Part 18 (1/2)

”Which way are we headed?” asked Mark, making his way back to the tower where Jack was.

”Almost due west,” was the reply. ”About two points to the south, too.”

”Then we are being driven away from the north pole,” said Mark.

”We're as helpless as kittens tied up in a sack,” said Andy. ”If only I could do something I'd feel better. But I've got to sit here and take what comes.”

The sick man stirred uneasily. Then he muttered in his delirium something about the tornado that was tossing him from side to side of the bunk.

Strangely enough there was nothing to the storm but wind. There was no rain or snow, and the air was remarkably clear, excepting for the darkness of the clouds. Aside from the way in which the s.h.i.+p was blown along there was nothing to indicate that the breeze was rus.h.i.+ng along at tempest speed. There were no trees bent to the earth, and no clouds of dust. The sky clouds kept pace with the airs.h.i.+p.

”I wonder where we are?” asked Jack, who with Mark had come back from the tower.

”We'll have to guess at it,” replied Andy. ”It would be as much as a man's life is worth to go outside and take an observation.”

”Don't hab to do dat,” broke in Was.h.i.+ngton. ”See here!”

He stooped over and pulled on an iron ring that was fastened in the floor of the dining-room cabin. A section of a board came up.

”Look!” exclaimed the negro pointing down. All leaned forward and saw that a heavy plate gla.s.s had been set over a hole cut through the floor of the s.h.i.+p. By means of this strange window one could look directly down toward the earth. Jack kneeled and peered through the gla.s.s. He rose to his feet with a cry of fear.

”What's the matter?” asked Andy.

”We are right over the ocean!” exclaimed the boy. ”I can see immense waves not three hundred feet below! The airs.h.i.+p must be falling and we'll be dashed into the sea!”

At these words Was.h.i.+ngton ran to the engine room. He looked at the height indicator.

”We's four hundred feet in de air, an' a--we's agoin' down!” he muttered.

Jack, who had followed him, saw by the instrument what the dreadful truth was. Blown from her course, the _Monarch_ was now over an open polar sea, into which she might be dashed at any moment. The tornado still howled and roared outside, making it impossible to inflate the gas bag, so strong was the pressure of wind on it. And without a fresh supply of gas, the s.h.i.+p must fall.

There was no abatement to the tornado. The s.h.i.+p was tossed more violently than ever. Jack peered through the floor-window again.

”We are nearer the water!” he exclaimed as he arose. ”The sea is covered with icebergs. They are cras.h.i.+ng together in the big waves. If we fall the s.h.i.+p will be ground to pieces in the floes!”

”Try the gas machine again!” urged Andy. ”Maybe the wind has lessened.”

Was.h.i.+ngton started the machine. He kept one eye on the needle of the indicator that told the gas pressure in the bag, and the other on the height register. The black pointer of the latter went lower and lower.

It was now at one hundred, and kept on going down slowly, until it stood at seventy-five. Soon only sixty-five feet stood between the airs.h.i.+p and her pa.s.sengers, and the angry, swirling water beneath, where the icebergs crashed and ground together.

Then Was.h.i.+ngton, who was ready to faint with fear and despair, gave a cry of joy. He had noticed that the height indicator stopped. At the same time the gas register showed that the vapor from the machine was entering the bag.

”Glory! Glory!” cried the negro. ”We's saved now. De s.h.i.+p is goin' up, and the gas is workin' in. De wind must be goin' down!”

Then, while all save Professor Henderson, who was still unconscious, crowded into the engine room, they saw that what Was.h.i.+ngton said was true. The pressure of the wind had lessened, permitting the bag to fill with the gas. This served to lift the s.h.i.+p, and the pointer on the height indicator began to move upward. Higher and higher went the craft, until in a few minutes the register showed six hundred feet. They had been saved from death in the sea.

”Hurrah!” cried Jack. ”I believe the tornado has left us!”

Indeed the roaring of the wind was less now. The s.h.i.+p was no longer violently tossed. In a few minutes the wind died away almost completely, and, aside from the rising motion, and a slight swaying, the _Monarch_ rode on an even keel. The danger was over.