at many of the extraordinary
events of this life would never have happened. For instance--but the
instances are so numerous that it may be well not to begin them. It
happened that just as the bear began to ascend the snow staircase Anteek
with the spear in his hand began to ascend the companion-ladder. But
the chief point of the coincidence lay here--that just as the bear
reached the top of the stair the boy reached the very same spot, and
next moment the two stood face to face within four feet of each other.

We will not go into the irrelevant question which was the more
surprised. Anteek at once uttered a yell, compounded of courage,
despair, ferocity, horror, and other ingredients, which startled into
wild confusion all the echoes of the cliffs. The bear opened its mouth
as if to reply, and the boy instantly rammed the spear into it.

He could not have done anything worse, except run away, for a bear's
mouth is tough. Happily, however, the monster was standing in a very
upright position, and the violence of the thrust sent him off his
balance. He fell backwards down the stair, and came on the ice with an
astounding crash that doubled him up and crushed all the wind out of his
lungs in a bursting roar.

Fortunately his great weight caused the destruction of five or six of
the lower steps, so that when he rose and tried viciously to re-ascend,
he was unable to do so.

Of course the uproar brought the men on shore to the rescue, and while
the bear was making furious attempts to reconstruct the broken
staircase, Nazinred went close up and put a bullet in its brain.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

THE SHIP RE-VISITED AND RE-EXPLORED.

Cheenbuk's plan was afterwards fully carried out. On the return of the
party with all their wonderful news and wealth of old iron, the greatest
excitement prevailed in the tribe, and the persons composing the
expedition became heroes and heroines for the time being. Each member
formed a centre of attraction and a subject of cross-examination to its
own particular relatives and friends.

In the igloe of Aglootook was assembled, perhaps, one of the most
surprised, if not one of the most credulous, of the gatherings--for the
magician had a strong hold on the imagination of the greater number of
his tribe, and a wonderful power of oratory. His wife in particular
idolised him, which said much for his amiability, and his only sister
worshipped him, which spoke volumes for her gullib