up by a truck driver, who advised them that he was on his way to Barrow, Alaska’s northernmost city.
“Is that on the way to the North Pole?” Max asked.
“If that’s were you’re going, it is,” the driver replied. “But then, if you’re heading for Florida, it’s on the way to Florida, too. Is that where you’re going-the Pole?”
“I don’t think I’d better say,” Max replied. “We’re on a secret mission.”
When they reached Barrow, Max, 99 and von BOOM proceeded on foot again. It was only a short distance to the shore. There, Max reinflated the rubber raft and they set out across the Arctic Ocean.
“Things are going too smoothly, Max,” 99 said. “I’m worried.”
“Worried? 99, we’re out in the middle of the Arctic Ocean in a rubber raft-how could we be any safer?”
“Has anybody else noticed the chill in the air?” von BOOM said.
“I’m too cold to notice anything,” 99 shivered.
“Then grab a paddle,” Max advised. “Not only will paddling keep you warm, but it will get us there faster.”
After a number of near collisions with icebergs, they finally reached land again.
“Now, this is more like it,” Max said, leading the party ashore. “It’s the same color here as it is on my map.”
“I think snow is always white, Max, no matter where it is.”
“It’s wetter here than on my map, though,” Max said. “I wonder if that’s be-” He suddenly peered into the distance. “Is that smoke?”
“Max! It must be a town or a settlement or something.”
“Maybe so, 99. But it certainly
“I mean, if there’s smoke, there must be people. And if there are people, it must be civilized. And if it’s civilized, we can get some warm clothes.”
“99, your theory just won’t stand up. It isn’t always true that where there are people there are also clothes. For all we know, that might be a nudist colony.”
“In this snow, Max?”
“Come along, Professor,” Max said. “I think we’ll find warm clothes up ahead.”
Max, 99 and von BOOM trudged through the snow and soon reached an Eskimo village. It consisted of a general store, built of sheets of tin, and a number of igloos. They hurried into the store and then huddled around the wood stove, thawing out. The proprietor, an old man with a walrus mustache, watched them curiously.
“We’re strangers in town,” Max called out to the man.
“Do tell! I figured you was Admiral Byrd.”
“I think Admiral Byrd specialized in the South Pole,” Max said.
“Well, I figured-the skimpy way you’re dressed-you was lost, Admiral.”
“I’m not an admiral, I’m a secret agent,” Max said.
“Your secret’s safe with me, son. I sure ain’t dumb enough to admit to nobody that I ever even saw you.”
“Could we buy some warm clothes?” 99 said. “We’re on our way to the Pole.”
“Want to see if it’s really red-and-white striped, eh?” the old man chuckled. “We get a lot of you college kids through here-all with the same idea in mind. Well, I can save you the trouble. That’s the color it is, all right. At least, on my map, anyways.”
“That doesn’t happen to be our reason,” Max said.
“Looking for Santy Claus Land?”
“Could you just get us the clothes?” Max said grumpily.
The proprietor supplied them with heavy, fur-lined parkas, then said, “You’ll need some snowshoes, too. What size?”
“Size isn’t really important,” Max replied. “But my left one has to be a telephone.”
“No got,” the old man replied. “But how about a right boot that sends up smoke signals?”
“That’s interesting,” Max said. “How does it work?”
“You set it on fire, then wave a blanket over it.”
“No thanks,” Max replied. “Regular snowshoes will have to do, I guess. Will we need anything else?”
“I’m all out of what you really need,” the old man said. “I didn’t get my shipment in from the brain factory this week.”
“Max, maybe we ought to have a dog sled,” 99 said.
“I can fix you up with a dog sled,” the old man nodded.
“And dogs?” Max asked.
“I can fix you up with some dogs, too. And what size whip would you like?”
“Whip?”
“You don’t think any dog with any sense would go out there in that snow and cold unless he was drove to it, do you?”
“Nevermind the whip,” Max said. “I’ll just explain to them that their country’s space program is depending on them.”
An hour later, dressed snuggly in parkas, fitted with snowshoes, and following a sled that was packed with supplies and pulled by a team of dogs, Max, 99 and von BOOM set out across the snow headed in the direction of the Pole.
“It’s hard to believe, Max, but we’re actually on the last lap,” 99 said. “I think we’re really going to make it.”
“This is no time to let down our guard, 99,” Max warned. “For all we know, there may be a KAOS agent behind every sand dune.”
“Snow, Max.”
“Oh. . yes. Behind every snow dune, then.”
“But, Max, there aren’t any dunes. It’s all level. And you can see for miles and miles and there’s nothing in sight.”
“Even so, 99, I still say we better stay on our toes. Who knows what might happen before we- Isn’t the wind getting stronger?”
“Looks like we’re in for a sand storm,” von BOOM said.
“Snow storm, Professor,” 99 corrected.
“What is it, then?” Max asked.
“What, Max?”
“The Professor said he thought a storm was blowing up. And you said it’s no storm. So, I asked you what it is if it isn’t a storm.”
“I didn’t say no storm, Max, I said snow storm.”
Max cupped a hand to his ear. “I can’t hear you, 99! The wind is too loud.”
“I said snow storm!” 99 shouted.
“It’s certainly behaving like a storm,” Max insisted. “I can hardly see! 99, where are you? The snow is blinding me! Professor von BOOM! Are you there?”
“Here, Max!” 99 answered. “Take my hand!”
“I’ve got it, 99! Incidentally, this may not be the right time to mention it, but your fingernails need clipping!”
“Max! That isn’t my hand!”
“Oh. Sorry, doggy.”
“Max! Where is the Professor?”
“I’m here!” von BOOM answered. “Behind the sled!”
“Where is the sled!” Max shouted. “I can’t- Nevermind-I found it! I’ll pile some of these supplies in a circle and make a shelter!”
“Let go of my head!” von BOOM shouted.
“Max! I can’t find you!” 99 cried.
“Just stay where you are!” Max called. “I’ll build this shelter, then I’ll look for you.”
“Max!” 99 screamed. “Let go of my head!”
