During the International Geophysical Year, on Adelia Earth in French Antarctica, the "Charcot" station suddenly found itself isolated from the "Dumot d'Urville" base station. - Had it, perhaps, been ravaged by fire, as had happened to another station? And was there, perhaps, someone there in need of surgery, which only "Dumont d'Urville" could offer? Some men, mounted on the so-called "snow cats," set out in exploration and rescue; but they realize that the isolation is only due to a failure of the radio transmitter of "Charcot."