"We have got to have something to eat," declared Chet. "I am going to have one square meal, if I have to die tomorrow!"

"Chet!" exclaimed Andy, reprovingly.

"We'll kill one of the dogs and eat him," said Barwell Dawson. "It's the only way out of it."

CHAPTER XXIX

FIGHTING OFF STARVATION

Yet to kill off one of the dogs was a serious undertaking, as they well knew. In that country to travel without a dog sledge was all but impossible, and the remaining animals might fail them at any moment.

"Let us wait until tomorrow," said Andy. "Something may turn up."

"I'd rather have something to eat now," growled Chet.

"I will deal out a little pemmican," answered Barwell Dawson, and served each person about five ounces.

Then, with increasing slowness, they covered three miles more. Ahead was a little hill, and the explorer thought to climb this and take a look around, to get his bearings.

Hardly had he climbed the hill when he uttered a cry, calling the others to him.

"There is something to our right," he said. "Some dark object half hidden in the snow."

"Perhaps another memento of the Peary expedition," grumbled Chet. "I don't want any more of 'em--I want to get back."

"We'll have a look," cried Andy. He turned to his chum. "Come, brace up, Chet, and stop grumbling, that's a good fellow."

"All right!" exclaimed Chet, suddenly. "I suppose you've got as much right to grumble as I have. But my stomach is as flat as a pancake," he continued, woefully. "I could fill up on sawdust, if I had any."

All of the party set off in the direction of the object Barwell Dawson had discovered. The explorer was in advance, and suddenly he set up a ringing shout:

"Saved! saved!"

"What do you mean?" asked Chet, quickly.

"It is our old sledge--the one the dogs ran away with. It is stuck in a crack of the ice."

"Are the stores on it?" asked Andy.

"Yes, everything seems to be here," returned the explorer, joyfully.

How the sledge had gotten there they did not know, and, at that moment, they did not care. Probably the floating ice had b.u.mped against the sh.o.r.e and the dogs had started northward, not knowing what else to do.

Then the sledge had become caught in the crack, and the dogs, growing impatient, had broken their harness. They had gnawed at the coverings of the stores, but had been unable to get at the food, and had then disappeared utterly.

The finding of the sledge with its provisions, and its supply of alcohol, filled the entire party with joy, and they uttered a prayer to Heaven for their deliverance from what looked to be starvation. As quickly as it could be done, they fixed the little stove and lit it, and made themselves a steaming hot broth, which they devoured with gusto.

Then they fed the dogs, built a rough _igloo_, and sank down in a profound slumber, from which n.o.body awakened until ten hours later.

"Although we have found these supplies, we must be very sparing of them," said Barwell Dawson, when they awoke. "There is no telling when or how we will be able to get more--certainly not until we have joined the rest of our party, and gotten down to where we can find game."

All were now anxious to rejoin those who had been left behind, and they journeyed steadily southward as fast as the weather would permit. They had one wide lead to cross, and it took a whole day to get to the south sh.o.r.e. Then came more snow, and they had to lose a day.

But luck was with them, and one day, late in the afternoon, they heard a loud shout, and saw an Esquimau, standing on a hillock of ice, waving his arms at them. It was Olalola, and they soon reached him.

"Chief Dawson reach the Big Nail?" asked the Esquimau, eagerly.

"We did," was the answer.

"Olalola much glad," went on the native, and his smiling face proved his words.

All in the camp, including Dr. Slade, who was better, were glad that those who had gone to the Pole had returned, and the very next day everything was packed on the sledges, and the journey to the ship was begun. The food supply was very low, and all the extra dogs were killed and fed to the other canines. The Esquimaux lived on blubber and walrus meat. The boys tried blubber once, but had to give it up.

"It turns me wrong side out in a minute," was the way Andy expressed it.

As they drew further south the weather moderated, for which they were thankful. But they had much open water to cross, and this consumed a good deal of time.

"I wouldn't mind it, if only we could find something to eat," said Chet.

He suffered more from hunger than did any of the others, for he had always been a hearty eater.

The next morning there was great excitement among the natives. A musk-ox had been seen, and all were eager for the hunt.

"We must get that beast by all means," said Andy. "Think what it means--ox-roast galore!"

The trail of the game was readily followed, and about seven o'clock in the evening the hunters came upon a herd of six musk oxen, resting in the shelter of a small hill. They surrounded the game, and succeeded in bringing down three of them. The others were pursued, but managed to get away.

"This ends short rations," was Chet's comment, and his eyes brightened wonderfully. What he said was true, and that evening the explorers enjoyed a better meal than they had had for many weeks. The Esquimaux and dogs came in for their full share, and the big meal put even Estankawak in good humor, and he thought no more of deserting them.

As they came down into the heart of Ellesmere Land they picked up Mr.

Camdal and his party. They shot other game, and so had all the food they could eat, and more. The hunting just suited Barwell Dawson, for, as he told the boys, he was more of a hunter than he was an explorer.

"How soon do you suppose we'll reach the _Ice King_?" asked Andy, one day.

"If we have luck, we ought to sight the vessel in four or five days."

"Will you sail for home at once?"

"I think so, Andy. I presume you'll be glad to get back," and Mr. Dawson smiled faintly.

"Yes and no," replied the youth. "I won't know what to do after I return. I don't want to live with Uncle Si."

"You ought to go on another hunt for those missing papers."

"I'll do that, of course."

"And even if you can't find them, I'll look into the matter, and see if I can't learn what rights your father had in that timber tract. I'll not have much to do myself for a while. I'll not want to go on another exploring expedition in a hurry."