A BATTLE BENEATH THE ARCTIC MOON
"THE TREASURE CITY"
"We'll stick 'ere behint th' connin'-tower," the engineer explained to
Dave, as the submarine, turning, put off up the dark channel which
separated the solid shore-ice from the great drift of ice-floe that
lay beyond.
"If they submerge," suggested Dave, "we'll have a slim chance."
"H'I doubt if they understant that much," mumbled the engineer between
chattering teeth. "H'anyway, right 'ere's where h'I stick, h'and once th'
bloomin' 'eathen show a 'ead above the 'atchway, h'I 'ates t' think
what'll 'appen to 'im."
"Perhaps the channel will close in and drive them ashore," suggested Dave
hopefully, as he drew his mackinaw more closely about him and crouched
nearer to the conning-tower, that he might avoid the cutting air and icy
spray which reached him from the prow of the submarine.
"Mayhap," mumbled the engineer, snuggling close.
But the channel did not close. Also, the submarine did not submerge; it
plowed straight on through the dark waters of the channel.
Night passed and the pale Arctic sun revealed the two figures huddling,
half-frozen, behind the conning-tower. Daylight brought little comfort,
serving only to remind them that they had no coffee for breakfast;
indeed, had no breakfast at all. This set the engineer to muttering
threats against the stranger who had stolen the submarine, and caused him
for the hundredth time to remark:
"H'I 'ates t' think what'll 'appen t' 'em, once h'I gets me 'ands on
'em."
But the intruders stayed below while, slowly, the sun ran its brief
course and then painted the ice-spires with shadows of deep purple. As
the night came on, the two men were forced to move about to keep from
freezing. Tip-toeing along, avoiding heavy glass windows, they conversed
in low tones.
"We've been h'at h'it now goin' h'on twenty-four 'ours," murmured Jarvis.
"H'it's two hundred h'an' forty miles, h'an' h'our course u'd be shorter
than a reindeer's. H'if that bloomin' 'eathen that spoke of th' treasure
city told truth, h'I'm one fer believin' we're nearin' th' spot."
Jarvis spoke more cheerfully than he had at any time during the strange
journey. Dave smiled, as he wondered whether this was due to the fact
their walk had warmed them somewhat, or his rising hopes that they would
at least get to see the fabled treasure city.
"Tell me," Jarvis whispered, "do my h'old h'eyes deceive me, or h'is
there a line of dark h'over t' th' right of y'?" His hand trembled as
he pointed.
Dave looked long and earnestly. The moon shone very brightly. The snow
brought out dark objects with such vividness that it would not be too
much to expect to see large objects twenty miles away.
"I think your eyes are all right," he said slowly.
"Then that 'ud be th' forest by the river. Th' treasure city 'ud be just
by the 'arbor h'at th' mouth of th' river, Dave. H'I 'ates t' think 'ow
richer we'll be." The old man gripped Dave's hand.
As for Dave, he was silent. He was thinking first of the struggle that
could not now be far distant. It would be a bitter fight, with odds in
favor of the other party. However, he hoped the enemy had been weakened
by the earlier combat. Then he thought of the men they had so
unexpectedly left behind; of the Doctor who depended upon him, and of the
gobs who had served under him, a boy, so faithfully. Such thoughts left
him in no mood to think of treasure.
He was about to say as much to his companion when there came a rattle at
the hatch of the sub.
Quickly he and the engineer crouched behind the conning-tower. Their
breath coming hard, their hearts beating fast, they waited.
The throbbing of the engine stopped. The submarine glided silently
on. The deathlike stillness was ended by the dull groan of a
hatchway lifting. Armed each with a knife and a heavy ice-anchor,
the two men waited.
* * * * *
In the meantime, during this twenty-four hours, so eventful to Dave and
the engineer, other things were happening on the shore by the native
village. When Rainey, who had been on guard at the time of the stealing
of the "sub," had been found and brought back to consciousness, he could
give no account of affairs, other than that he had been struck a violent
blow on the head, and after that, remembered nothing.
For a single moment dark suspicion rested on Dave and the engineer. Some
of the crew had heard them talking of the treasure city ten days' journey
to the west, and had heard Jarvis remark that he "'ated t' think 'ow
rich they'd be." Could it be possible they had seized the submarine and
deserted the party for the sake of gain to themselves? For a moment faith
wavered, then their better natures triumphed.
"Not them," they declared. "Not Dave and old Jarvis."
To this the Doctor heartily agreed. And, though his disappointment was
great at having the expedition again delayed, and, perhaps, entirely
thwarted, he turned his mind at once to matters of the hour.
Gathering his men about him, he outlined hastily a line of action for
them in the present crisis. They were, he reasoned, in a perilous
situation.
Several hundred miles west of any point reached by white whalers and
traders, marooned with two hundred superstitious natives, who to-day
worshipped them, but to-morrow, upon discovering the disappearance of the
"spirit-whale," might turn upon them, they would be obliged to make use
of every resource and every strategy to save their lives, should the
submarine fail to return. His plan was, to deal fairly with the natives
and keep their good will, if that were possible.
Fortunately, they had taken from the submarine ten good rifles with a
hundred rounds of ammunition. Natives were seen at all hours of the day
dragging behind them the carcasses of seal, oogrook (big-seal), and even
polar bear. If these could be secured with the aid of such primitive
weapons as harpoon and lance, they with their rifles might hope to
secure an ample supply of the meat. And it had been proved that even a
white man could live the winter through on a diet of meat and blubber in
right proportions. They might also, at times, be able to trade for
reindeer meat.
They would remain at the village until no hope remained that the
submarine would return, then they would endeavor to get a store of meat,
some reindeer, and deerskin sleeping bags, and make their way east to
some point reached in summer by traders.
Three of the large skin-houses had already been turned over to them by
the natives. These would provide ample shelter. Two were at once arranged
as bunk-houses and the third as cook-shack.
When this had been done, with two men on guard, they turned in and slept.
Next morning, at six o'clock, four hours before daylight, every man was
called out and assigned duties. It was the custom of the natives to
depart for the hunting-ground at that hour. They should follow the same
custom. Dividing themselves into two parties, one to watch camp, the
other to hunt, they immediately set about their tasks.
The first day's hunt was under the direction of Azazruk, the Eskimo. The
results were more than gratifying. Two ringed seals, one oogrook, ten
feet long, and one young polar bear were the bag for the day.
"A full week's supply of meat," smiled the Doctor, rubbing his hands in
high glee. In his interest in this new game, he had for the moment quite
forgotten his great disappointment at the loss of the sub.
It was while they were smacking their lips over a hamburger, made of bear
meat, that they were surprised by a young native, who rushed into their
tent without the accustomed shouted salutation, seemingly quite beside
himself with fear.
For some time nothing intelligible could be gathered from his excited
chatter. But finally Azazruk made out that only an hour before, as he
watched the reindeer, a great hairy monster had dashed at the herd,
scattering it far and wide, and carrying away a yearling buck as easily
as if it had been a rabbit.
"Probably a white bear," suggested Rainey.
"Not probable," said the Doctor. "A bear would eat his prey where it
was slain."
"A wolf?"
"Couldn't do it."
"Well, what then?"
All eyes were turned toward the Doctor.
"You will judge me insane if I tell you what I think it was," he
answered. "But here you are; I think it was a tiger."
"A tiger?"
"Tiger?"
Every man voiced his unbelief.
"A tiger in the Arctic?"
"Impossible!"
"That's absurd."
For answer the Doctor drew from his notebook a newspaper clipping,
bidding Rainey read it aloud. The article was entitled "THE RUSSIAN
TIGER" and was an account of the slaying of a gigantic man-eater by an
American officer when American troops were stationed at Vladivostok, in
eastern Russia.
"At that point," explained the Doctor, "they have about eight months of
winter with a thermometer that drops far below zero. It may well be
considered a part of the Arctic. Yet, as you see, they have tigers there;
indeed, I am told they are not at all uncommon. So why not up here?" No
one had a ready answer, and at last the Doctor spoke again:
"In the meantime, what are we going to do about it? It would seem that
the natives are appealing to us for aid."
Rainey at once sprang to his feet, exclaiming:
"Count me one to go hunt the beast, whatever it is."
At once the others were on their feet shouting their eagerness for the
hunt.
The Doctor chose a gob named Thompson to accompany Rainey on his
"tiger hunt," or whatever it might prove to be. Rainey was well
pleased at the choice, for Thompson was a sure shot and a cool, nervy
hand in time of danger.
"If I don't hear from you by morning," said the Doctor, "I shall send a
relief expedition."
Rainey had fully recovered from the affair of the previous day. Both he
and Thompson had been among the guarding party that day, so were fresh
and keen for work. They found the moonlight making the wide stretches of
ice and snow light as day.
"_ Some_ night and _some_ game!" murmured Rainey, as they emerged
from the tent.
* * * * *
When the men in native garb, who had stolen the submarine, lifted the
hatch to take an observation, they were utterly unaware of the presence
of two figures crouching behind the conning-tower. This, in spite of the
fact that the men wore their long knives strapped to their waists, gave
Dave and the engineer a decided advantage--an advantage they were not
slow to make the most of.
Fortunately, the robbers crowded up the hatchway, all eager to catch a
first view of the reputed gold valley, in which lay the treasure city.
As the third head peeped above the hatch, Jarvis sprang at them. Swinging
his ice-anchor, an ugly cudgel of bent iron with a chilled steel point,
he sent two of the villains sprawling at a single blow. Meanwhile, Dave,
who had grappled with the third man, made a misstep and together they
plunged down the hatchway. His opponent landed full on Dave's stomach,
and so crushed the breath from him that for a second the lad could not
move. But instantly, he realized that he must act. The man was attempting
to draw his long knife. Thrusting out a hand, Dave gripped the point of
the blade in its soft leather sheath so tightly that it could not be
withdrawn.
Struggling with every ounce of strength, the two men were rolling over
and over on the deck. The stranger was heavier and evidently older than
Dave, but the American had one advantage. He was dressed only in woolens.
The heavy skin clothing of his antagonist hampered his action. In spite
of this, Dave felt himself losing out in the battle. The stranger's hand
was gripping closer and closer to his throat, and he felt his own hand
losing its hold on the knife-blade, when he heard a welcome roar from the
hatchway. It was Jarvis. With one leap he was at Dave's side. For an old
man, he was surprisingly quick. Yet, he was not too quick, for the
murderous knife was swinging above Dave's chest and a hand was at his
throat, when Jarvis clove the assailant's skull with his ice-anchor.
With a groan the man collapsed. The knife clattered to the deck. Jarvis
dropped to the floor panting.
"Are you hurt?" he gasped.
"No! Are you?"
"Not a scratch. Some jolly little weapon, them ice-h'anchors. H'I'll wear
one of 'em h'in me belt from now on! H'I 'ates t' think 'ow cold th'
water was when h'I pitched 'em h'in, them other two."
"Kill 'em?"
"Not that bad. But mebby they'll drown. H'I'll go see. H'I'd 'ate t' see
'em climbin' back."
He hurried up the hatchway, followed closely by Dave.
Not a sign of the two men was to be seen, either on the submarine, in the
water or on the solid shore-ice, a few rods away.
"What d' y' think of that?" asked Jarvis, mopping his brow. "They're
gone!"
"Perhaps they drowned."
"Mebbe drowned--mebby they're 'id h'in th' h'ice."
"Well, anyway, we're rid of them," said Dave. "We'll sew the dead one up
in a blanket and throw him overboard; then we'll be going back. Think how
all fussed up the Doctor will be." The boy chuckled.
"Going back?" Jarvis stared, as if unable to believe his ears. "Going
back? And the treasure city within peep of h'our h'eyes. Going back, did
y' say? H'I 'ates t' think 'ow rich we'll be, you an' me."
The sun was setting behind the dark line of timber. Some object at a
point where the timber ended and the tundra began cast back the sunlight
with a golden glow.
"D' y' see it, lad?" exclaimed the excited old man. "D'y'see it?
H'it's gold."