Part 28 (1/2)
But the longer he looked, the rined beyond measure A European here, so near the Pole!
The footprints extended for about a quarter of a ed to the west Should the travellers follow theo on”
He was interrupted by an exclamation froave still in It was part of a pocket spy-glass!
”Well, if we still had any doubts about the footmarks, this settles the case at once, at any rate,” said Clawbonny
”Forward!” exclaietically, that instinctively each one obeyed, and the march was resun of the presence of suspected rivals was discovered, and they prepared to encaht
The tent was pitched in a ravine for shelter, as the sky was dark and threatening, and a violent north as blowing
”I'ht,” said Johnson
”A pretty noisy one, I expect,” replied the Doctor, ”but not cold We had better take every precaution, and fasten down our tent with good big stones”
”You are right, Mr Clawbonny If the hurricane swept away our tent, I don't knohere we should find it again”
[Illustration: ]
The tent held fast, but sleep was ied with tremendous violence
”It see a brief lull in the deafening roar,” as if I could hear the sound of collisions between icebergs and ice-fields If ere near the sea, I could really believe there was a general break-up in the ice”
”I can't explain the noises any other way,” said Johnson
”Can we have reached the coast, I wonder?” asked Hatteras
”It is not impossible,” replied Clawbonny ”Listen! Do you hear that crash? That is certainly the sound of icebergs falling We cannot be very far from the ocean”
”Well, if it turn out to be so, I shall push right on over the ice-fields”
”Oh, they'll be all broken up after such a stors; but all I can say is, if any poor fellows are wandering about in a night like this, I pity them
The storm lasted for ten hours, and the weary travellers anxiously watched for theAbout daybreak its fury seemed to have spent itself, and Hatteras, accompanied by Bell and Altamont, ventured to leave the tent They clih, which coion aze! All the ice had completely vanished, the storm had chased away the winter, and stripped the soil everywhere of its snow covering
[Illustration: Three hours afterwards they arrived at the coast, and shouted simultaneously, ”The sea! the sea!”--P206]
But Hatteras scarcely bestowed a glance on surrounding objects; his eager gaze was bent on the northern horizon, which appeared shrouded in black gested Clawbonny
”You are right The sea must be there,” was the reply