Part 20 (1/2)
”What do you say?” said Johnson
”I have a coain into the passage, and bringing back a dead fox, newly killed
”I shot it this ,” he continued, ”and never did fox come more opportunely”
”What on earth do you mean?” asked Altamont
”I mean to blow up the bears en masse with 100 lbs of powder”
”But where is the powder?” exclaie will lead to it I made it purposely”
”And where is the mine to be?” inquired Altamont
”At the furthest point froe to entice the bears there, all to one spot?”
”I'll undertake that business; but we have talked enough, let us set to work We have a hundred feet ht, and that is no easy matter, but as there are five of us, we can take turns at it Bell will begin, and ill lie down and sleep meantime”
”Well, really,” said Johnson, ”the more I think of it, the more feasible seems the Doctor's plan”
”It is a sure one, anyway,” said Clawbonny
”So sure that I can feel the bear's fur already on in then”
Away he went into the glooe, followed by Bell, and in a fewthe well-arranged barrels The Doctor pointed out to his co, and then left hiently for about an hour, when Alta out was taken to the kitchen andup room
The captain succeeded Altamont, and was followed by Johnson In ten hours--that is to say, about eight in the allery was entirely open
[Illustration: ]
With the first streak of day, the Doctor was up to reconnoitre the position of the ene their old position, prowling up and down and growling The house had already almost disappeared beneath the piled-up blocks of ice, but even while he gazed a council of war see held, which evidently resulted in the determination to alter the plan of action, for suddenly all the five bears began vigorously to pull down these same heaped-up blocks
”What are they about?” asked Hatteras, as standing beside hi their oork, and getting right down to us as fast as possible; but wait a bit, entlemen, we'll demolish you first However, we have not aaway to the ed enlarged the whole breadth and height of the sloping rock against which the wall leaned, till the upper part was about a foot thick, and had to be propped up to prevent its falling in A strong stake was fixed firranite foundation, on the top of which the dead fox was fastened A rope was attached to the lower part of the stake, sufficiently long to reach the powder stores
”This is the bait,” he said, pointing to the dead fox, ”and here is theabout 100 lbs
”But, Doctor,” said Hatteras, ”won't that blow us up too, as well as the bears?”
”No, we shall be too far from the scene of explosion Besides, our house is solid, and we can soon repair the walls even if they should get a bit shaken”
”And how do you propose toin this rope er the post which props up the roof, and ht, and I think you will agree with , that they won't losetowards their unexpected meal Well, just at that very uests and the meal”
”Capital! Capital!” shouted Johnson, who had been listening with intense interest