SHOOTING WILD GEESE
It was certainly a time of extreme peril, and the boys realized it fully
as well as did the men. The steamer was caught in the grip of the big
iceberg, and the deck was directly beneath an overhanging portion that
might at any time break off and crush the vessel and all on board.
Captain Williamson had run aft to learn what could be done with the
propeller, and he had already told the mate to get the sailors out with
fenders to save the ship as much as possible from chafing on the side of
the berg.
"The loose ice on the other side helps to keep us against the big berg,"
said Barwell Dawson.
"I have tried to get some pictures, but the big iceberg is too close,"
came from Professor Jeffer, who was as cool as if nothing out of the
ordinary had happened.
"Well, we're going to get away from it mighty quick,--if we can,"
answered Mr. Camdal, pointedly. The close quarters did not suit him any
better than it suited Mr. Dawson and the boys.
To clear the propeller a man had to be hoisted over the stern in a
sling. He carried with him a pickpole, and with this dug out the cake
which had become caught in the blades of the propeller.
This work had hardly been accomplished when another grinding sound came
from the big iceberg, and a shower of small ice came down on the
forecastle, knocking out several lights of glass. Andy was struck on the
head and hurled flat.
"Oh, Andy, are you hurt?" cried Chet, in alarm, as he rushed to his
chum's assistance.
"Not much, but that was a pretty good crack," was Andy's reply, as he
felt his head where a lump was rapidly rising.
"You boys had better go below," said Barwell Dawson. "You can't do
anything up here, and you may get a worse dose next time."
But the lads were loath to retire, and so lingered on the deck, but took
good care to keep out of the way of the ice that fell a little later.
Finding that the propeller would now work, Captain Williamson gave
orders for full speed astern. As soon as the engines started there was
more crashing of ice, the small stuff being ground down under the ship,
and the ice of the pinnacle breaking off along the shrouds. Everybody on
deck had to get out of the way, for the deck took on the appearance of
"an ice-house upset," as Chet put it, big chunks of the frozen material
lying in all directions.
"Hurrah! we are leaving the big iceberg behind!" cried Andy, a few
minutes later, and his words proved true.
"I can see clear water ahead!" called out Professor Jeffer, shortly
afterwards, and then he turned, to get the photographs he wanted of the
big iceberg.
The report concerning open water was correct, and, having left the
vicinity of the big iceberg, Captain Williamson had the steamer steered
in something of a big circle. Thus they avoided all but the small ice.
The latter, however, thumped and bumped on the bow and sides as strongly
as ever, and once there came a shock that threw everybody on the deck
headlong.
"I hope that doesn't damage us any," observed Andy, when this new scare
was over.
"It may start some of the seams," answered Barwell Dawson, "although the
vessel was reenforced to withstand just such knocks."
Inside of an hour the _Ice King_ had passed all the big icebergs and a
large portion of the floating cakes. Clear blue water was ahead, for
which all on board were thankful.
"I didn't expect this, so far south," said Captain Williamson, after
making a tour of the ship, and having had the deck cleaned up. "It is
unusual."
"I know it," answered Barwell Dawson. "I am thankful we didn't run into
the big iceberg at night."
"Yes, darkness would have made the situation much worse."
"Have we started any of the ship's seams?" asked Dr. Slade.
"Not as far as I have been able to discover."
The boys went to the forecastle to see what damage had been done there,
and found the ship's carpenter putting in some new lights of glass. One
sailor had received a black eye from a chunk of falling ice, but
otherwise little bodily harm had resulted.
"Well, I call that a narrow escape," said Andy, after the excitement was
over.
"So do I," responded Chet. "I don't want another such experience."
"You will have to go through harder things than that up north," said
Barwell Dawson, who overheard the talk.
"We'll be prepared then," answered Andy. "This wasn't expected."
"I am afraid you boys don't realize what you are up against," went on
the hunter and explorer. "We are going to face many perils in the polar
regions. If you feel you don't want to go further, you can leave us when
we get to Upernivik."
"No! no! we want to see this thing through, perils or no perils," cried
Andy, hastily.
"Indeed we do!" added Chet. "I guess you'll find we can stand as much as
anybody after we get used to it."
Late that afternoon the steamer came in sight of a large flock of wild
geese. Professor Jeffer calculated that there must be thousands of them,
and ran for his camera, to take some snap-shots.
"Can't we do a little shooting?" asked Chet, of Mr. Dawson. "They are
heading this way."
Permission was granted, and both boys rushed below for shotguns. When
they came up, the geese were flying almost directly over the _Ice King_,
uttering their strange cries as they did so.
It did not take Andy and Chet long to get into action, and both shotguns
spoke up at almost the same time. Each youth fired twice in rapid
succession. The geese were so thick they could not help but strike some
of them, and three came fluttering down on the deck of the vessel.
"Not a bad haul," was Barwell Dawson's comment. "Now you can have roast
goose stuffed with onions for tomorrow's dinner."
"And we'll invite all hands to join us," answered Chet, gaily. "I guess
there will be enough to go around."
"I don't know about this shooting birds from the ship," said Captain
Williamson, in a low voice. "Some of the sailors don't believe in that
sort of thing. They think it brings bad luck."
"What do you think?" asked Chet.
"Oh, I am not superstitious," responded the commander.
The master of the vessel was right--some of his hands were very
superstitious--and these deplored the killing of the geese, and refused
to touch any of the meat when it was cooked.
"We'll have trouble, see if we don't," said one sailor.
"Maybe it will sink us," said another, with a serious shake of his head.
Then they muttered among themselves, and cast ugly glances at Andy and
Chet.
"Too bad," whispered Chet to his chum. "If I had known the sailors would
take it so seriously, I'd not have shot those geese."
"Oh, the affair will soon blow over," was Andy's answer. But his surmise
did not prove correct.
In the morning the boys heard that the _Ice King_ had sprung several
leaks. The captain had had the well-hole sounded, and had ordered the
pumps started.
"The icebergs and the floating cakes did it," said Barwell Dawson. "I
was hopeful we would escape, but it seems not."
"What are you going to do?" asked Andy.
"I don't know yet--we'll see how bad the leaks are."
The ship's carpenter was below, examining the seams, and now Captain
Williamson and Barwell Dawson joined him. A thorough examination was
effected, and when the party came on deck again they were talking
earnestly.
"It's pretty bad, I guess," said Andy to Chet.
A consultation took place in the cabin, between the captain and the
explorer, and at the conclusion the course of the vessel was changed.
"Instead of heading for Upernivik we are going to put in at Holstenborg
for repairs," explained Barwell Dawson to Professor Jeffer and the
others. "I am sorry for the delay, but it cannot be helped. The ice must
have hit us harder than we thought."
"Well, the delay won't worry me," answered the scientist, calmly. "It
will give me a chance to see something of another part of Greenland."
"Where is Holstenborg?" questioned Chet.
"It is on the western coast of Greenland, about four hundred and fifty
miles below Upernivik. It is not much of a place, but Captain Williamson
thinks it would be unwise to attempt to reach Upernivik in our present
condition."
"Well, I don't care if we do land further down the coast," said Chet,
thinking that here would be another chance to make inquiries concerning
the lost whaler.
It soon became whispered around that the _Ice King_ was leaking badly.
Some of the hands took the matter calmly, but others were excited.
"It's because those geese were shot," cried one sailor. "It was wrong to
do it, and I said so."
"Those boys ought to be heaved overboard," said another.
"Right you are," answered the tar who had first found fault.
Some of this talk presently reached the ears of Ben Haven, the mate, and
watching his chance, he came up to where Chet and Andy were standing
amidships.
"I want to tell you lads something," said he in a low voice.
"What is it?" asked Chet.
"If I were you boys, I'd not walk forward for the present," went on Ben
Haven. "Some of the sailors are down on you for killing those geese.
Better keep out of their way until we reach port--which will be tomorrow
morning."
"Why, do you think they'd try to--to harm us?" asked Chet.
"They might--if matters get worse with the ship. Some sailors are awfully
headstrong when they get frightened."
Chet and Andy promised to heed the warning, although both were inclined
to laugh at it. They kept away from the forecastle, and it was not until
after supper that one of the sailors came near them. It was then
reported that the steamer was leaking worse than before, and the pumps
were kept going constantly.
"You boys are responsible for this," said the sailor. He was a tall,
thin individual, who rejoiced in the name of Pep Loggermore.
"What do you mean?" demanded Chet, stiffly.
"You know well enough what I mean," growled the tar. "If we go to the
bottom, there won't be nobody to blame but you!"
"That's nonsense," broke in Andy. "The ice started the ship's seams--we
had nothing to do with it."
"You shot them geese, and----"
"Oh, that's foolishness!" cried Chet. "We don't want to hear it. A man
with sense ought to know better than to talk that way."
"I know what I am talking about," grumbled Pep Loggermore.
"You go on about your business," said Andy, sharply.
Loggermore was about to argue some more, when Captain Williamson put in
an appearance. He slouched off, but when out of sight, turned and shook
his fist at the youths.
"I ain't going to sail with no such fellers as you," he muttered to
himself. "And I don't think the other men will want to sail with you,
either. If we ever get ashore alive, we'll see to it that you two fools
don't come aboard again!"
"What did that fellow want of you?" demanded the captain, of the chums.
"Oh, it wasn't much," answered Andy, evasively. He did not want to get
Loggermore into trouble.
"Did he threaten you?"
"He didn't like it, because we shot the geese," said Chet.
"What tomfoolery!" muttered the captain. "Well, if he bothers you again,
let me know, and I'll teach him to mind his own business."
"What about the leaks, Captain?" asked Andy, to change the subject.
"They are pretty bad, but I hope to reach port without serious trouble,"
was the reply.
But the look on the face of the commander of the _Ice King_ showed that
he was greatly worried.