At last the party came to a long hill of ice. It was the hardest kind of going to climb to the top, but the Esquimaux inspired hope in all their hearts by showing signs of excitement, while he exclaimed rapidly:
"Ship! Ship! Ship!"
Up the long slope they toiled, almost ready to drop at every step. Finally they gained the top. The guide was in the lead. As he got to the summit he pointed down and gave a joyful cry.
Andy, weary as he was, hurried to his side. He gazed long and steadfastly in the direction the Esquimaux pointed.
"It's the Monarch sure enough!" cried the old hunter. "I can make out the yellow gas bag against the snow bank! Hurrah!"
"Hurrah! Hurrah!" yelled Jack, Mark, Bill, Washington and Tom. Even Professor Henderson joined in, and the Esquimaux added his voice in a queer sort of native cheer that made all of the others smile.
"Now if we could only fly to her we'd be all right," exclaimed Mark.
The guide was busy overhauling the sled. He tightened some of the retaining thongs that had become loosened, and then, with guttural cries, he pointed to the vehicle, to the different members of the party and to the long slope that lay before them, and which led down almost to the abandoned airship.
"I believe he means for us to coast down the hill on the sled!" cried
Andy. "That's a good scheme. It will beat walking all to pieces!"
Down, down, down the adventurers went, like an arrow shot from a stout bow. The bone runners of the sled glided over the frozen surface, which was as slippery as glass.