Here the first mishap befell them.
It happened this way:
Barney was at the wheel and the Scorcher was gliding between two huge bergs of ice, when there was a crash and a sullen roar and one of them fell.
It struck the forward trucks of the machine. There was a ripping, rending sound, and then the machine pitched forward heavily.
Not a man but was thrown upon his face and all realized that the machine had met with a serious mishap.
Luckily no one was injured.
Frank sprung out of the cabin door. He gave a cry of dismay at the sight before him.
There lay a heap of crushed material, the trucks and forward running gear of the machine. They were fearfully mixed up with the ice.
Here was a catastrophe of no mild sort. Pallid and nerveless he was joined by the others.
“Gee whiz!” exclaimed Randall, in dismay, “we’re done for, Frank!”