"If you boys think you can repair the damage done the machine in so short a time," agreed the professor, doubtfully. "But you know we must at least arrive at Aleukan in time to meet the train from Coldfoot. If the Snowbird cannot be launched again, we will have to see if our good friend here, Mr. Roebach, can fit us out with dogs and men."
"That I'll do to the best of my ability," said the oil man, rising. "But I'd better get out now and set my men to work. I am boring in a new place this week, and it looks promising. We are down a hundred and twenty feet already." They put on their outer garments and left the cabin. Although this was summer weather, there was a sting of frost in the air even as it neared mid-forenoon. But the sun was strangely overcast, and that might account for the drop in temperature.
"Disher day fo'git ter grow," complained Washington, rolling his eyes until, as Jack suggested, they could see only the whites of them in the dark, and the gleam of his teeth. "'Nstead o' bein' as sunshiny as it doughter be arter dat storm, it's suah growin' night fast! 'Taint a full-grown day, nohow!"
"Sort of stunted; is it, Wash?" chuckled Jack.
Andy Sudds here spoke decisively:
"I been tryin' to make out what it was, like feathers, a-touchin' my face. But it ain't snow. It's ashes!"
"Volcanic dust!" cried Mark.
"That volcano must be active again. That's what brought about the earthquake," said Jack. "And the darkness. What we thought was a fog over the sun must be a cloud of ashes."
"This ain't no place for us," declared Andy. "I wish we were back at that man's house."
"Or could find the Snowbird pretty soon," added Mark.