Part 19 (1/2)

Jack sighed and opened his eyes.

”Let's get him on board the yacht at once,” exclaimed the captain.

First, however, he pa.s.sed his hand along each limb, and then felt Jack's ribs.

The patient winced at the last experiment and uttered a low cry.

”Legs and arms all right,” muttered the captain, as he with our hero's help carried the boy to the small boat; ”so, if a rib's broken, he must consider himself well out of a bad sc.r.a.pe.”

Bob again pulled his hardest, and when alongside the yacht his comrade with some difficulty was got on board.

It was not until late that evening that Jack was able to tell of his wonderful escape.

”I don't know much about it,” he said, ”but never shall I forget the awful feeling as I shot over the edge of the precipice.

”Of course I thought that I should fall down a well that penetrated right through the berg into the sea.

”However, instead of that, I did not fall a great distance before I came down feet first among a lot of pieces of loose ice, or, if not loose, they gave way with me, and together we went clattering down a second slope.

”All of a sudden I was pulled up by my rifle, which was slung round my shoulders, getting jammed across the pa.s.sage.

”I tried to gain my feet, but failed; the slope was too smooth and steep.

”There was but one thing for it, and that was to go on.

”I slipped the sling over my head, and away I went again.

”Then came another fall.

”This nearly knocked me senseless.

”I just remember another slide, then daylight, then a last fall, and I lost all consciousness, only coming to myself to find you leaning over me.”

”How is your side?” asked the captain. ”Your escape was most wonderful.

Another foot farther, and you would have been drowned.”

”It was, as you say, a narrow escape. As for my side, I must say it's rather painful.”

However, on the captain pressing it, he came to the conclusion that no ribs were broken.

It was bandaged up, and Jack was able to walk about, thankful that things were not worse.

Chapter IX.--The Volcano Of Ice.

For three long days the _Dart_ bore away northwest, the direction in which the last had been seen of the missing boat.

”Luckily it's the right course to steer for the Siberian coast,”