The Esquimaux skillfully steered the sled. He avoided several hollows and gullies that would have brought disaster, and kept the vehicle on a proper course. In less than five minutes from the start at the top of the hill they were at the bottom, more than a mile"s distance, and within a quarter of a mile of the airship.
Joy at the discovery of the _Monarch_ lent strength to travel-weary legs. The refugees hastened on, and soon were at the place where the craft had settled on a bank of ice and snow.
"Back to the _Monarch_!" shouted Andy. "I hope the ship is in working order!"
Indeed this might well be a source of worry. One glance served to show that the airship was frozen fast in the ice, while the gas bag, which had collapsed, and was resting on top of the deck-house, was partially covered with snow!
As weak as they were the boys set up a cheer and the men joined in, the sound echoing for a long distance around.
CHAPTER XXVIII
ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES
"We must clear away the snow and ice!" said Professor Henderson. "Come, boys, we must work quickly. We have no time to lose! Remember what Dirola said about the natives following us!"
Now that he was back at his craft the inventor seemed to have recovered all of his energies.
"Washington and I will see to the machinery, and get the bag inflated,"
he continued. "The rest begin to dig out the ship from below."
Fortunately the professor had foreseen the need of shovels on his northern journey and had a supply in the ship. They were quickly brought out. The snow was soon cleared from the silk bag, it being rather light.
Then, while the professor and the negro went to the engine room to start the various apparatus, the others began chipping away the ice that held the main body of the Monarch in a tight grip.
Inside the airship matters were in bad shape. The intense cold had contracted all the metal and made it very brittle. Care had to be exercised in handling every piece of apparatus. There was no heat in the ship, and it was almost as cold as outside.
However, the gas generating machine was set in operation by a current from the storage battery. Some of the gas was turned into the heating stoves, which were constructed to burn it, and this made heat which soon enabled the professor to work on the motors and dynamos. In a little while the gas began filling the bag, which slowly distended.
"Hurrah!" yelled Jack, seeing that the _Monarch_ was beginning to look like herself again. He and the others were working hard at the ice, which did not seem to want to let the ship go.
The inventor went about testing each separate piece of apparatus. He found that, with a little tinkering, all the machinery would work well.
Meanwhile the gas continued to fill the bag, until it was tugging at the net and cords that fastened it to the airship. But all the lifting power that could be produced from the machine would not elevate the _Monarch_ while it was held fast in the ice.
However, the forces attacking the frozen crystals worked to good advantage. In the midst of their labors Washington brought out some hot coffee, which was received with cheers. It was the first white man"s food, except the patent capsules, they had tasted since leaving the ship.
At last, after several hours" hard digging, the body of the ship was all but free. A few more blows would sever the last connecting grapple of ice.
Suddenly Jack, who happened to glance up, gave a loud cry. All the others stopped their digging.
"Here come the Esquimaux!" yelled the boy. "I just saw them around that big iceberg!"
This was alarming news. Old Andy dropped his shovel and scrambled over the side of the ship.
"What"s de matter? Am yo" skeered?" asked Washington.
"Not a bit of it!" cried Andy. "I want to get a gun and give those fellows something to remember me by!"
"Never mind them!" shouted the professor. "Get the ship free and we need not stay to fight them. We are almost ready to start!"
But Andy was bound to have a shot at the savages, and he grabbed up his rifle, which was fully loaded, and came out on the deck.
The natives came on with a rush. There were about two hundred of them, and they had arrived on several big sleds. The Esquimaux who had piloted the adventurers back to their ship had disappeared, for he knew he would be killed as a traitor if his tribesmen caught him.
"Come on!" cried Bill to Tom and the boys. "Let"s get aboard. We"ll be killed!"
"You can go!" shouted Jack. "I"m going to stay down here and free the ship from ice. That"s the only thing to do."
"I"ll stay with you!" exclaimed Mark.
Tom and Bill scrambled up the sides of the ship and disappeared into the cabin. The boys remained on the ice, partly under the airship, chipping and picking to free the bottom.
With loud shouts and yells the Esquimaux surrounded the _Monarch_. The savages were armed with bows and arrows, and soon a shower of these missiles were shot toward the craft.
Professor Henderson was in mortal terror lest one of the sharp weapons would pierce the gas bag, but, for some reason, the natives fired at the lower part of the ship. Andy and the two helpers were now ready to return the fire. Their guns rattled out and the reports caused the natives great astonishment.
The first shots the defenders had fired over the heads of the Esquimaux, not wishing to kill them if they could help it. But though the reports caused a momentary falling back, the attackers soon rallied again, and shot a thicker cloud of arrows, some of which fell uncomfortably near.
"Let "em have it right in the faces this time!" shouted Andy.
He took careful aim at the ma.s.s of natives who were advancing, and one fell. Bill and Tom followed his example, and the onslaught was checked for a time.
But now reinforcements to the Esquimaux arrived until there were fully five hundred of the fur-clad savages out on the ice surrounding the airship. To cope with such a force seemed madness. Bill received a slight wound in the arm, and Tom had a narrow escape from being killed, a big spear just missing his head.
"Drop down below the rail!" yelled Andy. "They can"t hit us so easy then, and we can fire just as good!"
The defenders dropped flat to the deck, outside of the cabin. A loud yell on the part of the Esquimaux told that they thought the adventurers had been killed, and there was a rush to capture the ship.
"Let "em have it! As fast as you can pull the triggers!" cried the old hunter. "We"ll show "em what we can do!"
The three guns rang out again and two of the natives fell, both badly wounded.
"I wish we had more help!" exclaimed Andy. "We"re likely to have trouble soon! Why don"t those boys come up; in a few minutes they won"t have a chance!"
Indeed it would have been risky now for Jack and Mark to venture out from under the ship, where they were still bravely chipping at the last remaining bit of ice that help the ship fast. So far their presence had not been noted by the enemy.
At that instant Professor Henderson ran out of the engine room.
"Use the machine gun!" he yelled. "That is our only hope!"
The next second he fell to the deck, struck by a spear.
CHAPTER XXIX