The stories of adventure were soon told and then everyone was set to hustling the last bit of equipment on board. There would be neither meals nor sleep until everything was in readiness and they were away.
As the Doctor and Dave stood on deck watching the casting off of the ropes, the Doctor spoke of his plans.
"We may have lost the race," he remarked rather grimly, "but we're going to the Pole just the same. It will mean something to you boys, at least, to be able to say that you've been there. It was my purpose to lay our course directly for the Pole without establishing a base, but since we have been carried out of our way so far, and have used so much fuel, I feel that it will be wise to head for the farthest-north point of Alaska—Point Barrow.
"I was assured, in Nome, that there were two oil-burning whalers wintering near there, and I have no doubt that we can depend on them for extra fuel."
The hatches were lowered, the submarine sank from sight amid the "Ah-ne-ca's" and "Mat-na's" of the awe stricken natives who lined the cliffs a half-mile away. The sub, with all on board, was again on its way to enter the race for the Pole.
"The race is on," said Dave.
"I wonder?" smiled the Doctor.
Three times they rose in dark waterways for air. The fourth time it seemed they must be nearing land—
Yes, as the submarine bumped the edge of an ice-floe, a point of land showed plainly to port.
Dave, with field-glass in hand, sprang to the nearest ice-cake, then climbed to a pinnacle to take an observation.