FIGHTING WILD DOGS
For a moment the realization of their horrible position struck all dumb.
Adrift on the great polar sea, they might freeze to death before they
again got near to the main land. The dogs continued to run on,
approaching nearer the ever-widening crack in front. The driver seemed
to suddenly awaken to the danger.
With a series of sharp commands he brought the team to a halt. Then,
signing to the adventurers to get off the sled, he turned it over on the
side.
Next he unhitched the dogs, and fastened them by their thongs to his
whip handle, which he stuck in a crack in the ice. The beasts were thus
secured at some distance from the sled.
This done, the Esquimaux took the fur robes that had been on the sleigh,
and, spreading them over the frame of the vehicle, made a low but fairly
large and comfortable tent. He motioned for the men and boys to crawl
inside, which they were glad enough to do, to escape the bitter wind.
Then the native sat down in the low doorway of the shelter and seemed
willing to wait for whatever turned up.
"It doesn't seem to worry him much," observed Andy.
"He certainly has made us comfortable," said Jack. "I wonder what we are
going to do?"
"Wait and see what turns up," advised the professor. "We are on a large
ice floe. It may float for many days, and, after a while, strike the
main ice again. When it does we will escape."
"Yes, an' what am we goin' to eat in dat time?" demanded Washington.
With a triumphant gesture Jack pulled from his pocket a tin can. It
contained the patent condensed food capsules.
"Hurrah!" cried the professor on seeing it. "This will keep us from
starving for many days!"
"Lucky I didn't lose this after all I've been through," said Jack.
The meagre rations were distributed, the Esquimaux driver coming in for
his share. The patent food, though a small quantity sufficed for a meal,
was fairly satisfying, and soon all felt better. It was quite warm under
the little tent, and the adventurers stretched out for a rest.
They had been dozing several hours when a series of wild yelps and
barks outside roused them. With an exclamation the driver jumped to his
feet and rushed toward where he had tied the dogs.
The professor and the others crawled from the tent to see what the
trouble was. They saw that which filled them with fear.
The Esquimaux dogs, never any too tame, had gone half mad and wild from
fear at seeing the water all around them, and from lack of food. They
were fighting among themselves, snarling, biting and barking viciously.
Just before the driver reached them they broke loose from the thongs
that held them, and started for the tent. The Esquimaux tried to stop
them, but two of the savage brutes sprang at him and soon had him down
on the ice. The other dogs rushed on toward the group of adventurers,
who stood still, awaiting the onslaught, and not knowing what to do.
"We must defend ourselves!" cried Andy. "Those beasts will tear us
apart! They are as savage as wolves! Oh, for my rifle!"
"Haven't you a revolver?" cried Jack.
"Of course! I forgot," said Andy, bringing out his two weapons.
"Washington has one, too! Hurry up with it, Washington!"
"I'll give mine to Jack!" yelled the negro, handing the boy the weapon,
and then, taking to his heels, ran away from the on-coming brutes.
The animals were now fifty feet off and advancing rapidly. Their eyes
flashed with the mad rage of hunger and fear, while foam dripped from
their jaws.
Taking careful aim, Andy fired both revolvers at the pack of animals.
They were so close together he could not help hitting some. Two fell,
killed or badly wounded.
Jack also fired and dropped one dog. But the others came on, never
halting.
"Fire as fast as you can!" cried Andy. "It is our only chance! We must
stop them!"
The old hunter and Jack pulled the triggers of their weapons rapidly.
Spurts of flame and small clouds of smoke issued from the muzzles, and
several more of the dogs were killed.
There were at least a dozen dogs left when the revolver chambers were
empty, and with wild bounds they leaped upon the adventurers. The
yelping and barking sounded loud above the hoarse shouts of the men and
boys, who, with their fists, prepared to fight the wild dogs.
"Hit 'em with chunks of ice!" called Andy.
His advice came just in time. Each one grabbed up a chunk of the frozen
water. It was as hard as a stone. One big brute leaped for the
professor's throat. In his weakened condition, caused by his exposure in
the ice chamber, it seemed as if the old inventor would be killed.
Suddenly a white object flew through the air. It struck the dog on the
head, and the brute, with a howl, fell back. Jack had launched his chunk
of ice just in time.
"Good shot!" cried Andy.
He hit another of the brutes over the skull with some of the frozen
stuff, and Washington, whose courage had returned, did likewise. Tom and
Bill disabled the two dogs nearest them.
Mark aimed at once fierce beast, but missed his shot, and, slipping on
the ice, fell right in the animal's path. In an instant the brute was
upon him.
"Lie on your back and cover your head with your arms!" shouted Andy, as
he ran toward the animal. Mark did as he was told. The dog endeavored to
bite him, but the stout furs on his back prevented much damage being
done. Then, having secured a large chunk of ice, Andy ran up behind the
beast and stretched it out with a well-directed blow. Mark was saved,
and scrambled to his feet uninjured.
Suddenly there sounded a series of sharp reports as if a rifle was
being discharged. The refugees looked up, expecting to see some armed
force coming to their aid. Instead, they beheld the Esquimaux driver
approaching on the run. He was swinging his long-lashed whip, which he
had secured from the crack in the ice where he had stuck it, and was
snapping it vigorously.
At the same time he called in his native language to the dogs to lie
down. The brutes heard the cracking of the cruel thong, whose force they
knew but too well, and they recognized their master's voice. On came the
Esquimaux, until, reaching the pack of dogs, he laid about among them
with good will, the blows of the whip bringing blood.
Sticking their tails between their legs, the remaining dogs ran away
with frightened yelps. The driver had come in the nick of time.
"That was quite a fright!" panted Andy, when the excitement was at an
end. "My, but those were fierce brutes!"
While the dogs that were left alive among the pack, including several
wounded ones, withdrew to a far end of the ice floe, the adventurers
crawled back under the tent for a much-needed rest. The Esquimaux, with
a silence worthy of an American Indian, took up his position in the
small doorway.
It was growing much colder, and the big chunk of ice that served the
refugees as a raft was moving quite rapidly over a choppy sea.
It was several hours later that the Esquimaux with a loud cry attracted
all the others to the tent opening. He pointed ahead.
"I believe we're drifting back to shore!" shouted Andy.