relish.

The dog meat was carefully divided into daily portions for each man.
Some of it, of course, had to go to the remaining animals, to keep
them alive to be butchered later, if need be, for this was the only
source of food the destitute men had.

Every day Bob and the Eskimos wandered over the ice, hoping against
hope that some means of escape might be found. Bob realized that
nothing but the hand of Providence, by some supernatural means, could
save him now. Again, he said,

"Th' Lard this time has sure been losin' track o' me. Maybe 'tis
because when He were showin' me a safe trail over th' hills I were not
willin' t' bide His time an' go that way, but were comin' by th' ice
after th' warnin' at Kangeva."

But he always ended his musings with the comfortable recollection of
his mother's prayers. Which had helped him so much before, and this
did more than anything else to keep him courageous and brave.

The days came and went, each as empty as its predecessor, and each
night brought less probability of escape than the night before.

Another dog was killed, and a week passed.

The komatik wood was nearly gone, although but one small fire was
built each day, and the end of their tea was in sight.

This was the state of affairs when Bob wandered one day farther to the
southward over the pack ice than usual, and suddenly saw in the
distance a moving object. At first he imagined that it was a bit of
moving ice, so near was it to the colour of the field. This was quite
impossible, however, and approaching it stealthily, he soon discovered
that it was a polar bear.

The animal was wandering leisurely to the south. Bob carried the rifle
that Mr. MacPherson had given him, as he always did on these
occasions, and keeping in the lee of ice hummocks, that he might not
be seen by the bear, ran noiselessly forward. Finally he was within
shooting distance and, raising the gun, took aim and fired.

Perhaps it was because of weakness through improper food, or possibly
as the result of too much eagerness, but the aim was unsteady and the
bullet only grazed and slightly wounded the bear.

The brute growled and turned to see what it was that had struck him.
When it discovered its enemy it rose on its haunches and offered
battle.

Bob was for a moment paralyzed by the immense proportions that the
bear displayed, and almost forgot that he had more bullets at his
disposal. But he quickly recalled himself and throwing a ca