got quite a lead."

At that instant the man in front disappeared behind the shore tower. As
they watched, they saw a strange thing: the swinging platform began to
move slowly along the rusty cable, and, just as it got under way, a man
leaped out upon it.

"He's started the electric motor and is giving himself a ride,"
explained Johnny, "but if it's as bad as that, it must be pretty bad.
He's desperate, that's all. The outer tower's likely to go over at any
moment and dash him to death. Even if he makes it, where'll he be? Going
out to sea on the floe, that's all."

Slowly the platform crept across the space over the black waters, then
over the tumbling ice. The outer tower could be seen to dip in toward
the shore. The cable sagged. The two other runners were nearing the
inner tower.

"C'mon!" exclaimed Johnny, "The Golden West. A telescope!"

Closely followed by Hanada, he leaped away toward the hotel where, in a
room especially prepared for it, was a huge brass telescope mounted on a
tripod. Johnny, glancing out to sea, knew that the tower would be over
in another thirty seconds. The platform was not twenty feet from its
goal. His eye was now at the telescope. One second and he swung the
instrument about. Then a gasp escaped his lips:

"The Russian!"

"The Russian?" Hanada snatched the telescope from him.