ure that you will see _something_! Only, the
benefit of seeing it will depend on your running as fast as you can.
Now, are you ready?"

"Yes, quite ready," exclaimed the youth, tightening his girdle of
sealskin eagerly.

"Well then--_away_!" shouted Rooney.

Off went Ippegoo at a pace which was obviously the best that he was
capable of putting forth. Rooney counted as he ran, and in a much
shorter time than had been specified he reached the point, for the level
track, or what we may style sea-shore, of the berg was not a bad
race-course. Suddenly, however, he came to an abrupt halt, and threw up
his arms as if in amazement. Then he turned round and ran back at a
pace that was even greater than he had achieved on the outward run.
Rooney was himself greatly surprised at this, for, as the youth drew
nearer, the expression of his face showed that he had indeed seen
"something" which had not been in the seaman's calculations. He
spluttered and gasped as he came near, in his effort to speak.

"What is it?--take time, lad," said Rooney quietly.

"A b-bear! a bear!" cried Ippegoo.

"What! did it run at you?" asked Rooney, becoming slightly excited in
his turn, and keeping his eye on the ice-point.

"N-no; no. It was sitting on--on its tail--l-looking at the--the
s-sea."

"And we've no weapon bigger than an Eskimo knife," exclaimed the sailor,
with a frown of discontent--"not even a bit of stick to tie the knife
to. What a chance lost! He would have kept us in food for some weeks.
Well, well, this _is_ bad luck. Come, Ippe, we'll go back to the cave,
and consult about this."

On returning to the cheerless retreat, they found the rest of the party
just awakening. The men were yawning and rubbing their eyes, while the
women, with characteristic activity and self-denial, were gathering
together the few scraps of food that remained from the previous night's
supper.

"There is a bear just round the point--so Ippe says--what's to be done?"
asked Rooney on entering.

Up jumped the four men and two boys as if they had been made of
indiarubber.

"Attack it," cried Arbalik.

"Kill it," exclaimed Norrak.

"And eat it," said Ermigit.

"What will you attack it with?" asked Simek in a slightly contemptuous
tone--"with your fingernails? If so, you had better send Sigokow to do
battle, for she could beat the three of you."

The youths stood abashed.

"We have no spears," said Simek, "and knives are useless. B