“I declare, boys, that was some fight! I’m proud of you, Koku. And how can I ever thank you, Captain Karofsen?”
The schooner captain was all seriousness again in a moment. He said to Tom:
“We nefer mind dot. The bear, he iss dead. But das snow and ice block us in here. We nefer dig out. We haf no tools.”
Ned had turned the ray of the light upon the mass of broken ice that completely filled the mouth of the cavity into which they had ventured. From the sound of the avalanche when it fell, there could be little doubt but that the mass was rods thick. And the distance and force with which it had fallen had packed the shattered ice so tightly that there could be no hope of finding a passage through it.
“But, say!” exclaimed Kingston, when this fact had been discussed, “don’t you fellows remember that there was a current of air blowing out of this cave when we stood before it? You mentioned that fact, Newton.”
“I noticed it myself,” Tom agreed quickly.
“So did I,” added Ned.
“We haf no feel of de wind now,” observed Captain Karofsen.
“Me look,” cried Koku, who understood fully the situation and its attendant dangers. “If there be hole, I come back and tell Master.”
“Hold on, Koku!” exclaimed Tom Swift. “I know you can pretty well see like a cat in the dark. But I think we had better stick together. We will all go with you on this search for another opening to the cave.”