“Something is wrong,” cried Chet to himself, and then tumbled down the companionway in a hurry.
“What’s the matter?” exclaimed Captain Williamson, startled by the youth’s abrupt entrance.
“Something is wrong with Andy—he is calling for help!” answered Chet.
Both the captain and the explorer leaped up, scattering the checkers in all directions. Each ran for his fur coat and mitts, and each caught up a gun, and Chet did the same. Then they scrambled up on deck in double-quick haste, and leaped over the side of the steamer on to the uneven ice below.
“Where is he?” asked Barwell Dawson.
“Up at the storehouse. He yelled——Look, the place is on fire!”
Both men gazed in the direction, and then Captain Williamson let out a yell that could be heard throughout the entire ship: “All hands turn out to fight fire!”
Chet started on a run, with Barwell Dawson at his heels, the captain remaining behind to rouse the hands to action, for in a twinkling he realized what it would mean were the stores burned.
When Chet reached his chum, Andy lay flat on his back in the snow, motionless. Pep Loggermore was dancing before the ever-increasing flames, shouting gleefully.
“Light at last! I told you I’d have light!” shrieked the crazed sailor.