On a Torn-Away World by Roy Rockwood

Author:Roy Rockwood [Rockwood, Roy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction, Juvenile
Publisher: Feedbooks
Published: 1913-01-23T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

PROFESSOR HENDERSON REVEALS THE TRUTH

The force with which the flying machine had plunged into the chasm in the ice was sufficient to smash her keel-fin to bits. There was other damage done, too—how great this damage was the boys and the professor could not immediately discover.

They were all alive—that was one thing to be thankful for. And Washington White's Shanghai, aroused from sleep by the disturbance, began to crow vociferously.

The Snowbird was wedged into a very small space upon the ledge of ice. At first view it was quite certain that she could not be launched again from this position by any ordinary means. And the steering gear was practically a wreck, so that she positively must be repaired before attempting another flight.

Jack's wounds were dressed by Andy first of all. Mark and the professor made some attempt to look over the wreckage. The disaster was so great that Mark gave up hope.

"We're done for now!" he cried. "The poor Snowbird is a wreck. And how are we ever going to get out of this hole?"

"Hush, my boy!" admonished the professor. "Don't lose your grip. This is truly a serious predicament; but we have been in tight places before."

"Nothing worse than this," grumbled Mark. "Nor half so bad. How are we going to get out of this chasm? Why, just as Washington says, we've been swallowed up like a duck gobbling a June bug."

"This is certainly a bad situation," Phineas Roebach remarked. "But, as the professor says, it isn't the worst that might happen."

"What worse could happen?" demanded Mark.

"Hold on! Don't you step too near the edge of this shelf," warned the oil man. "If you step off and fall clear to the bottom of this crevasse you'll probably find that a good deal worse than our present position. B-r-r! Isn't it cold?"

Two hundred feet below the surface of the ice river was indeed a cold spot. Washington produced all the warm clothing there was aboard the flying machine and all hands were glad to bundle up. Then the professor suggested that the black man prepare some hot drink and a ration of their food, while all gathered in the cabin for a discussion as to their future course. "Our perilous situation is apparent," said Professor Henderson, quietly. "But there is always more than one way out of a serious predicament—sometimes there are a dozen ways."

"I'd like to hear of a dozen ways of getting out of this hole," murmured Mark Sampson.

"Mr. Roebach," said the professor, ignoring the youth, "what do you say? What is your advice?"

"The sun will be up in an hour, or thereabout. It's pretty dim down here. Let us wait and see what daylight shows us," was the oil man's reply.

"The moon—the other moon—is just appearing," Jack said. "We'll have light enough in a few minutes."

"Two moons! what do you think of that?" cried Mark.

"Are you sure, Jack?" queried the professor, eagerly.

"I just saw it peeking over the eastern cliffs while Andy was patching me up.

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