“He certainly does,” Walter admitted. Then as if in apology for his thoughtlessness, he stepped down onto the raft and began a search for the money. He soon drew out a long bill book, opened it, and found several bills of large denomination. Then he returned aboard.
There being no occasion for further delay, the Jetta was started again, and soon she was running full speed to the southwest. In order to make certain regarding the possibility of there being any of the shipwrecked party on the first iceberg, the yacht was run around it, but no sign of life was discovered. Indeed, there appeared to be no place on which a man could have found footing near the water line. Then they dashed on toward the farther berg at full speed, as the intervening sea was comparatively free of ice.
“That ice is melting very fast,” observed Walter as the yacht bounded along, cutting through the crests of the waves in a manner that indicated much power and much gasoline explosion. “It’s lucky we’re no later, for in a few days more there mightn’t be much left for them to stand on.”
Walter had rather an unscientific conception of icebergs, and perhaps it was fortunate for his peace of mind that such was the case. He knew nothing of the manner in which a mountain of frozen water goes to pieces, or he would have realized that danger is imminent at any time to a person cast away on one. Det, however, knew all about this; he was familiar with the shifting of the center of gravity, caused principally by the rapid melting under the water line, and of the possibility that the great mass would roll over any minute. But he said nothing of this danger, hoping only that fortune would not prove so cruel as to place success seemingly within their grasp and then snatch it tantalizingly away.
That the iceberg ahead was a gigantic affair was evident at first view. It was nearly an hour’s run from the one first visited. Five hundred feet high in places and half a mile long, it presented an imposing appearance miles distant.
Walter soon trained his binoculars on it, and in a short time he had found signs of life. Eagerly he announced this discovery, and Det snatched the glasses from him and made a careful inspection. Yes, there could be no mistake. Tiny objects could be discerned moving about on a small plateau near one end. Det was certain they were human beings.
In half an hour the iceberg Crusoes could be distinguished plainly, also, of course, the fire they had built.
About this time Det began to realize the imminent danger not only to those on the iceberg, but to the little yacht itself and its crew, and he warned his companions of what was likely soon to take place. The sound of breaking and falling ice grew more and more distinct. Great spurs and bulky projections, weighing many tons each, broke loose with cracking, crushing noises and thundered into the water, churning it like a sea-coast avalanche. And the little yacht must run the risk of being crushed by one of these masses in order to get close enough to effect a rescue.
Walter, Det and Tony have since agreed that fortune really worked happily not only for most of the endangered castaways, but also for the safety of the yacht. But before this was realized, the crew of the Jetta suffered mental tortures that no words can describe. Walter had discovered Guy among those on the iceberg and had announced this discovery to his companions. He could almost feel his brother’s arms around him and hear a sob of joy at their reunion, when he saw the great mass of ice begin slowly to tip over toward the yacht.
It was indeed wonderful that most of those perched on the overturning mass survived the ordeal. But there were several elements favoring their escape. First, they were standing on the highest point of their section of the iceberg so that when they leaped into the water there was no higher projection to reach over and strike them; second, they all wore life jackets; third, most of them followed the advice and example of Watson, to leap out as far as possible when the top of the mass rendered it impossible longer to maintain their foothold.