The line did not break. The captain’s brother was drawn to the top of the low cliff. After that Kingston was raised. The delighted Wakefield Damon was talking all the time and could scarcely wait to help bear the two exhausted seamen down the hill to where the flying boat was being repaired.
Captain Karofsen carried the bag of gold coin over his shoulder, while the other five from the flying boat bore the exhausted sailors down the slope. When Tom and the others saw them coming they were likewise excited. The recovery of these two men completed the rescue of the party of castaways to search for whom the Winged Arrow had been brought by her inventor from the States.
“Nothing to be put down on the debit side of the column, Tom!” shouted Ned, when he drew near. “If you can make the old plane ride again, we can figure that we’ve turned the trick.”
“And Mr. Damon’s fortune?” shouted Tom.
“Bless my Russian rubles!” chortled Mr. Damon, “I could buy up the entire Russian Government monetary output now. Here is Aman Dele’s treasure that he willed me. I am a lucky man. And these brave fellows shall share in my good luck.”
He was as good as his word. It may as well be said here that Mr. Damon, with all his eccentricities, was a very honorable man. He reimbursed Captain Karofsen for his time and exertions, gave each of the sailors a handsome present, and to the captain’s brother and son he made over a trust fund that, as he had declared, would keep the two injured men from want for the remainder of their lives.
For the two who had fallen down the crevasse with the treasure chest had been exposed so long to the frost that it would be months before they would be able to go to sea. All these good offices, however, Mr. Damon arranged later through a legal representative.
Just now the entire party was anxious to discover if the Winged Arrow would fly. Half the short Arctic night had been expended in these recent exertions. Brannigan and his men had taken the tools and the gasoline stoves back into the ship. They all climbed aboard as soon as possible and once more preparations were made for a jump-off.
“If this old plane doesn’t act right now,” said Tom, “I’ll take her home and break her up for scrap. That’s a promise.”
“If you get her home at all,” said Ned. “I hope she won’t get temperamental about the time we are over the Newfoundland fishing banks, for instance.”