shining steadily all night long, was something the adventurers had not
quite accomplished. They walked perhaps a mile before they came to where
the dog teams were, behind a hill of ice.

There were two big sleds, with room enough for all, and ten dogs to each
vehicle. The animals, which were securely tied to pinnacles of ice, were
snapping and snarling among themselves.

"Quick, git on!" commanded Dirola. "Maybe they chase us!"

The captives needed no second bidding. They piled on the sledges, the
professor, Andy and Washington on one and the two boys and the two
helpers on the other. Dirola took her seat in front of Professor
Henderson.

"Who's going to drive our dogs?" asked Jack.

"No drive. They follow me," said the woman, and then Jack saw that the
foremost animal of his team was tied by a long thong to the rear of the
first sleigh.

The Esquimaux woman snapped her whip, having first untied the dogs, and
away the teams went over the snow at a great pace.

The spirits of all arose as they went on, making mile after mile on
their journey, away from the ice cave and back to the _Monarch_. Dirola
seemed to know just where she was going, and never hesitated. With voice
and whip she guided the dog teams on, urging them to top speed, for she
was escaping as well as the adventurers.

For several hours the captives rode, becoming thoroughly chilled, for a
cold, cutting wind sprang up and blew in their faces.

"We most there," said the woman at length.

"I'm glad to hear it," remarked Andy. "I will be glad to get back to a
civilized place, even if it is an airship."

Suddenly Dirola turned her head and glanced behind. As she did so she
uttered an exclamation and called shrilly to the dogs, at the same time
snapping her long whip viciously.

"What's the matter?" asked Andy.

"They come after us."

Looking back, Andy was startled to see, about a mile in the rear, more
than a score of sleds, laden with fur-robed Esquimaux, in full pursuit.

"Now we're in for it!" he cried. "It will be a race to see who gets to
the ship first! Get out your revolvers! I'm not going to be captured
again!"

Each one of the adventurers brought out his weapon. The pursuing
Esquimaux seemed aware that their former captives had observed them, and
urged their dog teams to greater speed. It was indeed a race.

Dirola's animals had been urged almost to their limit, and were now
lagging. Voice and whip no longer served to send them f