The astonishment of the party below although of different character, could hardly have been much greater than that of Watson’s companions. Immediately after the discharge of the firearm, the two Eskimos appeared at the entrance of the cave, holding the dogs in leash. The latter howled fiercely and tugged hard to break loose. Apparently it was all the Greenlanders could do to keep them from the intruders. The latter were dumfounded. A quick look back and upward and another at the dogs and the two skin-clad figures from the far north were enough to convince each of them that further hostile movements on their part would be dangerous.
So they decided on a change of front. Gunseyt, who had been leader of this move, took it on himself to “explain” the situation. Turning to the party on the stairway, he called out in “squeak-roar” tones:
“What’s the matter up there? Have you men turned renegade, and are you fighting against your own race? You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.”
“About the only thing on this iceberg that we’re ashamed of is you,” Watson retorted. “We don’t want to waste any time on you either. Just make a good resolution, now, and trot right back to your own dooryard or we’ll instruct the Eskimos to let their dogs loose.”
“We just came over to have a friendly visit with these Eskimos,” declared Gunseyt, with well assumed indignation. “It’s true we were going to ask them for some favors, but everything was to be friendly on our part.”
“I might ask you what you were going to do with those clubs in your hands, but I won’t,” Watson retorted. “I know already.”
“All right. If you know so much, there’s no use arguing with you. But we don’t consider that we’re responsible to you for any of our actions, Mr. Watson, and, what’s more, we don’t propose to be dictated to by you. But I’ll say for the benefit of the others of your party that we brought these clubs to protect ourselves against the dogs if they should become ugly, and it seems the precaution was taken very wisely.”
“Never mind explaining to anybody, but do as I tell you,” Watson ordered. “I overheard your conversation with Everleigh and Little. You go back to our side, and we’ll have a settlement of this matter tomorrow. As for you three sailors, take my advice and don’t mix any more than you have to with those other fellows. They’re a bad set.”
The six invaders obeyed sullenly, retiring to the other side of the iceberg and into the cave. They were not forced to give up their clubs, as Watson and the professor wished to avoid any move they might be unable to carry to success without bloodshed. However, the defenders of the Eskimos held a conference outside after the others had disappeared.
“We ought to have a sentinel stationed out here the rest of the night,” Prof. Anderson suggested. “It isn’t safe to give those fellows a chance to get the upper hand. There’s no telling what they might do.”