being too valorous, ran close up to the bears, who seemed to
regard them with haughty surprise. Another movement and the two dogs
rose into the air with a yell in unison, and fell back upon the snow,
where they lay motionless. The other two, learning wisdom from
experience, kept back and barked furiously.

Nazinred, although taken by surprise, was used to sudden alarms and not
easily frightened. Knowing that the two dogs were very courageous, and
therefore all the more likely to run into danger, he sprang forward
towards the nearer of the two bears. It rose on its hind-legs to
receive him, and in this position appeared to stand at least eight feet
high. Without a moment's hesitation the Indian pointed his gun when the
muzzle was not more than a foot from the creature's breast, and fired.
The bear fell dead on the instant, shot through the heart.

The loud report and flash frightened the other bear away. It was
closely followed, however, by the dogs, and the chief availed himself of
the opportunity to re-load. While he was thus engaged a peculiarly loud
yell told only too plainly that one of the remaining dogs was injured,
if not killed. He called to the remaining one to come back. Obedient
to the call it returned, and, to its master's great relief, proved to be
his favourite Attim, a good deal cut about the shoulders and much
crestfallen, but not seriously injured.

"Down, Attim," said his master.

The poor creature obeyed at once, and his master hurried forward, but
the bear had retired.

The result of this encounter was that three of the dogs were killed,
many of his things destroyed, and his provisions rendered almost
useless, while the sledge was irreparably broken to pieces. There was
daylight enough to render the extent of his misfortune visible, and to
show him that the trail which he had been following so long was drifted
over and entirely obliterated.

To a man of weak resolution this might have been overwhelming, but
Nazinred was very much the reverse of weak, and his utter recklessness
of life in his endeavour to recover his lost child would have rendered
him a hero for the time being, even if he had not been one by nature.

After collecting the remains of his property, and ascertaining that the
sledge was hopelessly destroyed, he made up his mind to carry the
provisions on his back and push forward in the direction pointed out by
Adolay until he found her. If he did not succeed, the failur