CHAPTER XXVI
THE YOUNG EXPLORERS
Tom’s carelessness with a lamp had precipitated a catastrophe, and the Albatross was soon enveloped in flames.
It was fortunate that the stores ready for the journey were outside on the sled, else the loss would have been a serious one.
The fire showed how frail the stability of Arctic home life was to those unused to it. Had they depended on the ship as a shelter, the present disaster would have made them entirely homeless.
They, however, were thinking of the expedition down the coast which had preceded them.
“We are well equipped,” said Jack, “and cannot starve or freeze if we take proper care of ourselves.”
“Will you follow the coast to the ice hut?” asked Will.
“We may as well, and thence still keep along the shore.”
The sled was easily moved along the snow, and when one of the boys got very tired he was allowed a brief ride.
The second night after leaving the Albatross they camped in the ice house they had discovered the day they crossed to the mainland.
From this spot, they followed the waterway surrounding the island they had been cast away on originally.
Sometimes the route was irregular and difficult, but they made a steady progress.
They discovered no further trace of the party from the Albatross for nearly a week.
During that time they were compelled to build a temporary shelter each night. They suffered little from the cold now, as they had become used to it in a measure, and the weather was considerably milder than when they first left the Arctic.
At last, they one day came to what had evidently been an ice hut. It was now in ruins, but it showed they were on the right route.
Beyond this, the coastline was so irregular that a detour was made, and Jack decided that the party preceding them had done the same.
They regained the coast, not wishing to go too far into the interior, but found it more difficult to traverse as they progressed.
One day the boys discovered several seals disporting themselves on the ice, and an hour was devoted to attempting a capture, but without effect.
Finally, the rocky character of the coast became uniform, and they found they could not keep to the shore and take the sled with them.
Jack decided to leave the ocean and make a venture of crossing the plains lying back from the sea, at least for a day or two, to see if some new traces of the Albatross party might not be found.
They found the temperature considerably lower as they progressed to the interior, and the second day of their journey was so cold that they made a snow hut and did not travel at all that day.
The days, too, were becoming much shorter, and when there was little sunlight seemed to merge into a hazy twilight early in the afternoon.
For two weeks they continued on their way, meeting with no traces of previous occupancy of the vicinity.
Jack and Hugo looked serious and concerned over the situation and discussed it continually.
“We have left the coast,” the former said, “and cannot find it again. But we are progressing blindly, and possibly further and further away from any settlement.”
“We can’t help it, mate,” rejoined Hugo.
“Maybe not,” said Jack, “but there’s some kind of a great change in the weather coming.”
“Colder, you mean?”
“Probably.”
“Well, let us provide for it.”
“I think it best. Here’s my plan: You see the high ridge of land and ice yonder?”
“You mean about twenty miles to the north?”
“Nearer fifty.”
“Well, Jack?”
“That either marks the boundary of the land or looks over some new country. We’ll go there.”
“And then?”
“See what a view shows. If we’re going to go into temporary quarters and wait for something to develop it is better to be near the protection of the cliffs than on the open plain.”
It took three days to accomplish the journey to the bold, jagged headland Jack had discovered.
It was so cold when they reached it that all their energies were set in action to provide for the rigors of the night.
A strong ice hut was constructed, and they were content to crowd around the blubber lamp for warmth and be thankful they had a shelter.
The next morning Jack announced that he would scale the icy cliffs and take a view of their location.
He allowed Will and Tom to accompany him. It took several hours to scale the slippery headland.
At its top, a wide scope of scenery met their view.
They could look back for miles over the vast plain they had traversed.
Beyond was what resembled an immense lake, terminating many miles distant in the boldly defined shores of some new land.
It was frozen over, but its surface here and there was marked with huge chasms where the ice had cracked.
As they stood viewing the desolate scene Will’s keen eyes discerned some moving objects on the frozen plain.
“Look, Jack!” he said. “What is that? Wolves—foxes?”
Jack strained his vision to the utmost.
Then he uttered an ejaculation of excitement.
“It’s no wolves or foxes, lad,” he said.
“What then?”
“Dogs—a sled and an Eskimo driver, as sure as my name is Jack Marcy.”
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