But the youth stopped long enough to obtain a sledge hammer and other tools that he knew they should need. As he ran from the hut two stones shot out by the geyser crashed through the roof; but he escaped all injury.
He was plastered with mud from head to foot, however, when he regained the high land.
"It was worth it," Jack declared, laughing, when he was safe. "I want to get away from this neighborhood just as quick as we can. And if we can fix the Snowbird let us do it this very night and take our flight for other climes. We don't know when another earthquake or volcanic eruption will occur."
"Very true, my boy," admitted the professor, with a sigh. "At least, we will endeavor to repair the damage done to your flying machine at once. But there is much going on here that interests me."
Andy and Jack set up the forge and in a few minutes they had a glowing fire in it. Then the boys set to work welding the broken rods and straightening those that had become bent.
Meanwhile Mr. Roebach hauled out his sled and whipped the dogs into line so that he could gear them up. The canines acted badly because they were more used to their Indian masters. When the boys had done their work, however, the oil man was ready to transport them all up the mountainside to the plateau where the Snowbird lay.
His cabin was by this time riddled by the flying stones and everything in and about it was plastered with mud. It would have been foolhardy indeed to attempt to get at the provisions.
"You see," Mark said, "we are forced to get away in the Snowbird at once, or to escape to some town where we can get food. There isn't much left of our stores on the flying machine." "And what will Mr. Roebach do about his dogs? They must be fed," said Jack.
"He'll have to abandon them if he goes with us on the Snowbird," returned his chum.
It was now the long twilight of the Arctic evening. None of the party had eaten since breakfast and they felt the need of sustenance. If nothing else, this need of food would have hurried the party on to their destination farther up the mountainside.