Bell worked for an hour, and dug a passage about ten feet long, through which one might crawl. Then Altamont took his place, and did about as much; the snow which was taken from the gallery was carried into the kitchen, where the doctor melted it at the fire, that it might take up less room. The captain followed the American; then came Johnson. In ten hours, that is to say, at about eight o’clock in the morning, the gallery was finished. At daybreak the doctor peeped at the bears through a loophole in the wall of the powder-magazine.
The patient animals had not left their place; there they were, coming and going, growling, but in general patrolling patiently; they kept going around the house, which was gradually disappearing beneath the snow. But at length they seemed to lose patience, for the doctor saw them begin to tear away the ice and snow they had heaped up.
“Good!” he said to the captain, who was standing near him.
“What are they doing?” he asked.
“They seem to be trying to destroy what they have done and to get to us! But they’ll be destroyed first! At any rate, there is no time to lose.”
The doctor made his way to the place where the mine was to be laid; then he enlarged the chamber all the height and breadth of the slope; a layer of ice, only a foot thick at the outside, remained; it had to be supported lest it should fall in. A stake resting on the granite soil served as a post; the fox’s body was fastened to the top, and a long knotted cord ran the whole length of the gallery to the magazine. The doctor’s companions followed his orders without clearly understanding his intention.
“This is the bait,” he said, pointing to the fox.
At the foot of the post he placed a cask holding about a hundred pounds of powder.
“And here is the charge,” he added.
“But,” asked Hatteras, “shan’t we blow ourselves up at the same time?”
“No, we are far enough off from the explosion; besides, our house is solid; and if it is hurt a little we can easily repair it.”
“Well,” continued Altamont; “but how are you going to set it off?”
“This way. By pulling this cord we pull over the post which holds up the ice above the powder; the fox’s body will suddenly be seen on the slope, and you must confess that the starving animals will rush upon this unexpected prey.”
“Certainly.”
“Well, at that moment I shall explode the mine, and blow up guest and dinner.”
“Well, well!” exclaimed Johnson, who was listening eagerly.
Hatteras had perfect confidence in his friend, and asked no question. He waited. But Altamont wanted it made perfectly clear.
“Doctor,” he began, “how can you calculate the length of the fuse so exactly that the explosion will take place at the right moment?”
“It’s very simple,” answered the doctor; “I don’t make any calculation.”
“But you have a fuse a hundred feet long?”
“No.”
“Shall you set a train of powder simply?”
“No! that might fail.”
“Will someone have to volunteer and light the powder?”
“If you want anyone,” said Johnson, eagerly, “I’m your man.”
“It’s not necessary, my friend,” answered the doctor, grasping the boatswain’s hand; “our five lives are precious, and they will be spared, thank God!”
“Then,” said the American, “I can’t guess.”
“Well,” answered the doctor, smiling, “if we couldn’t get out of this little affair, what would be the use of physics?”
“Ah!” said Johnson, brightening up, “physics!”
“Yes! Haven’t we here an electric pile and wires long enough—those, you know, which connected with the lighthouse?”
“Well?”
“Well, we shall explode the powder when we please, instantly, and without danger.”
“Hurrah!” shouted Johnson.
“Hurrah!” repeated his companions, not caring whether the enemy heard them or not. Soon the electric wires were run through the gallery from the house to the chamber of the mine. One of the extremities remained at the pile, the other was plunged into the centre of the cask, the two ends being placed at but a little distance from one another. At nine of the morning all was finished, and it was time; the bears were tearing the snow away furiously. The doctor thought the proper time had come. Johnson was sent to the magazine and charged with pulling the cord fastened to the post. He took his place.
“Now,” said the doctor to his companions, “load your guns in case they should not be all killed at once, and take your place near Johnson; as soon as you hear the explosion, run out.”
“All right!” said the American.
“And now we have done all that men can do! We have helped ourselves; may God help us!”
Hatteras, Altamont, and Bell went to the magazine. The doctor remained alone at the pile. Soon he heard Johnson’s voice crying—
“Ready?”
“All right!” he answered.
Johnson gave a strong pull at the rope; it pulled over the stake; then he ran to the loophole and looked out. The surface of the slope had sunk in. The fox’s body was visible upon the shattered ice. The bears, at first surprised, crowded about this new prey.
“Fire!” shouted Johnson.
The doctor at once established the electric current between the threads; a loud explosion followed; the house shook as if in an earthquake; the walls fell in. Hatteras, Altamont, and Bell hastened out of the magazine, ready to fire. But their guns were not needed; four of the five bears fell about them in fragments, while the fifth, badly burned, ran away as fast as he could.
“Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!” shouted the doctor’s companions, while they crowded about him and embraced him.
XIV
The Polar Spring
The prisoners were set free; they expressed their joy by the warmth of their thanks to the doctor. Johnson regretted somewhat the skins, which were
