Jack regarded his father, wide-eyed.
“I think, Jack,” said the latter firmly, “that it is time to take you boys into our complete confidence, Farnum and I have been talking this matter over. We feel pretty certain that some powerful man or group of men has knowledge of Farrell’s discovery of the river of oil, and is working against us. How to explain the obtaining of that knowledge I do not know, But, perhaps, some traitor in Anderson’s employ, somebody high in his confidence, got some word of it. Perhaps, Thorwaldsson in an unguarded moment, let some bit of information fall. Oil, you know, is a vital necessity of the world. Discovery of a vast new field would make great fortunes.
“Whoever heard of it, heard of Farrell’s discovery, would realize that the only way to come upon it would be to follow the Thorwaldsson expedition, dog its steps and, at the psychological moment, strike. In other words, when the field was rediscovered by Farrell, wipe out the Thorwaldsson expedition, and claim possession.
“Events, as they have occurred, seem to fit in with this theory. The disappearance of Thorwaldsson’s ship from the MacKenzie. Apparently it traveled only at night, thus slipping by the scattered trading posts on the great river. It has never been heard of since. It might very easily have been scuttled and sunk, or else materially changed in appearance in some little bay on that far northern coast of the Arctic. That would mean that the crew was bought up, but that is not an impossibility, for men I am sorry to say break faith for gain. As to the airship, the aviator whom I know of as a man true and tried, may have sought to make his escape to the outside when Thorwaldsson was captured—as I believe likely—and may have paid with his life for his devotion, through some unforeseen accident to his machine.”
The boys stood stunned. Finally Jack broke silence.
“But, Dad, how terrible,” he said in a shocked tone. “To think of men being so unscrupulous.”
“Not all men, Jack,” said his father. “Remember that.”
“Mr. Hampton,” said Frank. “What do you intend to do?”
“Frankly, I don’t know,” said the latter. “Now that we are within striking distance of our objective—the river of oil—I do not want to give up. If it lies where we believe it to lie, we can reach it before necessity compels us to flee south to escape oncoming Winter. That will mean that we can map the route for future operation. I had at one time, too, although I did not mention it to you boys, some hope that we would be able to follow the river out into the Arctic and discover a route of approach by water. But we may not have time for that. However, once we do locate the river by land approach, we will have a pretty accurate idea of whether it can be reached by ship through the Arctic Ocean in Summer.
“But whether to push on and imperil you lads, and the rest of us, in the light of what we suspect lies ahead, I do not know. We shall have to sleep over it.”