Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice, or, the Wreck of the Airship

by Victor Appleton

  CHAPTER XIV

  THE RIVAL AIRSHIP

  Well armed, the adventurers again ventured out into the cave. Butthey need not have been alarmed so soon, for there were no signs ofany more Indians.

  "I guess that one was a stray Eskimo who took shelter in here fromthe storm," said Abe Abercrombie.

  "Are we in the neighborhood of the Alaskan Indians and Eskimos?"inquired Ned.

  "Yes, there are lots of Indians in this region," answered the oldminer, "but not so many Eskimos. A few come down from th' north, butwe'll see more of them, an' fewer of th' pure-blooded Indians as weget nearer th' valley of gold. Though t' my mind th' Indians an'Eskimos are pretty much alike."

  "Well, if we don't have to defend ourselves from an attack ofIndians, suppose we look over the airship," proposed Tom.

  "It's too dark to see very much," objected Ned. But this wasovercome when Tom started up a dynamo, and brought out a portablesearch-light which was played upon the superstructure of the REDCLOUD. The gas-bag was the only part of the craft they feared for,as the hailstones could not damage the iron or wooden structure andthe planes were made in sections, and in such a manner that rents inthem could easily be repaired. So, in fact, could the gas-bag bemended, but it was harder work.

  "Well, she's got some bad tears in her," announced Tom as the lightflashed over the big bag. "Luckily I have plenty of the material,and some cement, so I think we can mend the rents, though it willtake some days. Nothing could have been better for us than thiscave. We'll stay here until we're ready to go on."

  "Unless the Indians drive us out," said Abe, in a low tone.

  "Why, do you think there is any danger of that?" inquired Tom.

  "Well, th' brown-skinned beggars aren't any too friendly," respondedthe old miner. "Th' one that was in here will be sure to tell th'others of some big spirit that flew into th' cave, an' they'll becrowdin' around here when th' storm's over. It may be we can fight'em off, though."

  "Maybe they won't attack us," suggested Ned, hopefully. "Perhaps wecan make them believe we are spirits, and that it will be unlucky tointerfere with us."

  "Perhaps," admitted Abe, "though my experience has been that theseIndians are a bad lot. They haven't much respect for spirits of anykind, an' they'll soon find out we're human. But then, we'll waitan' 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 anappetite, Tom thought with a smile. But the meal idea was consideredvery timely, and soon the amateur cook was busy in the galley of theairship, whence speedily came savory odors. The electric lights wereswitched on, and the adventurers were quickly made comfortable inthe cave, which so well sheltered the RED CLOUD. Tom completed hisinspection of the craft, and was relieved to find that while therewere a number of small rents, none was very large, and all could bemended in time.

  Abe Abercrombie took a look outside the cave after the meal had beenserved. The old miner declared that they had made a good advance ontheir northern journey for, though he could not tell their exactlocation, he knew by the character of the landscape that they hadpassed the boundaries of Alaska.

  "A few more days' traveling at the rate we came will bring us to theSnow 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. Butwe 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 younginventor in a low voice. "But now we must get to work to repairdamage."

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

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

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

  "Then I will have time to go out and make some observations, will Inot?" asked Mr. Parker. "I think this cave is a very old one, and Imay be able to find some evidences in it that the sea of ice isslowly working its way down from the polar regions."

  "I hope you don't," whispered Ned to Tom, who shook his headdubiously as the gloomy scientist left the cave.

  The weather was very cold, but, in the cavern it was hardly noticed.The adventurers were warmly dressed, and when they did get chillyfrom working over the airship, they had but to go into the well-heatedand cozy cabin to warm themselves.

  It was on the third day of their habitation in the cave, and work onputting the patches on the gas-bag was almost finished. Mr. Parkerhad gone out to make further observations, his previous ones nothaving satisfied him. Tom was on an improvised platform, putting apatch on top of the bag, when he heard a sudden yell, and some onedashed into the cavern.

  "They're coming! They're coming!" cried a voice, and Tom, lookingdown, saw Mr. Parker, apparently in a state of great fear.

  "What's coming?" demanded the young inventor, "the icebergs?"

  "No--the Indians!" yelled the scientist. "A whole tribe of them isrushing this way!"

  "I thought so!" cried Abe Abercrombie. "Where's my gun?" and hedashed into the airship.

  Tom slid down off the platform.

  "Get ready for a fight!" he gasped. "Where are you, Ned?"

  "Here I am. We'd better get to the mouth of the cave, and drive 'emback from there."

  "Yes. If I'd only thought, we could have blockaded it in some way.It's as big as a barn now, and they can rush us if they have a mindto. But we'll do our best!"

  The adventurers were now all armed, even to Mr. Parker. Thescientist had recovered from his first fright, when he spied theIndians coming over the snow, as he was "observing" some naturalphenomenon. Tom, even in his excitement, noticed that the professorwas curiously examining his gun, evidently more with a view toseeing how it was made, and on which principle it was operated,rather than to discover how to use it.

  "If it comes to a fight, just point it at the Indians, pull thetrigger, and work that lever," explained the young inventor. "It'san automatic gun."

  "I see," answered Mr. Parker. "Very curious. I had no idea theyworked this way."

  "Oh, if I only had my electric rifle in shape!" sighed Tom, as hedashed forward at the side of Ned.

  "Your electric rifle?"

  "Yes, I've got a new kind of weapon--very effective. I have italmost finished. It's in the airship, but I can't use it just yet.However, maybe these repeaters will do the work."

  By this time they were at the entrance of the cave, and, looking outthey saw about a hundred Indians, dressed in furs, striding acrossthe snowy plain that stretched out from the foot of the mountain inwhich was the cavern.

  "They're certainly comin' on," observed Abe, grimly. "Git ready for'em, boys!"

  The gold-seekers lined up at the mouth of the cave, with guns intheir hands. At the sight of this small, but formidable force, theIndians halted. They were armed with guns of ancient make, whilesome had spears, and others bows and arrows. A few had grabbed upstones as weapons.

  There appeared to be a consultation going on among them, and,presently, one of the number, evidently a chief or a spokesman, gavehis gun to one of his followers, and, holding his hands above hishead, while he waved a rag that might have once been white, cameforward.

  "By Jove!" exclaimed Tom. "It's a flag of truce! He wants to talkwith us I believe!"

  "Bless my cartridges!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Can they speakEnglish?"

  "A little," answered Abe Abercrombie. "I can talk some of theirlingo, too. Maybe I'd better see what they want."

  "I guess it would be a good plan," suggested Tom, and,
accordinglythe old miner stepped forward. The Indian came on, until Abemotioned for him to halt.

  "I reckon that's as far as it'll be healthy for you t' come," spokeAbe, grimly. "Now what do you fellers want?"

  Thereupon there ensued a rapid exchange of jargon between the minerand the Indian. Abe seemed much relieved as the talk went on, untilthere came what seemed like a demand on the part of the dark-huednative.

  "No, you don't! None of that!" muttered Abe. "If you had your wayyou'd take everything we have."

  "What is it? What does he want?" asked Tom in a low voice.

  "Why, the beggar began fair enough," replied the miner. "He said oneof their number had been in the cave when a storm came an' saw a bigspirit fly in, with men on its back. He ran away an' now others havecome to see what it was. They don't guess it's an airship, forthey've never seen one, but they know we're white folks, an' theyalways want things white folks have got."

  "This fellow is a sort of chief, an' he says the white folks?--that'sus, you know?--have taken th' Indians' cave. He says he doesn'twant t' have any trouble, an' that we can stay here as long as welike, but that we must give him an' his followers a lot of food.Says they hain't got much. Land! Those beggars would eat us out ofeverything we had if we'd let 'em!"

  "What are you going to tell them?" inquired Mr. Damon.

  "I'm goin' t' tell 'em t' go t' grass, or words t' that effect,"replied Abe. "They haven't any weapons that amount t' anything, an'we can stand 'em off. Besides, we'll soon be goin' away from here;won't we, Tom?"

  "Yes, but--"

  "Oh, there's no use givin' in to 'em," interrupted Abe. "If you give'em half a loaf, they want two. Th' only way is t' be firm. I'lltell 'em we can't accommodate 'em."

  Thereupon he began once more to talk to the Indians in their owntongue. His words were at first received in silence, and then angrycries came from the natives. The chief made a gesture of protest.

  "Well, if you don't like it, you know what you kin do!" declaredAbe. "We've got th' best part of our journey before us, an' we can'tgive away our supplies. Go hunt food if you want it, ye lazybeggars!"

  The peaceful demeanor of the Indians now turned to rage. The leaderdropped the rag that had served for a flag of truce, and took backhis gun.

  "Look out! There's going to be trouble!" cried Tom.

  "Well, we're ready for 'em!" answered Abe, grimly.

  There was a moment of hesitation among the natives. Then they seemedto hold a consultation with the chief. It was over shortly. Theybroke into a run, and quickly advanced toward the cave. Tom and theothers held their guns in readiness.

  Suddenly the Indians halted. They gazed upward, and pointed tosomething in the air above their heads. They gave utterance to criesof fear.

  "What is it; another storm coming?" asked Tom.

  "Let's look," suggested Ned. He and Tom stepped to the mouth of thecave--they went outside. There was little danger from the nativesnow, as their attention was fixed on something else.

  A moment later Tom and Ned saw what this was.

  Floating in the air, almost over the cave, was a great airship--alarge craft, nearly the size of the RED CLOUD. Hardly able tobelieve the evidence of their eyes, Tom and Ned watched it. Whencehad it come? Whither was it going?

  "It's a triplane!" murmured Ned.

  "A triplane!" repeated Tom. "Yes--it is--and it's the airship ofAndy Foger! Our rivals are on our track!"

  He continued to gaze upward as the triplane shot forward, the noiseof the motor being plainly heard. Then, with howls of fear, theIndians turned and fled. The rival airship had vanquished them.