in! He's staggering, but full of fight yet!"

Once more the pistol shots rang out. The bear was moving, but seemed to
be growing quite weak and confused, for once he fell half over, though
managing to recover and push on.

It took several more rounds before the huge bulk rolled over, gave a few
spasmodic kicks, and then expired.

"Bully work, boys!" shouted Jack, as he hurried forward to take a
close-up view of their victim. "Gee whiz! but isn't he a buster though?
Never did I dream I'd help bring down a real Arctic white bear! And just
to think of the queer conditions of this hunt, too, will you? I wager,
now, there never was one like it--by airplane at that!"

After one look at the bear Tom returned to his task. Shooting game was
all very fine, but he had business of a different character to call for
his attention just then.

"Wonder if the old chap has got a mate around?" suggested Jack, a sudden
thought causing him to survey the ice-floe as seen under the faint light
of the stars that were beginning to show in the heavens above.

"Not one chance in a thousand he had company," Beverly insisted; "but no
harm in your keeping a wary eye about, Jack, while Tom gets things in
shape again. I have to stay here with the light. If you've a sharp knife
what's to hinder you from taking one of his claws for a trophy?"

"I'll do that same. Thank you for reminding me, Colin! Some fellows I
know are such Doubting Thomases you have to be in a position to prove
everything you tell them. Tom, loan me that knife of yours, please. It's
got an edge like a razor to it, and those paws look simply immense."

"Make haste about it, for we'll soon be ready to skip out of this place,"
Tom warned him as he handed over the knife.

Jack began to work industriously. He found he had undertaken no mean job
when he contracted to sever one of the front paws of the dead Polar bear.
Not only did he have to cut through ligaments and tough skin, but the
bones themselves gave him no end of trouble.

He solved this by finding the heavy monkey-wrench, and using it as a
hammer, with the knife in place, thus actually severing the paw complete
after considerable trouble.

"There, isn't that a regular beauty to show?" he demanded, holding up the
result of his labor. "I feel something like a young Indian warrior who's
just killed his first grizzly, and means to hang the claws about his neck
to prove his bravery."

He stood looking down at the monster