Part 18 (1/2)

”Maybe they won't attack us,” suggested Ned, hopefully. ”Perhaps we can make them believe we are spirits, and that it will be unlucky to interfere with us.”

”Perhaps,” admitted Abe, ”though my experience has been that these Indians are a bad lot. They haven't much respect for spirits of any kind, an' they'll soon find out we're human. But then, we'll wait an' see what happens.”

”And, in the meantime, have something to eat,” put in Mr. Damon.

”Bless my knife and fork! but the hail storm gave me an appet.i.te.”

In fact, there were few things which did not give Mr. Damon an appet.i.te, Tom thought with a smile. But the meal idea was considered very timely, and soon the amateur cook was busy in the galley of the airs.h.i.+p, whence speedily came savory odors. The electric lights were switched on, and the adventurers were quickly made comfortable in the cave, which so well sheltered the RED CLOUD. Tom completed his inspection of the craft, and was relieved to find that while there were a number of small rents, none was very large, and all could be mended in time.

Abe Abercrombie took a look outside the cave after the meal had been served. The old miner declared that they had made a good advance on their northern journey for, though he could not tell their exact location, he knew by the character of the landscape that they had pa.s.sed the boundaries of Alaska.

”A few more days' traveling at the rate we came will bring us to the Snow Mountains and the valley of gold,” he said.

”Well, we won't average such speed as we did during the hail storm,”

said Tom. ”The wind of that carried us along at a terrific pace. But we will get there in plenty of time, I think.”

”Why; is there any particular rush?” asked Ned.

”There's no telling when the Fogers may appear,” answered the young inventor in a low voice. ”But now we must get to work to repair damage.”

The hail storm had ceased, and, with the pa.s.sing of the clouds the cave was made lighter. But Tom did not depend on this, for he set up powerful searchlights, by the gleams of which he and his companions began the repairing of the torn gas-bag.

They worked all the remainder of that day, and were at it again early the next morning, making good progress.

”We can go forward again, in about two days,” spoke Tom. ”I want to give the cement on the patches plenty of chance to dry.”

”Then I will have time to go out and make some observations, will I not?” asked Mr. Parker. ”I think this cave is a very old one, and I may be able to find some evidences in it that the sea of ice is slowly working its way down from the polar regions.”

”I hope you don't,” whispered Ned to Tom, who shook his head dubiously as the gloomy scientist left the cave.

The weather was very cold, but, in the cavern it was hardly noticed.

The adventurers were warmly dressed, and when they did get chilly from working over the airs.h.i.+p, they had but to go into the well-heated and cozy cabin to warm themselves.

It was on the third day of their habitation in the cave, and work on putting the patches on the gas-bag was almost finished. Mr. Parker had gone out to make further observations, his previous ones not having satisfied him. Tom was on an improvised platform, putting a patch on top of the bag, when he heard a sudden yell, and some one dashed into the cavern.

”They're coming! They're coming!” cried a voice, and Tom, looking down, saw Mr. Parker, apparently in a state of great fear.

”What's coming?” demanded the young inventor, ”the icebergs?”

”No--the Indians!” yelled the scientist. ”A whole tribe of them is rus.h.i.+ng this way!”

”I thought so!” cried Abe Abercrombie. ”Where's my gun?” and he dashed into the airs.h.i.+p.

Tom slid down off the platform.

”Get ready for a fight!” he gasped. ”Where are you, Ned?”

”Here I am. We'd better get to the mouth of the cave, and drive 'em back from there.”

”Yes. If I'd only thought, we could have blockaded it in some way.

It's as big as a barn now, and they can rush us if they have a mind to. But we'll do our best!”