There stood between him and death a slender wire reaching up to two yet more slender ones hanging in the sky. What if the gas escaped from the balloons? What if a sudden gust of wind sent them crashing down into the treetops to tear and tangle his slender aerials? What if the deputy at the other end should make some mistake and be unable to listen in?
Little wonder that, as he stood there listening, waiting, his face turned gray with anxiety and fear.
In the meantime an important message had come to Joe and Jennings as they listened in on long wave lengths from their camp some ten miles from the cabin. The message was from the explorer, Munson.
“Munson’s Expedition - Munson - speaking,” came the voice from the air. “We - have met - with disaster. Dash to - Pole - abandoned. Ice - began - piling - at - four - this morning. Many supplies - much - gasoline - lost. Will - not - have - enough - gasoline - to - bring - planes - to - land. One - plane - smashed. Cannot - bring - food - only - men. If - supporting - party - can be - sent - from - due - north - of - Flaxman - Island - it - may save - our lives.”
Joe Marion listened to the message as it was repeated three times, then turned a grave face to Jennings.
“That’s serious,” he said after he had repeated the message. “I might answer it but what could I promise him?”
“You’d only give our position away to the outlaw.”
“I might try to relay the message to others who might help.”
“There’s no one near enough.”
“Then the only thing we can do is to try to reach them with such supplies as we can carry.”