lot. They haven't much respect for spirits of any
kind, an' they'll soon find out we're human. But then, we'll wait
an' see what happens."

"And, in the meantime, have something to eat," put in Mr. Damon.
"Bless my knife and fork! but the hail storm gave me an appetite."

In fact, there were few things which did not give Mr. Damon an
appetite, Tom thought with a smile. But the meal idea was considered
very timely, and soon the amateur cook was busy in the galley of the
airship, whence speedily came savory odors. The electric lights were
switched on, and the adventurers were quickly made comfortable in
the cave, which so well sheltered the RED CLOUD. Tom completed his
inspection of the craft, and was relieved to find that while there
were a number of small rents, none was very large, and all could be
mended in time.

Abe Abercrombie took a look outside the cave after the meal had been
served. The old miner declared that they had made a good advance on
their northern journey for, though he could not tell their exact
location, he knew by the character of the landscape that they had
passed the boundaries of Alaska.

"A few more days' traveling at the rate we came will bring us to the
Snow Mountains and the valley of gold," he said.

"Well, we won't average such speed as we did during the hail storm,"
said Tom. "The wind of that carried us along at a terrific pace. But
we will get there in plenty of time, I think."

"Why; is there any particular rush?" asked Ned.

"There's no telling when the Fogers may appear," answered the young
inventor in a low voice. "But now we must get to work to repair
damage."

The hail storm had ceased, and, with the passing of the clouds the
cave was made lighter. But Tom did not depend on this, for he set up
powerful searchlights, by the gleams of which he and his companions
began the repairing of the torn gas-bag.

They worked all the remainder of that day, and were at it again
early the next morning, making good progress.

"We can go forward again, in about two days," spoke Tom. "I want to
give the cement on the patches plenty of chance to dry."

"Then I will have time to go out and make some observations, will I
not?" asked Mr. Parker. "I think this cave is a very old one, and I
may be able to find some evidences in it that the sea of ice is
slowly working its way down from the polar regions."

"I hope you don't," whispered Ned to Tom, who shook his head
dubiously as the gloom