Page:Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice.djvu/167

Rh “Do you think we are anywhere near the valley of gold?” asked Mr. Damon that afternoon, when the work was nearly finished.

“It's somewhere in this vicinity,” declared Abe. “Me an’ my partner passed through jest such a place as this on our way there. I wouldn't wonder but what it wasn't more than a few hundred miles away, now.”

“Then we'll soon be there,” said Tom. “I’ll start in the morning. I could go to-night, but there are a few adjustments I want to make to the motor, and, besides, I think it will be safer, now that we are among these peaks, to navigate daylight, or at least with the searchlight going. I should have thought of that before.”

“Then, if you’re not going to start away at once,” spoke Mr. Parker, “I think I will walk around a bit and make some observations. I think we are now in the region where we may expect a movement of the ice. I want to test it, and see if it is traveling in a southerly direction. It it is not now, it will soon be doing that, and the coating of ice may reach even as far as New York.”

“Pleasant prospect,” murmured Tom. Then said aloud: “Well, if you are going, Mr. Parker, we’ll go with you. I’ll be glad of the