“Thanks to the bear,” said Tom. “And if we get short of provisions we can go back and get a few bear steaks. Where is the entrance to this house?”
Mr. Nestor and Mr. Damon led the way. In two minutes they were out on the open ice, on the side of one of the ice hills over which the explorers had previously flown in the flying boat.
“How far are we from the place where we left the Winged Arrow, Captain?” asked Tom of Olaf Karofsen.
“It iss so far as that peak—yes? Maype ten mile. But my odder t’ree men——?”
Almost immediately the party sighted the trio of sailors coming up the slope from the ice field. Two of them bore a frozen seal between them. The other carried the guns and a rope. When they saw Captain Karofsen and the others they shrieked their joy and, dropping the seal, scrambled up the ice slope as fast as possible.
In their own language they broke into a concerted account of their adventures since the Kalrye had been wrecked. It was easy for the Americans to know when the sailors spoke of the loss of Captain Karofsen’s brother and nephew. The schooner captain grew very, very grave.
“I wish we might search that chasm you speak of for those men,” Tom whispered to Mr. Damon. “You say they carried a bag of provisions, too?”
“Bless my emergency ration, Tom Swift!” whispered the eccentric gentleman. “We yelled there and waited around for an hour. There was not a sound rose from that hole. They must have been instantly killed.”
“But the money?”
“We-ell,” said Mr. Damon doubtfully. “Of course, all I thought of at first was the chance of our getting away from here. But now it looks different. It might be well to make a search for the treasure box. But first, let us see,” he added more vigorously, “if we can get your flying boat out of that hole you say she is in.”