“It looks as if we’ve lost Mistak’s trail for the present. He must have made directly for this spot knowing he could throw off the scent.”
“The hard ice ends up in a lot of fissures and ice caverns,” spoke up Constable Sloan. “It’s possible the Eskimo may be hiding out in one of the caves, waiting for us to go on.”
“Well, if he is we’ll fix that. I’ll go on a little way with you and when we get in among the ice hummocks on the other side of this level stretch, I’ll drop out and watch for him to come out. The rest of you go on across the glacier, and make camp at some convenient spot. If I have any luck, I’ll overtake you and let you know.”
After Corporal McCarthy had left them Dick and Sandy found themselves following the sledge along a ridge of snow covered stones and gravel which ran along the ice cap farther than they could see. Following this, they found the ice sloping steadily downward, while the ridge, or moraine, rose steadily higher. Presently they could see on the distant horizon the blackish blue of the open sea, broken by the massive crests of floating bergs.
The sky had become overcast in the last hour and the temperature had fallen considerably.
“We’re in for a bad storm,” Constable Sloan announced, his voice betraying some anxiety. “As soon as we get down to the seashore we’ll build some tight igloos. Tents won’t stand the wind that’s coming.”
A little later they eased the sledge down a last steep incline and found easier going at the foot of the long ridge of glacial drift that had now grown to massive proportions. The glacier proper was now behind and on their left, beyond the ridge. They had crossed only a fragment of it in reaching what they believed to be the northern shore of a large island.
“Look, Sandy, over there on that big floe to the northeast!” exclaimed Dick, pointing.
Sandy’s eyes followed Dick’s directing finger and widened at what he saw. A large herd of seals dotted the ice and adjacent water. Now and again the animals dived into the water, throwing up a shower of spray. Faintly, as they drew nearer, they could hear the grunting barks of the adult seals.
Sipsa seemed excited at the proximity of the seal herd, and began jabbering to himself.