He was right; they had at last arrived at the spot where they had embarked from the Ice King. The place was deserted, and they could easily see where the steamer had pushed through the floating ice, and made her way to the broad lead beyond.
“We’ll hoist our flag, and fire a signal,” said Barwell Dawson, and without delay a pole was nailed to the top of the storehouse, and Old Glory was swung to the breeze. Then one of the shotguns was fired off three times in succession. All waited long for some answer to the reports, but none came.
“He must have gone off for some reason or other,” said Barwell Dawson. “All we can do is to wait for his return.”
“Perhaps the steamer was hit by an iceberg and sunk,” suggested Professor Jeffer.
“Let us hope no such calamity has befallen us,” answered the explorer, gravely.
It sobered all of the party a good deal to find themselves alone at the spot where they had so confidently thought to find the Ice King. They knew that there was great danger of a “squeeze” in the floating ice, and wondered what they should do if the craft had gone to the bottom of the polar sea. They might possibly get down to a point opposite Etah, but it would be a hard journey, and after it was made there was no telling if they could cross the water to that settlement.
Three days went by, and the hearts of the party sank lower and lower. A few went out hunting, for the larder was again getting low. But for the most part all remained in the vicinity of the shore, awaiting eagerly some sign of the missing steamer.
At last, early one morning, Andy made out a cloud of smoke far off on the water. He drew Chet’s attention to it, and then called Olalola. The three watched the cloud draw nearer, and at last the Esquimau began to smile.
“Ship,” he said. “Ship with fire!”—meaning thereby a steam vessel.
The word was soon passed that a ship was in sight, and all gathered to watch the approach of the craft. As it came closer, they saw that it was the Ice King, and on the deck stood Captain Williamson and his crew waving them a welcome. The captain had seen them with his spyglass.