“Is it on this soide av ther strame?” asked Barney.
“Yes—on the eastern side of the island near the strait.”
“Gwine up in de frozen sky?” asked Pomp.
“No,” answered Frank. “We’ll use the boat’s skates, as there is plenty of ice all around here, and we can save trouble by staying down.”
Accordingly, after the meal, he ascended to the turret and started the ice wheels, when the ship glided smoothly along.
The stern runner steered her the same as on any ice-boat, and was automatically lowered to the ice level.
Along sped the Ranger to the eastward, keeping as close to the stream as possible, so as not to miss any ships that might be at anchor in the ice-covered water.
As the sun only appeared for a few hours at a time, the days were of very short duration, and they had to keep the electric lights lit.
The storm had left a mantle of snow upon the ice-covered ground, through which the Ranger’s runners cut like huge knives, and her crew observed a range of lofty mountains at the left.
They were clad with snow.