“We must ferry across on the cakes of ice,” he said. “The new ice is thin, and can be broken through easily. It is not more than half a mile across.”
Jack selected a large cake of ice near the shore and they all got on it.
Then Jack took a rope from the sled and, attaching the hatchet, flung it to the nearest large cake of ice, when he would pull on the rope and slowly progress forward.
It took several hours to cross the water. When they at length reached the opposite shore they saw that the new ice had melted and the floating cakes were speeding along to the sea.
The mainland they believed they had reached was in character like the island they had left, a vast field of ice and snow.
While Hugo and Will were exploring for a place for a camp for the night the latter became very much excited as he observed what seemed to be an ice hut.
It was covered with the snow of many storms, but its shape was plainly defined.
“Is it a hut?” Hugo asked Will, eagerly.
“Yes, lad, and it has been occupied at some time or other. Run for Jack. This may prove an important discovery.”