and see if there be
another layer of ice within reach."

The rod, which was six feet long, was easily passed its full length into
the underlying snow.

"All right!" said Dr. Jones. "The flagstaff will settle sufficiently
deep to hold it there forever. Fire up, Will. I want to rise forty or
fifty feet above this hole."

This was accomplished in a very few minutes.

"Now let us get the foot of the mast precisely over that hole. I mean to
let it drop from this height, and its weight will sink it 25 or 30 feet
into the snow. That, with 9 feet of ice, will hold it for centuries. We
will fill the space in the ice shaft about the foot of the mast with the
ice chips that we have taken out, ram them down good and solid, then
pour water in. This will instantly freeze, and all the gales that ever
howled can never blow down the finest flagstaff that ever stood upon the
face of the earth."

The plumb-line was lowered and cables tautened here and slackened there
until the butt of the great mast stood precisely over the shaft. The
spiral stair had been so constructed that it nowhere touched the mast.
At its entrance into, and exit from the globe, heavy collars connected
the mast with the ship. These were removed, and a heavy trap door, upon
which the foot of the flagstaff rested, was its only support. A massive
bolt alone held the trap in place. Will and the Professor were by the
ice shaft, watching the plumb-line. At a signal, the Doctor struck the
bolt a heavy blow with a sledge, the trap fell, and the beautiful mast
shot like a flash of lightning down through the frosty atmosphere,
entered the ice hole precisely in the center, and sank to the depth of
35 feet into the snow, which, added to the 9 feet of ice, made a footing
of 44 feet for the towering flagstaff. The globe was again settled to
the foot of the mast, the ice chips filled in and rammed solidly, the
water poured about it, and their work was completed. The ingenuity
displayed by the Doctor upon this occasion showed him to be a born
leader of men, and the little band of associates so acknowledged to him
upon the spot. Dr. Jones shut off their effusive demonstrations as
quickly as possible. He did not appear to be possessed of any degree of
love of praise; on the contrary, it always embarrassed and made him
uncomfortable.

"And now let us eat again," said Dr. Jones. "We must get away from here
before we sleep."

So they sat down to a hearty dinner, all tired and ve