The giant had halted and put out a restraining hand to stop those behind him. Tom shot the bright ray of the lamp ahead. He saw nothing, for there was a sharp turn in the passage there. They stood silent, waiting. The giant crept forward. When the man-mountain reached the turn in the wall of ice, he stretched his neck around it. He stood so for so long that Tom went forward, too, making no noise. Almost at once, when he reached Koku’s station, Tom heard a slight noise farther along the tunnel. “Listen!” he whispered, and held up his hand for silence. Was it an animal? Perhaps another bear? The young fellow unslung his rifle, for dangerous as it was to fire a weapon amid the towering ice, such another savage beast as that which had previously attacked them could only be met with powder and ball. Koku flashed his master a quick glance. His wide mouth split his face in a grin. Something amused Koku immensely, but what it was Tom did not at first understand. The others ventured forward until all stood in a group at the turn of the tunnel. Tom was listening again. The noise was repeated. Suddenly he swung about and slapped his chum on the shoulder. “Ned,” he whispered hoarsely, “you were saying there was no silver lining to this cloud of trouble! Don’t you believe it! This is its silver lining. Listen!” As he ceased speaking a hollow voice echoed along the passage: “Bless the icicles on my mustache, this is the coldest house I ever lived in! The landlord should be prosecuted,” and then the deep, bass laugh of Wakefield Damon reverberated in the ice-cleft. “What do you know about this!” “Here in the ice cave!” “Come on and surprise them!” At these words all rushed forward. CHAPTER XXII BACK TO THE FLYING BOAT The excitement of the bear fight and of being shut into the tunnel through the ice had for the moment driven out of the minds of all the party from the flying boat remembrance of the cause which had brought them here to the giant iceberg. For the time being even Tom had forgotten Mr. Damon and Mr. Nestor and their companions. At least some of the castaways from the schooner _Kalrye_ were right ahead of Tom’s party. The booming voice of the excitable Wakefield Damon and his “blessing” could never be mistaken by anybody who knew him at all! Captain Olaf Karofsen burst into a great roar of laughter, and, cheering loudly, he strode ahead along the passage. “We bane findt dem fellers!” he bawled. “Misder Damon! How you vas now—yes?” The others heard Mr. Damon cry: “Here’s that Skowegian, Nestor! Captain of the _Kalrye_. What do you know about this? Bless my divining rod! I never expected to see him again.” The whole party, including Tom, followed the big captain. They rushed into a circular chamber in the ice. In the middle was a small fire burning on a piece of copper sheathing, set up on empty bean cans to keep the heat from the floor of the chamber.