NECK OR NOTHING
"You hold on," objected Guy. "Your hands are as raw as uncooked
beefsteak. I'll have a shot at it. I saw how Hawke did the trick."
Somewhat reluctantly Leslie gave way, at the same time cautioning Guy
not to get caught by the blades of the propellers when the engine
fired.
Pluckily Guy tackled the job. He did not relish it, for he knew to
his cost what a back-fire meant. Once he had received a heavy blow
from the starting handle of a motor-car, and that had, figuratively,
knocked the stuffing out of him. Yet he was a lad who could be relied
upon to come up to the scratch in a tight corner; so, setting his jaw
tightly, he gave the propeller a lusty swing. Nothing favourable
resulted.
Again and again he swung the blades, till his forehead was covered
with frozen beads of perspiration. Sheer exhaustion forced him to
desist.
"I believe the petrol is frozen," he declared breathlessly.
Then Leslie tried his utmost, but without success. It seemed as if
the sleigh with its three occupants were fated to be stranded miles
from the ship.
"We'll have to drag the beastly thing," declared Guy. "It won't take
much effort, once we get it going."
Leslie thought otherwise. He could see the former track of the
runners fading into the distance. Between them and the _Polarity_
were obstacles in the shape of several small fissures and long ridges
of ice that could not be overcome by manual labour.
Just then Hawke opened his eyes, wearily, like a man aroused from a
deep slumber.
"What's up?" he asked vacantly.
Leslie came straight to the point.
"You've been badly knocked about by the bear. We've settled him all
right. We want to take you back to the ship, but we can't restart the
engine."
With a considerable effort Hawke turned his head and looked at the
controls by the seat behind him.
"I don't wonder," he replied. "The ignition's switched off. Press
that catch down and try again."
He attempted to rise, but being aware for the first time that his
left arm was useless, he subsided with a groan.
"Knocked clean out," he murmured, loud enough for Leslie to overhear.
"And Ranworth wants the big sleigh to start as soon as possible. I've
kippered the whole scheme by letting that bear maul me. What a fool I
was not to keep the rifle loaded."
At the next attempt the motor fired easily. Taking his seat, Leslie
cautiously manipulated the controls. Away glided the sleigh, but at a
broad angle to the previous tracks.
The lad grasped the tiller. He was soon to find out how sensitive the
rudder of an ice-craft can be, for the sudden application of the helm
all but capsized the sleigh.
"Steady, man!" shouted Guy warningly, at the same time keeping Hawke
in his seat, for the injured man had fainted again.
A very little practice on the smooth ice convinced Leslie that he had
the sleigh under control. He had yet to negotiate the hummocks and
the gaps of open water.
As the sleigh gathered way and finally settled to a
forty-mile-an-hour pace, the lust of speed possessed the youthful
helmsman.
The exhilaration of the swift motion made him forget his
surroundings. He was beginning to enjoy something akin to the
sensation of flight. As a passenger he had revelled in the outward
trip; now, as helmsman and operator, he knew what being in charge of
the speedy sleigh meant.
The first hummock Leslie took almost "bows on." The sleigh, striking
the slopes rather obliquely, seemed to leap upwards and sideways in
the air; then, hitting the ice with tremendous force, it rocked from
side to side for about a hundred yards, before it steadied itself on
its main runners.
Suddenly Leslie saw before him a broad gap in the ice. It must have
widened considerably since the outward journey.
Approaching the dangerous crevasse almost at the rate of an express
train, there was no avoiding it. To attempt to swerve sufficiently
would mean disaster; to take it otherwise than "bows on" would spell
certain death. Even as it was, it seemed impossible for the sleigh to
leap across the widening space.
"Neck or nothing," thought Leslie. He shut his jaws tightly and gave
the motor full throttle.
As luck would have it, the breaking of the ice had resulted in a
small mound being thrown near the edge of the gap. Like a bird the
sleigh mounted the incline, and with its own momentum completely
cleared the death-trap beyond. Well it was that the runners were
strong and true, and that the body of the sleigh was well sprung, for
with a crash the swiftly-moving vehicle alighted on the far side.
"Twelve feet if it's an inch," murmured Leslie. "She took it
splendidly, but all the same I don't want to have to repeat the
experiment."
Fortunately, although there were other cracks in the ice, there were
no obstacles of such size as the one they had just overcome, and
without further incident the sleigh came to a standstill within
twenty feet of the ship.
"What has happened?" asked Ranworth anxiously, as he caught sight of
Aubrey Hawke's unconscious form.
Briefly Leslie related what had taken place.
"Hawke showed an error of judgment in not keeping his rifle loaded,"
commented Ranworth. "Of course, we are all apt to do that, but in his
case it was most unfortunate. Goodness only knows what will happen as
regards the electric sleigh. Our chief asset is now practically
useless. But it is no use worrying. What is done cannot be undone."
"I brought this sleigh back, sir," began Leslie, then, self-conscious
at his spontaneous boast, he stopped.
"Yes, you did remarkably well, my lad," agreed Ranworth.
"Then couldn't I have a shot at the big sleigh?" continued Leslie. "I
understand the mechanism, and from what Mr. Hawke has told me the
steering is very similar to that of the one I have just brought back.
I'll do my level best, sir; and Guy will lend me a hand."
Ranworth paused before replying. He had already proof of Leslie's
courage; he knew that the lad had a better knowledge of the giant
sleigh than any other member of the expedition, Aubrey Hawke
excepted. Since Aubrey Hawke was crippled with a broken arm, and
suffering from shock, it was doubtful whether he would again be able
to take an active part in the expedition.
Yet, Ranworth reflected, Leslie Ward was but a lad. It seemed too
risky to entrust him with the important mission of piloting the
electric sleigh to the aid of the sorely-pressed explorers.
"Let the youngster have a cut at it, sir," broke in Captain
Stormleigh. "If the worst comes to the worst, we can fetch him back
by means of the other sleigh, and do our best to get in touch with
your brother's party by tramping it. But it strikes me, sir, that the
lad is one who gets there somehow, as they say in the States. Let him
try his hand, sir."
"How long do you think will it take to cut a passage for the
_Polarity_?" demanded Ranworth.
"Five days, sir, at the present rate of progress. Less, if the pack
is breaking up; more if the ice is 'jamming' away to the nor'ard."
"And five days even may be too late," rejoined Ranworth. "Leslie, I
must accept your offer, and may good fortune attend our efforts."
The amended plan was forthwith put into operation. The hatches were
uncovered, and the huge sleigh hoisted out by means of a derrick and
landed on the ice. While Leslie was superintending the fitting of the
twin propellers, upon the delicate adjustment of which depended the
easy running of the enormous fabric, Ranworth, assisted by the second
mate, was busily engaged in loading up the sleigh with stores and
provisions necessary for the trip.
Ranworth was to take charge of the rescue party, and to be
responsible for the correct course from Desolation Inlet to
Observation Camp. Having no experience in mechanism or electrical
engineering, he was compelled to entrust the care of the motors to
Leslie Ward.
On the lad's skill the success of the dash to Observation Camp would
largely depend, for in the event of a mechanical breakdown that could
not be rectified by the person in charge, the sleigh and its
occupants would be helplessly stranded, while the chances of rescuing
Claude Ranworth's party would be very slight.
Guy was to accompany Leslie as his assistant, while two seamen having
previous experience in Polar work, completed the crew of the sleigh.
At length the preparations were complete. A preliminary trial of the
motors alone was necessary before setting out on the dash into the
unknown.
Accordingly, the sleigh was anchored by two stout ropes attached to
grapnels imbedded in the ice. There was no need to swing the
propellers; a patent starting device enabled the operator to work
everything in connection with the motors from the seat within the
for'ard cabin.
The engines started without a hitch. The huge contrivance trembled
and strained at the mooring ropes, as if eager to dash into the fray.
To Leslie's great satisfaction, the "pull" of each propeller was
equal to the other. It was a triumph for his skill in adjusting the
other.
"Everything correct, sir," he reported, after having switched off the
current.
"Good," ejaculated Ranworth. "We'll start at once. Nothing overlooked
in your department, Rogers; nor in yours, Payne?"
Both seamen expressed their opinion that the gear for which they were
responsible was quite in order.
"Good-bye, my lads," exclaimed Ranworth, addressing the ship's
company.
The work of cutting a channel for the _Polarity_ had been temporarily
suspended in order that the men might bid the rescue party God speed.
Led by Captain Stormleigh, the men gave three rousing cheers, waving
their ice-axes and crowbars with the utmost enthusiasm.
"Cast off, there!" ordered Captain Stormleigh.
Half a dozen of the _Polarity's_ crew promptly released the grapnels.
The sleigh was now free to proceed.
Ranworth turned towards Leslie and held up his hand.
A touch on a switch, and both propellers began to spin rapidly. For a
brief interval the sleigh quivered, without making any definite
progress; then, almost imperceptibly gathering way, she glided
smoothly in the direction of Desolation Inlet.