He looked anxiously around, but no game was in
sight. After a little farther tramp over the icy expanse they all
declared that they had seen enough of the dreary landscape, and
voted to return to the ship.
As they neared their craft Tom saw several large, shaggy black
objects standing in a line on the path the adventurers had come over
a little while before. The objects were between the gold-seekers and
the RED CLOUD.
"What in the world are those?" asked the young inventor.
"Look to me like black stones," spoke Ned.
"Stones?" cried Abe. "Look out, boys, those are musk oxen; and big
ones, too! There's a lot of 'em! Make for the ship! If they attack
us we're goners!"
The boys and Mr. Parker needed no second warning. Turning so as to
rush past the shaggy creatures, the four headed toward the ship.
But if our friends expected to reach it unmolested they were
disappointed. No sooner had they increased their pace than the oxen,
with snorts of rage, darted forward. The animals may have imagined
they were about to be attacked, and determined to make the first
move.
"Here they come!" yelled Ned.
"Sprint for it!" cried Tom.
"Oh, if I only had my gun!" groaned Abe.
It was hard work running over the ice and snow, hampered as they
were with their heavy fur garments.
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