"It is exhausted," said Joe, looking at it carefully; "it is 'done up,' its life has departed. Poor balloon!"
"If I mistake not," said Kennedy, "I can see the mountains of which you spoke, Samuel."
"Those are they, no doubt," said the doctor, having examined them with his glass. "They appear to me to be very high; we shall have some trouble to clear them."
"Cannot we avoid them?"
"I do not think so, Dick; look at the extent of them, nearly half the horizon."
"They seem to enclose us on all sides," said Joe.
"We must cross over them," said the doctor.
These dangerous obstacles appeared to approach with extreme rapidity, or rather the "Victoria" approached them, and she must ascend at any risk.
"Empty our water-cask," said Ferguson, "we have enough for to-day."
"It is done," said Joe.
"Is the balloon relieved at all?" inquired Kennedy.
"A little, about fifty feet higher," replied the doctor, who did not take his eyes from the barometer, "but that is not sufficient."
The peaks now appeared ready to fall upon the travelers, who were very far from the tops. The water for the blow-pipe was then thrown out, they only kept a few pints, but this was still insufficient.
"We must pass them," said the doctor.
"Throw out the chests, they are empty," said Kennedy.
"Out with them."
"There they go," said Joe, "it is to die by inches."
"As for you, Joe, don't you attempt to repeat your devoted act of the other day. Whatever happens, swear you will not leave us!"
"All right, sir, we will not separate."
The "Victoria" had regained a good height, but the mountain peak still overlooked her. It was a straight edge, which terminated in a regular peaked rampart. It was then more than 200 feet above the travelers.
"In ten minutes our car will be in contact with those rocks if we cannot pass them."
"Well, then, Mr. Samuel," said Joe.
"Keep only the pemmican, throw out all the rest."
