CHAPTER XXVI THE SPARKLE OF DIAMONDS
Just as Joe and Jennings had finished their breakfast of polar bear meatand were preparing to go forward, the broad cake of ice on which they hadcamped gave a sudden lurch, then rose to such an angle as threatened topitch them all into a yawning gap of black water.
Joe sprang forward. The dogs howled dismally. Only Jennings kept hishead.
"Wonder if that's the beginning of a break-up?" he said, wrinkling hisbrow. "If it is, every man-buck of that exploring party's lost and we'llbe doin' fine if we escape ourselves. It's a tremendous affair when thisice gets to pilin'. Big cakes, wide as a city lot and thick as aone-story house, climb on top of each other like kittens playin' with ayarn ball. What's a man's chance in a mess like that?"
There was, however, no thought of turning back. As long as there was achance of saving Munson's party their duty lay straight ahead. Only onepart of their plans was changed. It was decided that they would packtheir dogs as burros are packed on mountain trails and that until thereturn trip their sled should be abandoned.
It was a strange procession that started out over the roughly piled ice.Jennings, with a bulky sleeping-bag strapped to his back, led the way. Hewas followed by a long line of dogs. On each dog's back was securelyfastened a long strip of meat. Joe brought up the rear with the othersleeping-bag.
Had an airplane passed over them as they moved forward, its pilot mighthave seen what seemed some huge brown worm wriggling its way in and outamong the ice piles.
To their great relief the ocean staged no more demonstrations. The iceremained motionless. All day, guided by a compass, they made their wayforward. Far into the night they traveled. Two hours after midnight theyate and rested, then again pushed forward.
Just as the tardy sun was rising, they heard a shot in the distance and,to their great joy, found themselves a few moments later being cheeredlustily by the worn-out and starving explorers.
Soon, over a fire of bear fat, caribou meat was roasting.
When, an hour later, they started back over the trail it was with highhopes of reaching shore in safety. Yet many a mile of treacherous ice laybetween them and that coveted goal.
* * * * * * * *
The sight which met Curlie Carson's gaze as he finally mustered upcourage to creep up to the corner of the food depot building and peeraround it, made his blood boil hot with anger.
Before him, crouching over and placing the last contributions to a hugebonfire of excelsior, paper and packing-boxes piled against the building,was the outlaw.
"Guessed right," Curlie told himself, "and just in time. A moment moreand the thing would have been done, the house all aflame. He means toburn it, but he won't."
A second glance showed him the outlaw's sled piled high and his dog teamgrouped about it.
"All ready to race away," he breathed as he tightened his muscles for aspring.
It was a desperate chance. Three paces from the man a rifle leanedagainst the cabin. The man was between Curlie and the rifle. There wasnot a moment to lose.
With a snarl like a tiger Curlie sprang for the other's back. They wentcrashing to the snow in a heap.
The struggle was brief and terrific. When they broke their hold Curliewas bruised and bleeding but he had gained a point--an all importantpoint. He was now between the man and his rifle.
Quicker than a cat, he sprang for it and the next instant aimed it squareat the other's breast.
With a wild cry of terror the man turned and fled toward the shore whereice was piled in jagged heaps.
Still panting from his recent struggle, Curlie followed him slowly. Hewas examining the rifle. It was of a new design, totally unknown to him.
"Good thing he didn't know I couldn't fire it," he breathed. "They saywhat you don't know don't hurt you. Well, that's one time it did."
After a moment's struggle he discovered the rifle's secret. He smiled ashe walked out upon the ocean's ice.
"Thinks he can hide from me. Guess he failed to notice that in thisstill, cold air one's breath rises far above him. He'll have to stopbreathing if he wishes to escape."
He walked straight toward a high ice-pile and a moment later had thepleasure of seeing a dark object dart away from it.
"I could shoot him," he told himself. "Deserves it too. Trying to burnthose supplies and leave thirty men to freeze and starve! Wonder why hedid it? I'll find out. I'll tire him out, then capture him. After thatI'll ask him."
But he never did.
The game of hide-and-go-seek had lasted for two hours, when the manpursued started straight across a broad expanse of ice which was smoothas a floor.
"That looks dangerous--looks like new ice," gasped Curlie as he threwhimself flat down upon it.
With his sheath knife he hacked at it until a stream of water camebubbling up and he heard the wild rush of the current that raced onbeneath it.
"Not more than half an inch thick!" he breathed to himself.
The next instant he was on his feet, backing off the ice and shouting:"Hey! Hey, there! Danger! Danger! Thin ice! Dan--"
He did not complete the last word, for just at that minute there came awild shout of despair.
Splitting from end to end, the ice caved in at the middle. For a momentthe man clung to the edge, then the current seized him.
Just before he disappeared his right hand went up and a shower of"sparks," which glimmered and glistened like stars, went shimmering awayacross the dark water to light upon a broad stretch of ice which had notbroken.
"Diamonds!" breathed Curlie. "Diamonds and rubies from Russia! He was thesmuggler chief. Wonder why he threw them that way?"
The question had no answer. Yet, there they lay, thousands of dollarsworth of jewels.
"Out of a fellow's reach for the present," Curlie told himself, "but Iguess if the ice doesn't break up any more for a day or two it will beeasy to come out and pick them out of the ice.
"And now," he told himself, "I must get in some quick work in behalf ofour friends, the explorers. With a whole reindeer herd at my disposal Iought to be able to do something."
He walked away for a hundred yards, then paused to look back.
"It's tough," he told himself, "tough to be blinked out like that. Noquestion he deserved it, but there's so much bad in the best of us thatwe can well afford to feel a lot of pity for the worst of us."
With this he turned and hurried away toward the shore.