At this moment Andy came forward with two hatchets and an axe.
"These are the things we want, I guess," he said, quietly. "We've got to chop steps in the wall, and climb up in that way." "And abandon all our instruments—and the telescope?" exclaimed Professor Henderson.
"And the Snowbird?" added Mark.
"We can hoist all the small things up to the top of this wall—if we can get up there ourselves," said the old hunter.
"Right you are, Mr. Sudds," declared Phineas Roebach, with vigor.
"But the flying machine?" queried Jack. "It seems too bad to let it go."
"We won't let it go, Jack," declared Mark.
"Andy is right, boys," said the professor. "Let us first make our own escape sure. Then, if it be possible, we will hoist the flying machine as well as the instruments and our remaining provisions out of this chasm."
"I'm afraid we'll never be able to hoist the Snowbird," said Jack, sadly. "I reckon we'll have to say good-bye to it."
"Don't lose heart," repeated Professor Henderson. "Lead the way, Andy.
Let us try chipping the ice away."