IN THE MIDST OF A STORM.
Pomp’s head took Barney full in the stomach.
The Celt was propelled across the cabin floor like a stone out of a
catapult, and landed with a terrific crash clear under his own bunk. For
a moment he was stunned and utterly unable to tell where he was or what
had happened.
Pomp did not follow up his victory.
His anger was gone in a moment.
He simply stood still and laughed until the tears ran down his black
cheeks and his sides heaved like bellows.
Then he went back into his galley and to his bread making.
Slowly and soberly Barney picked himself up. He said nothing, but went
slowly and sadly away.
It seemed a code of honor between the two that hostilities were to cease
the very moment one or the other came off victorious.
In this case Pomp was the winner.
But it was not always so. Very often Barney was best man. Indeed, honors
were evenly divided.
The airship now took its southward course.
The first move was to accurately locate the South Pole, explore some of
the frozen regions, take general observations, and then set a northward
course for the frigid zone of the Arctic.
Thus far Professor Gaston was delighted with the result of the trip.
“Even if we never reach the other pole,” he declared, “we have
accomplished enough now to place our names high upon the scroll of
fame.”
But Frank said:
“Have no fear, professor. We are going to reach the Arctic and make what
is really a circumnavigation of the globe.”
“And all the way in the air!” cried the professor. “Most wonderful of
experiences is this!”
Vast areas of frozen country were passed over. Days of sailing above
this desolate waste followed.
And every day Professor Gaston took a new observation. Every day he
declared that they were growing nearer the Pole.
“I have a great curiosity,” he declared. “You know it is a commonly
accepted belief that the region about the South Pole is very open and
warm. That in fact ice does not exist there at all!”
“I believe that is true,” declared Frank. “The most extensive volcanic
region in the world, I believe, lies adjacent to the South Pole.”
“We shall see.”
One morning, or rather just as the explorers had risen, for it was the
latter part of the Antarctic night of six long months, Barney spied a
strange scene ahead.
Mighty mountain ranges showed, rising to fearful heights, and all were
devoid of ice or snow.
Indeed, several of them appeared to be active volcanoes.
At once the Celt gave the alarm.
Everybody piled on deck, and Professor Gaston seemed the most excited of
any.
“Hurrah!” he cried. “At last we have reached the South Pole. In place of
an open sea as in the Arctic, we have mighty volcanic mountains.”
The Dart rapidly neared the mountain range. And as it did so, beyond
them was revealed a wonderful sight.
As far as the eye could reach all was a fertile valley of green. Indeed,
small lakes dotted this region, and there were rivers and forests.
“The Polar country!” cried Gaston, with excitement. “Surely it is a
wonderful discovery. Is it inhabited?”
The airship slowly sailed over the mountain peaks. Suddenly Gaston
pointed to a tall one and declared.
“That is the South Pole, or at least it is exactly upon the spot where
the pole should be!”
Over the Antarctic country the airship drifted.
There was a most remarkable change in the atmosphere. In place of the
stinging cold there was a soft mildness which bore a strange resemblance
to furnace heat.
Hundreds of miles in area was the fertile country of the South Pole.
Various animals were seen, but in all the three hundred miles of sailing
across the fertile and warm area our voyagers saw nothing of human
beings.
However, Gaston declared:
“It is but a small part we have explored as yet. They may exist in some
other section. Our sole object now is to locate the two poles. Some
other time we may be able to more extensively explore each. Eh, Mr.
Reade?”
“That is agreeable to me,” replied Frank. “Indeed, we have not come
prepared for a very long sojourn in this region.”
So the Dart crossed the Polar region as quickly as possible.
Straight across the region they went, until once more the circular range
of mountains was crossed, and the region of ice and snow again was
spread to view.
“We have crossed the South Pole,” declared Frank Reade, Jr., “and we
have started northward for home. Now, we may proceed with more of
leisure. I am anxious to take a look at some of the countries we pass
over, notably Africa.”
“I am more than agreeable,” declared Professor Gaston. “In fact, it is
your pleasure, Mr. Reade.”
Straight to the northward the course was now held.
No incident worthy of record occurred. The same unvarying monotony of
ice and snow continued for many days.
Then there came a noticeable change in the atmosphere. The sun became
visible above the horizon.
And as the airship sped on the ice and snow began to disappear and the
open sea came into view.
Still northward the airship sped, until Kerguelen Land was sighted. Due
north was Australia.
Not having any desire to go thither, Frank changed the course of the
airship to the northwest.
This brought them over tempestuous seas, and in these latitudes the
airship encountered a terrific storm.
It was the means of nigh causing the wreck of the Dart.
The voyagers were all in the cabin at dinner.
The wheel had been lashed and the Dart was traveling at a fair rate of
speed.
Suddenly something like an explosion brought every man to his feet.
The next moment they were hurled about the cabin like puppets.
“My God!” cried Professor Gaston, in mortal terror. “The airship is
falling!”
“Steady!” shouted Frank. “We must reach the wheel!”
But all was utter darkness. It seemed as if ten thousand fiends had the
Dart in hand and was tossing it about like a puppet.
Caught in the arms of the storm, the airship was whirled aloft to dizzy
heights, and no doubt would have been torn to pieces had it not been for
a favorable accident.
Frank Reade, Jr., had been hurled to the floor of the cabin and was
unable for a moment to stand on his feet.
None of the others could reach the pilot-house.
Indeed, it was lucky that none of them reached the deck.
They could not have remained there a moment.
The horror of the situation can easily be imagined when it is remembered
that all was utter darkness and the voyagers were groping about the
cabin in the most fearful of uncertainty.
“My God!” gasped Frank, in utter horror, “we are lost!”
There was no expectation but that the rigging would be wrecked and they
would be dashed into the sea.
A fearful death by drowning would be certain in that event.
But a lucky accident saved the airship and the lives of all on board.
The fearful shock of the wind had caused the rotascope lever to fly
open. In a moment the full current was on.
The rotascope revolved for all it was worth. This steadied the airship
and caused it to shoot upward with fearful rapidity.
This saved the day. Up, whirling higher and higher went the Dart.
Suddenly the wind ceased, sunlight was all about, and the airship rode
in quiet air.
But she was shooting upward with frightful velocity.
Frank sprang out on the deck. He saw how things were, at once.
Far below thundered and bellowed the black clouds of the storm. The
airship had risen above it.
The joy of the aerial voyagers knew no bounds.
First, though, Frank made a careful examination of every part of the
ship. To his amazement not a thing was broken.
“All safe and sound!” he cried, joyfully. “I tell you it was a narrow
escape!”
“Luck is with us!” declared Professor Gaston.
As soon as possible Frank checked the flying rotascope.
If he had not done so the airship would soon have reached an altitude
where it would be painful to breathe.
As soon as the storm had passed the Dart was once more allowed to
descend.
No other incident worthy of note occurred until one morning Barney from
the pilot-house shouted:
“Land ho!”
At once Frank and the professor were on deck with powerful glasses. A
few moments of study revealed the character of the distant land.
It was the southern coast of Africa, and soon the settlement of Cape
Town could be seen.
White-sailed ships were in the bay, and as they passed a few thousand
feet above the town it could be seen that there was much excitement
below.
The people were out in force, and were shouting and waving banners. But
Frank Reade, Jr., had no intention of making a stop.
“Not this time!” he declared. “I have other matters on hand. Besides, it
would be hardly safe to land there.”
“Safe!” ejaculated Gaston, in amazement. “Why not?”
“Easy enough. A vast concourse of people like that are apt to lose their
heads and do the airship much damage.”
“That could not be among civilized people!”
“They are the most to be feared as they cannot keep their hands off
knowing well the nature of the machine. Superstitious fear keeps the
savage at a safe distance.”
“Upon my word I believe you are right!” cried the professor. “Though it
never occurred to me that way before.”
So the airship did not stop at Cape Town. Keeping on rapidly it passed
over a populous and fertile tract of country.
For several days the Dart kept on its rapid northward flight.
The country had changed.
Vast wilds extended as far as the eye could reach, populated with
savages and wild tribes.
Wild beasts could be seen in great numbers from the airship’s deck.
Barney and Pomp were spoiling for an African hunt, so Frank decided to
gratify their desire and make a brief stop.