by Jules Verne
ALTAMONT'S REVENGE.
Next morning, as the fine weather still continued, the huntersdetermined to have another search for the musk ox. It was only fairto give Altamont a chance, with the distinct understanding that heshould have the right of firing, however fascinating the game theymight meet. Besides, the flesh of the musk ox, though a little toohighly impregnated with the smell, is savoury food, and the hunterswould gladly carry back a few pounds of it to Fort Providence.
During the first part of the day, nothing occurred worth mentioning,but they noticed a considerable change in the aspect of the country,and appearances seemed to indicate that they were approaching ahilly region. This New America was evidently either a continent oran island of considerable extent.
Duk was running far ahead of his party when he stopped suddenlyshort, and began sniffing the ground as if he had caught scent ofgame. Next minute he rushed forward again with extreme rapidity, andwas speedily out of sight. But loud distinct barking convinced thehunters that the faithful fellow had at last discovered the desiredobject.
They hurried onwards, and after an hour and a half's quickwalking, found him standing in front of two formidable lookinganimals, and barking furiously. The Doctor recognized them at onceas belonging to the musk ox, or Ovibos genus, as naturalists callit, by the very wide horns touching each other at their base, by theabsence of muzzle, by the narrow square chanfrin resembling that ofa sheep, and by the very short tail. Their hair was long and thicklymatted, and mixed with fine brown, silky wool.
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These singular-looking quadrupeds were not the least afraid of Duk,though extremely surprised; but at the first glimpse of the huntersthey took flight, and it was no easy task to go after them, for halfan hour's swift running brought them no nearer, and made the wholeparty so out of breath, that they were forced to come to a halt.
"Confound the beasts!" said Altamont.
"Yes, Altamont, I'll make them over to you," repliedClawbonny; "they are true Americans, and they don't appear tohave a very favourable idea of their fellow countrymen."
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"That proves our hunting prowess," rejoined Altamont.
Meantime the oxen finding themselves no longer pursued, had stoppedshort. Further pursuit was evidently useless. If they were to becaptured at all they must be surrounded, and the plateau which theyfirst happened to have reached, was very favourable for the purpose.Leaving Duk to worry them, they went down by the neighbouringravines; and got to the one end of the plateau, where Altamont andthe Doctor hid themselves behind projecting rocks, while Hatteraswent on to the other end, intending to startle the animals by hissudden appearance, and drive them back towards his companions.
"I suppose you have no objection this time to bestow a few bulletson these gentry?" said Altamont.
"Oh, no, it is 'a fair field now and no favour,'" returnedClawbonny.
The oxen had begun to shake themselves impatiently at Duk, trying tokick him off, when Hatteras started up right in front of them,shouting and chasing them back. This was the signal for Altamont andthe Doctor to rush forward and fire, but at the sight of twoassailants, the terrified animals wheeled round and attackedHatteras. He met their onset with a firm, steady foot, and firedstraight at their heads. But both his balls were powerless, and onlyserved still further to madden the enraged beasts. They rushed uponthe unfortunate man like furies, and threw him on the ground in aninstant.
"He is a dead man!" exclaimed the Doctor, in despairing accents.
A tremendous struggle was going on in Altamont's breast at thesight of his prostrate foe, and though his first impulse was tohasten to his help, he stopped short, battling with himself and hisprejudices. But his hesitation scarcely lasted half a second, hisbetter self conquered, and exclaiming,
"No, it would be cowardly!" he rushed forward with Clawbonny.
Hatteras full well understood how his rival felt, but would ratherhave died than have begged his intervention. However, he had hardlytime to think about it, before Altamont was at his side.
He could not have held out much longer, for it was impossible toward off the blows of horns and hoofs of two such powerfulantagonists, and in a few minutes more he must have been torn topieces. But suddenly two shots resounded, and Hatteras felt theballs graze his head.
[Ilustration: Dealt him such a tremendous blow on the head with hishatchet, that the skull was completely split open.--P.177]
"Courage!" shouted Altamont, flinging away his dischargedweapon, and throwing himself right in front of the raging animals.One of them, shot to the heart, fell dead as he reached the spot,while the other dashed madly on Hatteras, and was about to gore theunfortunate captain with his horns, when Altamont plunged his snowknife far into the beast's wide open jaws with one hand, with theother dealt him such a tremendous blow on the head with his hatchet,that the skull was completely split open.
It was done so quickly that it seemed like a flash of lightning, andall was over. The second ox lay dead, and Clawbonny shouted"Hurrah! hurrah!" Hatteras was saved.
He owed his life to the man he hated the most. What a storm ofconflicting passions this must have roused in his soul! But wherewas the emotion he could not master?
However, his action was prompt, whatever his feeling might be.Without a moment's hesitancy, he went up to his rival, and said ina grave voice--
"Altamont, you have saved my life!"
"You saved mine," replied the American.
There was a moment's silence, and then Altamont added--
"We're quits, Hatteras."
"No, Altamont," said the captain; "when the Doctor dragged youout of your icy tomb, I did not know who you were; but you saved meat the peril of your own life, knowing quite well who I was."
"Why, you are a fellow-creature at any rate, and whatever faultsan American may have, he is no coward."
"No, indeed," said the Doctor. "He is a man, every inch asmuch as yourself, Hatteras."
"And like me, he shall have part in the glory that awaits us."
"The glory of reaching the North Pole?" asked Altamont.
"Yes," replied Hatteras, proudly.
"I guessed right, then," said Altamont.
"And you have actually dared to conceive such a project? Oh! it isgrand; I tell you it is sublime even to think of it?"
"But tell me," said Hatteras in a hurried manner; "you werenot bound for the Pole then yourself?"
Altamont hesitated.
"Come, speak out, man," urged the Doctor.
"Well, to tell the truth, I was not, and the truth is better thanself-love. No, I had no such grand purpose in view. I was trying toclear the North-West Passage, and that was all."
"Altamont," said Hatteras, holding out his hand; "be ourcompanion to glory, come with us and find the North Pole."
The two men clasped hands in a warm, hearty grasp, and the bond offriendship between them was sealed.
When they turned to look for the Doctor they found him in tears.
"Ah! friends," he said, wiping his eyes; "you have made me sohappy, it is almost more than I can bear' You have sacrificed thismiserable nationality for the sake of the common cause. You havesaid, 'What does it matter if only the Pole is discovered, whetherit is by an Englishman or an American?' Why should we brag ofbeing American or English, when we can boast that we are men?"
The good little man was beside himself with joy He hugged thereconciled enemies to his bosom, and cemented their friendship byhis own affection to both.
At last he grew calm after at least a twentieth embrace, and said--
"It is time I went to work now. Since I am no hunter, I must usemy talents in another direction"
And he began to cut up the oxen so skilfully, that he seemed like asurgeon making a delicate autopsy.
His two companions looked on smiling. In a few minutes the adroitoperator had cut off more than a hundred pounds of flesh. This hedivided into three parts. Each man took one, and they retraced theirsteps to Fort Providence.
/> At ten o'clock they arrived at Doctor's House, where Johnson andBell had a good supper prepared for them.
But before sitting down to enjoy it, the Doctor exclaimed in ajubilant tone, and pointing to his two companions--
"My dear old Johnson, I took out an American and an Englishmanwith me, didn't I?"
"Yes, Mr. Clawbonny."
"Well, I bring back two brothers."
This was joyous news to the sailors, and they shook hands warmlywith Altamont; while the Doctor recounted all that had passed, andhow the American captain had saved the English captain's life.That night no five happier men could have been found than those thatlay sleeping in the little snow house.
CHAPTER XVIII.
