Part 29 (1/2)

They took turns standing guard that night, but no attack was made.

The fact of the Fogers coming back with the band of Indians told Tom, more plainly than words, how desperately his enemies would do battle with them. Anxiously they waited for the morning.

Several times in the night Mr. Parker was seen roaming about uneasily, though it was not his turn to be on guard. Finally Tom asked him what was the matter, and if he could not sleep.

”It isn't that,” answered the scientist, ”but I am worried about the ice. I can detect a slight but peculiar movement by means of some of my scientific instruments. I am alarmed about it. I fear something is going to happen.”

But Tom was too worried about the outcome of the fight he knew would be renewed on the next day, to think much about the ice movement. He thought it would only be some scientific phenomena that would amount to little.

With the first streak of the late dawn, the gold-seekers were up, and partook of a hot breakfast, with strong coffee which Mr. Damon brewed. Tom took an observation from the mouth of the cave. The searchlight was still dimly glowing, and it did not disclose anything. Tom turned it off. He thought he saw a movement among the ranks of the enemy, who had camped just beyond the gold hole.

”I guess they're coming!” cried the lad. ”Get ready for them!”

The adventurers caught up their guns, and hurried to the entrance of the cave. Mr. Parker lingered behind, and was observed to be narrowly scanning the walls of the cavern.

”Come on, Parker, my dear man!” begged Mr. Damon. ”We are in grave danger, and we need your help. Bless my life insurance policy! but I never was in such a state as this.”

”We may soon be in a worse one,” was the answer of the gloomy scientist.

”What do you mean?” asked Mr. Damon, but he hurried on without waiting for a reply.

Suddenly, from without the cave came a series of fierce yells. It was the battle-cry of the Indians. At the same moment there sounded a fusillade of guns.

”The battle is beginning!” cried Tom Swift, grimly. He held his electric gun, though he had not used it very much in the previous attack, preferring to save it for a time of more need.

As the defenders of the cave reached the entrance they saw the body of natives rus.h.i.+ng forward. They were almost at the gold hole, with Andy Foger and his father discreetly behind the first row of Eskimos, when, with a suddenness that was startling, there sounded throughout the whole valley a weird sound!

It was like the wailing of some giant--the sighing of some mighty wind. At the same time the air suddenly became dark, and then there came a violent snow squall, shutting out instantly the sight of the advancing natives. Tom and the others could not see five feet beyond the cave.

”This will delay the attack,” murmured Ned, ”They can't see to come at us.”

Mr. Parker came running up from the interior of the cave. On his face there was a look of alarm.

”We must leave here at once!” he cried.

”Leave here?” repeated Tom. ”Why must we? The enemy are out there!

We'd run right into them!”

”It must be done!” insisted the scientist. ”We must leave the cave at once!”

”What for?” cried Mr. Damon.

”Because the movement of the ice that I predicted, has begun. It is much more rapid than I supposed it would be. In a short time this cave and all the others will be crushed flat!”

”Crushed flat!” gasped Tom.

”Yes, the caves of ice are being destroyed! Hark! You can hear them snapping!”

They all listened. Above the roar of the storm could be made out the noise of crus.h.i.+ng, grinding ice-sounds like cannon being fired, as the great ma.s.ses of frozen crystal snapped like frail planks.