a
surprising thickness, he crept out and slid down the hard bank, leaving no
tracks behind.

The storm had abated; the moon and stars were out. As he dodged into the
store sheds, he fancied that he saw a shadow flit from sight at the other
end.

Working rapidly, he unearthed four fresh batteries. They were heavy
affairs. A sled improvised from a plank and a bit of wire would aid him in
bringing them up the hill. He had just arranged this contrivance and was
about to turn toward the door, when a sudden darkening of the patch of
moonlight admitted by the open door caused him to leap behind the massive
shape of a smelter. He peered around the edge of it, his breath coming
rapidly.

Through his mind sped the question: "Bolsheviki, natives, or yellow men?"

* * * * *

Upon freeing itself from the frozen claybank, the sausage balloon, with
Dave Tower, Jarvis and the unconscious stranger on board, rose rapidly.

In their wild consternation, Dave and Jarvis did not realize this until
the intense cold of the upper air began to creep through the
heavily-padded walls of the cabin.

At this, Jarvis dropped on his stomach and stared down through the
plate-glass on the floor.

"Shiver my bones!" he ejaculated, "we're a mile 'igh and goin' 'igher!"

At this word Dave dashed for the door. He had it half open. A blast of air
so cold that it seemed solid ice rushed its way through the opening.

Immediately Jarvis threw himself against the door.

"What'll y' do?" he stormed. "I 'ates to think 'ow stiff you'd freeze
h'out there in the 'alf of a second."

Dave shook with the cold and the excitement. The stranger in the corner
groaned.

Jarvis sprang to the gasoline motor.

"If we can get 'er started we'll 'ave some 'eat."

After five minutes of fumbling about with stiffening fingers, he
straightened up with a sigh.

"Can't make 'ead nor tail of 'er. These bloomin' 'eathen; they make such
queer riggin's."

Dave did not answer. He had discovered a series of sealed wet batteries
lined against the wall and, having dragged one of these loose from its
wiring, prepared to test it out with a piece of insulated wire.

In a second there came a blinding flash.

"Charged! Charged to the gunwale!" he exulted. "Now if we can only hook
them up with the heating system of this cabin, we're all right. Give us a
hand."

Jarvis, catching his idea, began searching for the connecting wires of