At length the adventurers went aboard the Scorcher and all was ready for the start. The ice-shoes had been fitted to the wheels, which were in turn rigged with chains.
Under each wheel was a sharp cog arrangement which struck into the ice and thus propelled the Scorcher over the smooth surface or the clinging snow. And thus the start was made.
Frank and his companions had shaken hands with the captain, and the young inventor said:
“I suppose you will soon be on your way to Montevideo, Mr. Ward. You will need to make haste to avoid getting shut up in the ice-pack for the coming winter.”
“I will look out for that!” replied Ward, stiffly.
He was offended.
Then the Scorcher glided slowly away across the icefield, leaving the brig yet in the little ice-bound basin.
The progress across the icefield was by no means easy.
There were sections of it where the ice-cakes had crashed together and made long mounds or high harriers. Sometimes these were fifty feet or more in height.
But the travelers pushed on.