f their horrible position struck all dumb.
Adrift on the great polar sea, they might freeze to death before they
again got near to the main land. The dogs continued to run on,
approaching nearer the ever-widening crack in front. The driver seemed
to suddenly awaken to the danger.

With a series of sharp commands he brought the team to a halt. Then,
signing to the adventurers to get off the sled, he turned it over on the
side.

Next he unhitched the dogs, and fastened them by their thongs to his
whip handle, which he stuck in a crack in the ice. The beasts were thus
secured at some distance from the sled.

This done, the Esquimaux took the fur robes that had been on the sleigh,
and, spreading them over the frame of the vehicle, made a low but fairly
large and comfortable tent. He motioned for the men and boys to crawl
inside, which they were glad enough to do, to escape the bitter wind.
Then the native sat down in the low doorway of the shelter and seemed
willing to wait for whatever turned up.

"It doesn't seem to worry him much," observed Andy.

"He certainly has made us comfortable," said Jack. "I wonder what we are
going to do?"

"Wait and see what turns up," advised the professor. "We are on a large
ice floe. It may float for many days, and, after a while, strike the
main ice again. When it does we will escape."

"Yes, an' what am we goin' to eat in dat time?" demanded Washington.

With a triumphant gesture Jack pulled from his pocket a tin can. It
contained the patent condensed food capsules.

"Hurrah!" cried the professor on seeing it. "This will keep us from
starving for many days!"

"Lucky I didn't lose this after all I've been through," said Jack.

The meagre rations were distributed, the Esquimaux driver coming in for
his share. The patent food, though a small quantity sufficed for a meal,
was fairly satisfying, and soon all felt better. It was quite warm under
the little tent, and the adventurers stretched out for a rest.

They had been dozing several hours when a series of wild yelps and
barks outside roused them. With an exclamation the driver jumped to his
feet and rushed toward where he had tied the dogs.

The professor and the others crawled from the tent to see what the
trouble was. They saw that which filled them with fear.

The Esquimaux dogs, never any too tame, had gone half mad and wild from
fear at seeing the water all around them, and from lack of food. They
were fighting among t