Part 15 (1/2)

”Wait until these beasts go away!” yelled Andy. ”If they get us down it's only a matter of seconds before they'll kill us with those tusks!

Run back!”

All turned to execute this command. There was only a narrow opening in the slowly encircling ring of sea lions, and this the adventurers made for, running toward the ice cave. They had pa.s.sed beyond the ma.s.s of the beasts, when a loud cry from Jack startled them. At the same time he pointed ahead.

There, coming on at full speed was a pack of polar bears! The adventurers were between the two forces of enraged animals!

CHAPTER XII

A MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE

”It's all up with us now!” shouted Andy. ”I wish I had never come to the north pole!”

”How shall we escape?” yelled the professor.

Not knowing what to do, the whole party stood still. Behind them were the sea lions, roaring and snorting. In front of them, a hundred feet away were the bears, growling and howling.

”Turn to the right!” cried Jack. ”There is a big hill of ice we can climb!”

The adventurers turned. As they did so Mark glanced back at the sea lions, and uttered a cry of surprise.

”The lions are running away!” he shouted.

Sure enough, the seals, though their progress could not be called ”running” were retreating with their hitching, lumbering gait, away from the adventurers.

”But the bears are coming!” called Andy.

”They aren't after us! It's the sea lions they want!” exclaimed Jack. ”I don't believe they will pay any attention to us!”

”The boy is right!” came from Andy. ”The bears want fresh meat and are going to tackle the lions. We're safe, but we'd better not stay around here long!”

Jack's surmise was correct. The white bears did not follow the adventurers when the latter had run to the right. Instead, increasing their pace, the polar bears sprang into the midst of the sea lions and soon there was a fierce battle between the two animal forces.

It was a fearful sight and the adventurers gazed at it in wonder, mingled with terror. The bears would seek to enfold the lions in their strong fore-paws, while the lions would try to sink their long tusks into the vitals of the enemy.

Nearly a dozen had been killed on either side, but still the battle raged fiercely. The men and boys were so fascinated by the sight that they did not move, but stood staring from a small hummock of ice they had mounted.

”I think we had better go!” called Professor Henderson. ”No telling when they will get tired of fighting each other and turn on us. Besides I am anxious about the s.h.i.+p.” And off they started.

The s.h.i.+p rested in the same position it had settled in when the gas contracted. No harm had come to it as the fall had been so gradual.

”I'll have the gas machine in operation in about an hour,” Professor Henderson said. ”Meanwhile, Bill, you and Tom had better get some dinner for us. I'm hungry and I dare say the others are. Have some hot coffee, for it is growing colder.”

”I was thinking I didn't feel quite so warm,” observed Andy. ”While there was a lot of excitement I didn't notice it, but now I am chilled through.”

”No wonder,” remarked the inventor. ”It's forty degrees below zero!”

All were glad to go inside the s.h.i.+p which was warmed with gasolene stoves. Bill and Tom took off their heavy furs and began preparing a meal, which was soon smoking on the table. Everyone had a good appet.i.te, and, just as the boys, with Andy and the two farmers were about to sit down, the professor came into the dining room.