[Illustration: “Stop her, somebody! We will all be drowned!” See page 74.] Tour of the Zero Club OR Adventures Amid Ice and Snow BY CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL AUTHOR OF “Neka, the Boy Conjuror,” “For the Liberty of Texas,” “Boys of the Fort,” etc. [Illustration] NEW YORK AND LONDON STREET & SMITH, PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1902 By STREET & SMITH Tour of the Zero Club CONTENTS. CHAPTER. PAGE. I--On the Toboggan-Slide 9 II--Lost or Won? 16 III--The Races 24 IV--A Moment of Peril 31 V--Getting Ready to Start 39 VI--Last Ride on the Buster 47 VII--By a Hair’s Breadth 53 VIII--The Stolen Iceboat 60 IX--The Tour Begins 66 X--Close Quarters 74 XI--A Lucky Shot 81 XII--Jack Becomes Lost 88 XIII--Jack’s Experience 95 XIV--A Fight With Reptiles 102 XV--Lost in the Snow 109 XVI--Settling Down in Camp 115 XVII--Hunting for Food 122 XVIII--Chased by Wolves 128 XIX--The Last of the Wolves 135 XX--What Could It Have Been? 142 XXI--Deer Hunting 148 XXII--Track of the Marauders 155 XXIII--The Cottage in the Woods 162 XXIV--Harry’s Prize 169 XXV--A Friend in Need 175 XXVI--The Unsuccessful Pursuit 182 XXVII--A Heavy Storm 189 XXVIII--Fighting the Flames 196 XXIX--Blue Times in Camp 203 XXX--Found Starving 209 XXXI--Immediate Wants Supplied 216 XXXII--Last of the Wildcat 222 XXXIII--The Snow Siege Ended 228 XXXIV--A Lively Time 235 XXXV--At the Country Dance 240 XXXVI--The Black Bear 246 XXXVII--End of the Tour 253 TOUR OF THE ZERO CLUB. CHAPTER I. ON THE TOBOGGAN-SLIDE. “All ready?” “All ready!” “Then here we go! Hold on, everybody, unless you want to be sent flying when we reach the curve!” As Harry Webb uttered the last words he gave his long toboggan, the _Buster_, a final shove, and hopped on behind his three companions, and away they started on the trip down Doublehead Hill. It was a stirring scene. The upper and lower hills, although light in the full moon, were made doubly bright by the scores of bonfires and pine torches which blazed on either side of the narrow toboggan-slide. Scores of boys and girls were out, and not a few ladies and gentlemen also, and all looked warm and happy in their gayly-colored toboggan suits.