CHAPTER XX

FAST IN THE ICE

"Well, there is one piece of luck," said Barwell Dawson, the next morning. "Our collier is here, so we can take on coal at once, and get away from here inside of three or four days."

"Yes, we want to take advantage of the weather while it lasts," answered the captain of the _Ice King_. And the task of transferring the coal began an hour later.

Andy and Chet asked for permission to go ashore, and, after word had been sent to the governor of the place, they entered a steam launch in company with Barwell Dawson and Professor Jeffer. The explorer knew what was on Chet's mind, and aided him to find out if the _Northland_ was at Upernivik.

"She is here," said Barwell Dawson, after making inquiries. "I will have you taken to her."

Chet found Tom Fetjen, a Danish-American, tall and powerful, with a shrewd but kindly face. He listened to the boy's story with interest, and then shrugged his big shoulders.

"I no can tell you mooch 'bout dat whaler, _Betsey Andrews_," he said, slowly. "I not know for truf what happen to him. But I hear som't'ing las' year. Two Esquimaux men come to me an' da say dat de whaleboat he got stuck by de ice far up dare." And Tom Fetjen waved his hand northward.

"Stuck in the ice?" queried Chet.

"Dat is what de Esquimaux men say. Da climb up de ice mountain an' see him ship stuck fast, but go--what you say him?--float, yes, float up dat way," and again the trader pointed northward.

"Do you mean that the _Betsey Andrews_ got stuck in some floating ice, and was carried northward?" asked Chet.

"Yes, dat is eet. Nobody hear more of de whaleboat."

"Where did you hear this?"

"Hear him at Etah, las' summer."

"How did the Esquimaux know it was the _Betsey Andrews_?" asked Andy.

"One Esquimau big chief, got glass to look. He see de cap'n who got de one arm. He try to git to ship, but tumble in water--'most drown heem. Den snowstorm come big an' can't see de ship no more."

This was all the trader could tell. He was of the opinion, however, that the whaler had been finally crushed in the ice, and all those aboard had been lost.

But Chet would not believe this. He shut his teeth hard and looked at his chum.

"I've got to have positive proof before I give up," he said, in a voice that choked with sudden emotion.

Although the boys were not aware of it, Pep Loggermore and his crony did their best to follow them around Upernivik, hoping to place them in some position whereby it would be impossible to regain the ship. But, by mere chance, the boys kept out of the sailors' way, and when the coaling was at an end, and the _Ice King_ sailed, they were on the ship.

"Let us try it again at Etah," said Loggermore to his crony.

"As you please, Pep," answered the other. His hatred of the lads who had killed the geese had somewhat subsided. But Loggermore was as much against Andy and Chet as ever. He had it firmly fixed in his mind that if they were taken along, dire disaster would surely overtake the expedition.

The course of the _Ice King_ was now up Baffin Bay and past Cape York to the entrance to Smith Sound. Although it was midsummer, the weather seemed to grow colder hourly, and it was not long before the boys were glad enough to don additional clothing.

"As soon as we get to Etah you will get your first taste of polar exploration," said Barwell Dawson. "We'll go out on a hunt."

"Is it much of a settlement?" asked Chet.

"Hardly any settlement at all. In the summer the Esquimaux have their skin tents pitched there, and in the winter they put up a few _igloos_, that is, ice huts, and that's all."

That night came another scare. They almost ran into a tremendous iceberg that towered like a giant in the water. But the lookout saw the monster just in time--it was rather foggy, or he would have seen it sooner--and they sheered to windward.

"What a high iceberg!" exclaimed Chet, when the danger was past.

"Yes, and to think that it is much deeper in the water than out of it," added Andy.

They reached the inlet leading to Etah in a fog, and that afternoon experienced a snowstorm that lasted for over two hours. Then the weather cleared, and they made out a number of tents lining the coast. Here and there they saw some Esquimaux in their strange little boats, fishing. The natives set up a shout when the _Ice King_ came to anchor, and some lost no time in coming on board. They were strange-looking creatures, short of form and round of face, with straight black hair and mouths unusually large. But they were good-natured, and smiled and laughed as they talked to Barwell Dawson, Professor Jeffer, and Captain Williamson, all of whom could speak a little of the Esquimaux tongue.

The boys were allowed to go on a hunt the next day. Led by two of the Esquimaux, the party went off in one of the small boats to a point where it was said game might be found. They were out for six hours with Barwell Dawson, and came back loaded down with birds, and with a small polar bear. Chet and Andy had shot the bear between them, and were proud of their haul.

"The first polar bear!" cried Andy. "I don't think it will be the last."

Before returning to the ship, the two boys went off on a little excursion by themselves. Pep Loggermore followed them, and tried to think of some way of keeping them from returning to the _Ice King_, but got no opportunity of carrying out his plan to do them harm.

At Etah a large quantity of meat was purchased from the Esquimaux, who had been awaiting Mr. Dawson's arrival for over a month. They had been out hunting bears, musk oxen, walrus, seals, and other game for him, and they had likewise collected for him over a hundred of the best Esquimaux dogs to be found. With the dogs they brought six sledges, that were light but strong.

"My, but those Esquimaux do smell!" was Andy's comment when ten of them came on board and took quarters in the forward part of the ship. "They smell worse than a fish market!"

The dogs were penned up, and made the air hideous with their barking and snarling. All the supplies were taken on board, and then the _Ice King_ steamed away from Etah on her voyage into the great Unknown.

"It's good-by now to everything, civilized and uncivilized," said Barwell Dawson. "From now on we have got to trust to luck as to what comes."

It was the explorer's plan to push as far as the ice would let him into Smith's Sound. Then, when the _Ice King_ could sail no further, they would disembark and prepare for the coming winter--the terrible Long Night. Now it was summer, and daylight at all hours of the twenty-four.

A good deal of floating ice was encountered within six hours after leaving Etah, and after that the thumping and grinding on the sides was kept up night and day. Although the vessel had full steam up, the engines were run slowly, as too hard a crash might result disastrously. Occasionally they could make out the shore line, but usually low icebergs shut the land from sight.

"I don't think we can go much further," remarked Andy, on the third day out from Etah. "The ice seems to be closing in all around us."

Nevertheless, the next day they struck a wide "lead," and ran through this for miles. But then the ice became thicker than ever, and Captain Williamson shook his head gravely.

"Not much further, Mr. Dawson," he said. "I think we had best make for the shore yonder," and he pointed with his gloved hand.

"As you think best, Captain," was the explorer's reply. "We have now come about as far as I thought we could go."

The boys watched the working of the vessel until late that night. When they awoke in the morning, they found that the engines had stopped. They dressed and ran on deck.

"Well, I never!" cried Andy. "We are high and dry now, and no mistake!"

All around them were immense fields of ice and snow. The _Ice King_ had slid up on the ice, and the big, transparent blocks held her as if in a vise. Not far away was an iceberg that looked like a small mountain.

"This is as far as the ship will go," said Professor Jeffer to the lads. "The rest of our journey will be made by walking, or on the dog sledges."

It was so cold the boys were glad enough to hurry below and drink some steaming coffee. While eating, they learned that Barwell Dawson had already arranged to take the most of the supplies ashore and house them on a hill not far away. The Esquimaux were getting out the sledges and dogs to do the carting.

"We'll go off on a hunt soon," said the explorer. "But before we do that we must get ready for winter, which will ere long be upon us."

Several days of hard labor for all hands followed, as many of the supplies were taken off the steamer and carted on the sledges to a small hill, upon which the Americans erected a living hut and a storehouse, and the Esquimaux put up half a dozen _igloos_ and dog shelters. The boys were glad to work, for it helped to keep their blood in circulation.

The Esquimaux had a perfect system regarding their dogs and sledges, and were under the leadership of a chief named Olalola. Olalola had the largest sledge and the best dogs, and it was a sight to see him load up and start his team of half a dozen or more.

Crack! would go the whip, and away the dogs would bound with their load. Sometimes the boys or the men would ride on the sledge, and Andy and Chet thought it the best sport they had ever experienced.

A week passed, and during that time they experienced two blinding snowstorms. But then the weather cleared off as if by magic, and Barwell Dawson asked the boys if they wanted to go off on a hunt after polar bears.

"Just the thing!" cried Andy, and Chet said practically the same.

It was decided that the party should be made up of Mr. Dawson, the boys, Olalola, and several others. The Esquimau was to take along some provisions on the sledge, for it was thought the party might be out several days.

"This is something like it!" cried Chet, as they trudged along over the snow and ice. "I hope we bag about a hundred polar bears!"

"Why not make it two hundred while you are at it?" answered his chum, dryly.

The first day was a disappointment, as no game of any sort appeared in sight. But on the following morning Olalola said there were bears ahead, and they soon came upon unmistakable traces of the game.

They were going toward an icy hill, and rounding this they saw at least a dozen bears. Telling the Esquimau and the others to remain to the rear, Barwell Dawson crept up on the bears, taking Andy and Chet with him.

"Don't fire until I give the command," said the hunter, and both boys nodded to signify that they understood.

It was a thrilling moment for Andy and Chet, but they were used to hunting big game, so they did not get nervous. Coming up within gunshot, Mr. Dawson gave the signal, and all three fired their weapons. One bear fell dead, and another was badly wounded.

"Hurrah! that's the way to do it!" cried Andy. "Come on, let us bag some more!"

He ran forward, and Chet and Mr. Dawson followed. The polar bears were evidently dumfounded, and did not know for the moment what to do. Some turned to run away, but others arose on their hind legs to do battle.

"Some of 'em are coming for us!" cried Chet, in alarm, and then Mr. Dawson's rifle spoke up, and another of the big fellows was laid low. But the other bears leaped for the boys, as if to hug them to death or eat them up.