. It had an upper and a lower berth on one side, and a tiny washstand and some clothing hooks on the other.

"We'll all have close quarters," said Barwell Dawson. "My own room is but two feet larger than this."

"It's large enough," said Andy. He turned to his chum. "We'll be as snug as a bug in a rug in here, won't we?"

"Suits me right down to the ground," returned Chet. "Not much room for clothing, but as we haven't much, that's all right."

Professor Jeffer was to share his stateroom with another man, who had not yet arrived. He asked for a cabinet, in which he might store his scientific instruments, and Mr. Dawson said he would attend to the matter.

"Next week I shall commence the purchase of all supplies," said the man who headed the expedition. "Until that time there will be little for any of you to do, and you can go where you please."

"I'm going back home--to have another look for those missing papers,"

said Andy. "Besides, I want to bring away the rest of my things, and nail up the cabin."

"And I'll go along," said Chet. "I want to get my things, too. About the cabin, I don't care much what becomes of it, for it has seen its best days."

The two boys spent three days in the vicinity of Pine Run. During that time both went out twice to look for the doc.u.ments Andy had lost, but without success.

"They are gone, and I'll have to make the best of it," said Andy, with a deep sigh.

The two boys packed up what few things they wished to take along, and then each cabin was nailed up tightly. Both wondered if they would ever see the places again.

"Maybe we'll never come back from the far north," said Chet.

"Are you afraid, Chet?" demanded Andy, quickly.

"Not a bit of it. Just the same, we may never see Maine again. What happened to my father may happen to us."

Professor Jeffer had come back also, to ship his case of scientific instruments, and also another case of books. The professor did not want much in the way of clothing, but it would have been a real hardship had he been deprived of his other belongings.

"The success of this trip will depend upon accurate scientific observations," said he to the boys, when on the return to Rathley. "It is all well enough to hunt, and even to reach the North Pole, but of what use is it if we cannot return with full data of what we have observed?"

"You are right, Professor," answered Andy. "But your instruments are beyond me."

"I will teach you how to use some of them, after we are on board ship.

There will be many days when you boys will have little to do, and it will be an excellent opportunity to improve your minds."