CHAPTER IX
A STARTLING OCCURRENCE
As may be supposed, Jack Cosgrove was all excitement on the instant.He had not expected any such reply, and he was eager to learn thecause. As he started forward, he instinctively glanced down in questof evidence that Fred had passed there. There was none so far as hecould see, and, if there had been, it is not likely he would have beenable to identify it, since all the party had been over the same spot,and some of them more than once.
"What is it?" he asked, as he reached his friend.
"It may mean nothing, but a little distance beyond where we camped theice is broken and scratched as though some one has been that way."
"So there has, we were there yesterday afternoon."
"I haven't forgotten that, but these marks are at a place where wehaven't been, that is unless it was Fred."
"How did you manage to find them in the dark?"
"I didn't; I groped over the ice as far as I could, and then sat downand waited for day. I must have slept awhile, but when it was growinglight I happened to look around, and there, within a few feet of me,on my right hand, I noticed the ice scratched and broken, as thoughsome one had found it hard work to get along. I was about to startright after him, when I thought it best to tarry for you. It is now somuch lighter that we shall learn something worth knowing."
Even in their excitement they paused a few minutes to gaze out uponthe ocean, as it was rapidly illumined by the rising sun. Before longtheir vision extended for miles, but the looked-for sight was notthere. On every hand, as far as the eye could penetrate, was nothingbut the heaving expanse of icy water.
Whether they were within a comparatively short distance of Greenlandor not, they were not nigh enough to catch the first glimpse of thecoast.
Several miles to the eastward towered an iceberg, apparently as largeas the one upon which they were drifting. Its pinnacles, domes,arches, plateaus, spires, and varied forms sparkled and scintillatedin the growing sunlight, displaying at times all the colors of thespectrum, and making a picture beautiful beyond description.
To the northward and well down in the horizon, was another berg,smaller than the first, and too far off to attract interest. A stillsmaller one was visible midway between the two, and a peculiarappearance of the sea in the same direction, Jack said, was caused bya great ice field.
Not a ship was to be seen anywhere. Their view to the southward wasexcluded by the bulk of the iceberg, on which they were floating.
"There's nothing there for us," remarked Rob with a sigh.
"You're right; lead the way and let's see what you found."
It took them but a few minutes to reach the place the lad had in mind,and they had no sooner done so than the sailor was certain animportant discovery had been made.
Where there was so much irregularity of shape as on an iceberg, aclear description is impossible; but, doing the best we can, it may besaid that the spot was a hundred feet back from where the threehuddled together with an expectation of spending the night untilmorning. It was only a little higher, and was attained by carefullypicking one's way over the jagged ice, which afforded secure footing,now that day had come.
Adjoining the place, from which the party diverged to the left, was alift or shelf on the right, and distant only two or three paces. Itwas no more than waist high, and, therefore, was readily reached byany one who chose to clamber upon it.
It is no easy matter to trace one over the ice, but the signs of whichRob had spoken were too plain to be mistaken. There were scratches,such as would have been made by a pair of shoes, a piece of the edgewas broken off, and marks beyond were visible similar to those whichit would be supposed any one would make in clambering over the flintysurface.
Jack stood a minute or two studying these signs as eagerly as anAmerican Indian might scrutinize the faint trail of an enemy throughthe forest.
"By the great horned spoon!" he finally exclaimed; "but that does lookencouraging; I shouldn't wonder if the chap did make his way alongthere in the night, but why he done it only he can tell. Howsumever,where has he gone?"
That was the question which Rob Carrol had asked himself more thanonce, and was unable to answer. The ice, for a distance of anotherhundred feet, looked as if it might be scaled, but, just beyond that,towered a perpendicular wall, like the side of a glass mountain. Therecould be no progress any farther in that direction, nor, so far ascould be judged, could any one advance by turning to the right orleft.
There must be numerous depressions and cavities, sufficient to hide adozen men, and it was in one of these the couple believed they wouldfind the dead or senseless body of their friend.
"Jack," said Rob, "take my gun."
"What for?"
"I'll push on ahead as fast as I can; I can't wait, and the weaponwill only hinder me."
"I've an idee of doing something of the kind myself, so we'll leave'em here. I don't think they'll wash away like the boat," he added, ashe carefully placed them on the shelf, up which they proceeded toclimb.
But Rob was in advance and maintained his place, gaining all the timeupon his slower companion, who allowed him to draw away from himwithout protest.
"There's no need of a chap tiring himself to death," concluded Jack,as he fell back to a more moderate pace; "he's younger nor me, and itwon't hurt him to get a bump or so."
Rob was climbing with considerable skill. In his eagerness he slippedseveral times, but managed to maintain his footing and to advance witha steadiness which caused considerable admiration on the part of hismore sluggish companion.
He used his eyes for all they were worth, and the signs that hadroused his hope at first were still seen at intervals, and cheered himwith the growing belief that he was on the right track.
"But why don't we hear something of him?" he abruptly asked himself,stopping short with shuddering dread in his heart; "he could not haveremained asleep all this time, and, if he has been hurt so as to makehim senseless, more than likely he is dead."
The youth was now nearing the ice wall, to which we have referred, andbeyond which it looked impossible to go. The furtive glances into thedepressions on his right and left showed nothing of his loved friend,and the evidences of his progress were still in front. The solution ofthe singular mystery must be at hand.
Unconsciously Rob slowed his footsteps, and looked and listened withgreater care than before.
"What can it mean? Where can he have gone? I see no way by which hecould have pushed farther, and yet he is not in sight--"
He paused, for he discovered his error. The path, if such it may betermed, which he had been following, turned so sharply to the rightthat it could not be seen until one was upon it. How far it penetratedin that direction remained to be learned.
Rob turned about and looked at Jack, who was several rods to the rear,making his way upward with as much deliberation as though he felt nopersonal interest in the business.
"I'm going a little farther, Jack, but I think we're close upon himnow. Hurry after me!"
"Ay, ay," called the sailor, in return; "when you run afoul of the ladgive him my love and tell him I'm coming."
This remark proved that he shared the hope of Rob, who was now actingthe part of pioneer, and it did not a little to encourage the boy topush on with the utmost vigor at his command.
The sailor was somewhat winded from his unusual exertions, and,believing there was no immediate need of his help, sat down for a fewminutes to regain his breath.
"He'll yell the moment he catches sight of anything, and he can dothat so well that he don't need any help from me--by the great hornedspoon! what's the meaning of that?"
Rob Carrol, who had been out of sight but a few seconds, now burst toview again, the picture of terror. He was plunging toward the sailorwith such desperate haste that he continually stumbled and bruisedhimself. But he instantly scrambled up again, glancing in mortalfright over his shoulder, and barely able to gasp as he dashed towardthe sailor:
"
O Jack! we're lost! we're lost! Heaven help us!"