Through the Air to the North Pole Part 26

"Here they come!" shouted the hunter. "Shoot to kill, Washington! Look out for yourself, Professor!"

"Don't kill them!" yelled Amos Henderson. "They are too many for us, and our only hope is to try peaceful means!"

But Washington aimed his rifle straight in the faces of the advancing men of the snow country and pulled the trigger rapidly. Half a dozen sharp reports rang out, and several Esquimaux fell on the ice, which became red with their blood. However, the negro's aim was not good, and the wounds were only in arms or legs of the natives.

This served to check their ardor for a while, and the advance was halted while the wounded were carried back. But the Esquimaux were only made more angry by the resistance. They came on again with wild cries and, though Andy, Washington and the professor fought with all their strength, clubbing their guns and cracking several of the savages over the head, they were finally overpowered.

From one who seemed to be a leader of the natives several sharp orders came. The others listened and then, lifting the three prisoners, who had been securely bound, they hurried with them from the deck of the ship.

"We's ketched agin!" cried Washington. "They'll eat us shuah dis time!

Land ob Goshen! How I does wish I'd neber come heah!"

There was little time for protest, reflection or anything else. Once the Esquimaux had secured their prisoners they lost no time in hastening away. The airship did not seem to interest them. Hoisting the three men on shoulders, the natives fairly ran along over the ice.

"I wish they'd bring up a sled," said Andy. "It would be easier than this style. The breath is 'most jolted out of me."

As if in answer to his desire, the party of Esquimaux soon came upon a little camp. There were several ice huts, and a number of sleds, while the yelping of scores of dogs could be heard on every side. In a few minutes, after a short talk among the natives, the captives were tossed, none too gently, all on one big sled, a dog team was. .h.i.tched fast, and a driver started them off across the field of ice.

"Good-bye to de ole _Monarch_!" cried Washington. "No mo' good meals in yo'! Landy! Landy! I wisht I had some dynamite to blow dese heathen up!"

"Hush!" cried Andy. "I've got three revolvers in my pockets. I'll slip you one if I can get my arms free, but don't fire until I give the word.

We'll have to save our shots."

"We seem to be having nothing but bad luck," said Professor Henderson.

"I am afraid it is all up with us this time. Those poor boys, and Bill and Tom! I wish I knew what had become of them!"

"Same here!" remarked Andy.

Then the captives became silent, filled with their sad thoughts and worry over their predicament. On and on went the sledge over the ice, into the unknown. Mile after mile was covered. Then the driver of the prisoners, as well as the one in charge of three sleds that followed, halted the dogs. All the natives talked rapidly together, pointing this way and that.

"They've missed the path!" exclaimed Andy. "We are lost in this land of snow!"

CHAPTER XXII

MAGNETIC FIRE WORSHIPERS

Jack's only thought, when he felt himself falling from the deck of the airship to the earth, was that he would strike on a pinnacle of ice and be killed. Much the same were the feelings of the others, as they admitted later. Jack was half senseless from fright when, seemingly half an hour after he tumbled, though in reality it was but a few seconds, he stuck head first into a big drift of soft snow.

His mouth, ears, eyes and nose were filled with the fluffy flakes, and he nearly choked before he could struggle to an upright position and clear a breathing s.p.a.ce.

To his astonishment he saw similar struggles going on in several places in the snow. First Mark stuck his head out of the drift. Then Bill's face appeared, to be followed by Tom's, and next Dirola bobbed up, smiling as though it was the biggest joke in the world, and as if falling from an airship was an every-day occurrence with her.

"Well, we're alive," remarked Jack, after getting his breath.

"We couldn't have fallen so very far after all," said Mark.

"It seemed like a mighty long ways when I was a-comin'," came from Bill.

"We went fast, an' we stopped pretty suddint!" was Tom's opinion. "Lucky we had a sort of feather bed under us. I'd hate to fall right on the ice."

"Come down soon!" exclaimed Dirola with a laugh, in which all joined, in spite of their sorry plight. It was still snowing and terribly cold.

They pulled the hoods of their fur coats close about their faces and scrambled out on the ice.

"I guess the ship was closer to the earth when we fell than we thought,"

said Mark.

"I suppose we had better hunt around for the _Monarch_," observed Jack.

"It can't be a great way off, for Professor Henderson was bringing it down and the propeller was not moving."

"Let's start right away," said Mark. "I'm hungry, and the sooner we find the ship the better off we'll be. But this snow is every bit as bad as a fog."

It was, indeed, and the boys and men could not distinguish each other ten feet distant. In spite of this, however, Jack started off in the direction he thought the ship might be.

"No go! No go!" called Dirola. "Git lost! Fall in hole! Die! Better stay here! Snow stop! Me show you!"

"She means we'll get lost if we wander off," said Jack. "I guess we'd better do as she says."

Dirola seemed in good spirits and not a bit discouraged by the storm.

She walked slowly about, as if looking for something. Then, with a cry, she began digging at a certain spot.

"What in the world is she doing?" asked Mark.

"I don't know," said Jack.

"Maybe she's after a rabbit," observed Bill. "I'd like a good hot rabbit stew myself."

Dirola's hands, encased in heavy fur gloves, made the snow fly. In a little while she held up a, dark ma.s.s of what looked like seaweed.

"Eat! Um good!" she exclaimed.

"I guess it's some kind of moss that the people up north eat," remarked Tom. "I remember reading something about it once. I suppose we'd better tackle it, for we may not get a meal in some time."

Jack, who had been fumbling in the big pocket of his fur coat, gave a sudden cry.

"What's the matter; somethin' bit ye?" asked Bill.

"Look here!" cried the boy, and he held up a large tin can.

"What is it; soup?" inquired Mark.

"It's some of those capsule foods from the ship," said Jack, reading the label. "I remember I put it in my pocket when I thought the ship was going to be wrecked. I felt I might need it. Now it will come in handy."

"But what is it?" insisted Mark.

"It's a combination of chocolate, wheat, malt and preserved milk,"