"Don't be so sure of that," interrupted the professor. "There is more ice at the south pole than at the north, according to all accounts. It is a place of great icebergs, immense floes and cold fogs. But there is land beyond the ice, I believe, and I am going to try to find it."
"It will be a longer voyage than to the north pole," said Jack.
"Jest de same," argued Washington, "de poles am at each end ob de world."
"Yes, but we're quite a way north of the equator now, and we'll have to cross that before we will be half way to the south pole," explained Jack. "But I guess the Porpoise can make good time."
"If the engine behaves under water as well as it did just now, we'll skim along," said the professor.
"And so you figure there's land down there to the south, do you?" asked old Andy.
"I do," replied the inventor. "I can't prove it, but I'm sure there is. I have read all the accounts of other explorers and from the signs they mention I am positive we shall find land if we ever get there. Land and an open sea."
"And other things as well," muttered Andy, yet neither he nor any of them dreamed of the terrible and strange adventures they were to have.
The next few days were busy ones. Many little details remained to perfect in connection with the ship, and a lot of supplies and provisions had to be purchased, for the professor was determined to get all in readiness for the trip under the water. He believed firmly that his ship would work, though some of the others were not so positive.
"We'll put her into the water to-morrow," announced the inventor after supper one night. "Everything is complete as far as I can make it, and the only thing remaining is to see if she will float, sink when I want her to, and, what is most important, rise to the surface again. For," he added with a twinkle in his eye, "anybody can make a ship that will sink, but it isn't every one who can make one that will come to the surface again."