“They all sleep!” muttered Dirola, motioning toward the camp of Esquimaux which she indicated was behind the ice cavern they had just left.  “We walk; den we git dogs an’ sleds.  Den we ride so no can catch!”

At a sign from Dirola the seven prisoners stepped out briskly.  It seemed queer to see the sun shining after having been in the dark cave, where it looked like night, and to get used to the appearance of Old Sol shining steadily all night long, was something the adventurers had not quite accomplished.  They walked perhaps a mile before they came to where the dog teams were, behind a hill of ice.

There were two big sleds, with room enough for all, and ten dogs to each vehicle.  The animals, which were securely tied to pinnacles of ice, were snapping and snarling among themselves.

“Quick, git on!” commanded Dirola.  “Maybe they chase us!”

The captives needed no second bidding.  They piled on the sledges, the professor, Andy and Washington on one and the two boys and the two helpers on the other.  Dirola took her seat in front of Professor Henderson.

“Who’s going to drive our dogs?” asked Jack.

“No drive.  They follow me,” said the woman, and then Jack saw that the foremost animal of his team was tied by a long thong to the rear of the first sleigh.

The Esquimaux woman snapped her whip, having first untied the dogs, and away the teams went over the snow at a great pace.

The spirits of all arose as they went on, making mile after mile on their journey, away from the ice cave and back to the Monarch.  Dirola seemed to know just where she was going, and never hesitated.  With voice and whip she guided the dog teams on, urging them to top speed, for she was escaping as well as the adventurers.

For several hours the captives rode, becoming thoroughly chilled, for a cold, cutting wind sprang up and blew in their faces.

“We most there,” said the woman at length.

“I’m glad to hear it,” remarked Andy.  “I will be glad to get back to a civilized place, even if it is an airship.”

Suddenly Dirola turned her head and glanced behind.  As she did so she uttered an exclamation and called shrilly to the dogs, at the same time snapping her long whip viciously.

“What’s the matter?” asked Andy.

“They come after us.”

Looking back, Andy was startled to see, about a mile in the rear, more than a score of sleds, laden with fur-robed Esquimaux, in full pursuit.

“Now we’re in for it!” he cried.  “It will be a race to see who gets to the ship first!  Get out your revolvers!  I’m not going to be captured again!”

Each one of the adventurers brought out his weapon.  The pursuing Esquimaux seemed aware that their former captives had observed them, and urged their dog teams to greater speed.  It was indeed a race.

Dirola’s animals had been urged almost to their limit, and were now lagging.  Voice and whip no longer served to send them forward.  Several of the beasts were limping.