ou get a chance," advised Mark. "Maybe they are not going
to offer us any. As for me, I am starved enough to tackle most
anything."

Presently the Esquimaux chief approached the captives, who had been
drawn close together on their sleds. The leader of the natives had in
his hands some queer looking stuff. At a sign from him several of the
other Esquimaux loosened the bonds that bound the prisoners.

"Um!" grunted the chief. "Um! Um!" At least his words sounded like that.

"I guess he wants us to eat," said the professor.

He took some of the food the Esquimaux chief held out. The stuff did
not look very inviting, about as much like cold fat as anything. The
professor bit into it.

"It's good!" he exclaimed. "It's chopped up meat and suet, and it's
cooked! Eat it!"

They all did, for they were very hungry and cold. Then the captives were
bound again, the dogs were harnessed, and the journey was resumed. The
sun still shone, though it was getting late, but the prisoners were all
sleepy, for, by the run of hours, it was now night.

On and on went the sleds. Jack had dozed off, when he was aroused by a
shout. He raised his head to look about him, and was filled with terror
at what he saw.

The sled he was on, as well as all the others, was coasting down a great
hill of ice at fearful speed! The dogs were gone, and the fleet of
sleighs, under their own weight, were dashing down the Mountainous side
of a great glacier!

CHAPTER XVI

THE STRANGE WOMAN AIDS

"Professor! Professor!" cried Jack. He saw the sled on which the old
inventor was lashed close to him.

"Eh! Yes! What is it?" asked the old man, sticking his head out from
under the fur robe.

"They have set us adrift down the mountain and we'll be killed!"

The boy struggled to free himself from his bonds. The professor, raising
his head and realizing the danger, did likewise.

But the tough walrus hide was too tightly drawn. The captives, if they
went to their deaths, would go bound and unable to help themselves. In
terror Jack glanced on either side of him. To his surprise he noticed
that not only were the sleds of himself and his comrades going down the
hill, but the vehicles of all the Esquimaux as well.

"Can an accident have happened?" he asked himself. "Or have they all
gone crazy? This beats me."

Faster and faster went the sleighs. Showers of ice splinters flew up on
either side of the bone runners. The wind whistled past Jack's face