its white
teeth look horrible, and in spite of another shot came close up, rose on
its hind legs, towering above the kneeling men, with its paws separated
to strike, when almost together both barrels of Steve's piece were fired
right into the animal's chest, and as it uttered a savage roar the
lances of the two Norsemen were driven into it and rapidly withdrawn.

The effect was instantaneous: the monster threw itself over and lay upon
its back, tearing at the air for a few moments, and then subsided slowly
on to one side--dead, Skene leaping upon the carcass to give vent to a
triumphant burst of barking, while the captain shook hands with the
doctor, and then clapped Steve on the shoulder.

"Well done! Bravo!" he cried. "Splendid shots, just at the right
moment; couldn't have been better."

"Couldn't it?" said Steve, speaking feebly, for he felt rather ashamed
of the praise, and at the same time a kind of regret for having played
so prominent a part in the death of the animal.

He must have shown this in his face, for the captain said:

"It's quite right, my lad. These bears are dangerous, destructive
beasts, and would have given us no mercy. Besides, we must get a cargo
to take back."

A hail brought up the sailors, who were sent back in the boat for the
other two Norsemen, while Johannes and Jakobsen, after carefully
cleaning the blades of their lances, laid them against a rock, took off
their jackets, rolled up their sleeves, and then, taking out their
knives, began to skin the great bear.

At this time Andrew came up limping.

"Well, brave man!" said the doctor; "wounded?"

"Ah, she can be brave eneuch when there's ony occasion, sir," said
Andrew. "But she never war grand at fechting bear, and she thocht she'd
get oot o' the way o' the shooting."

"And you did," said the captain contemptuously. "There, go and fetch
that piece you threw away."

"Nay, it slippit oot o' my fingers, sir. It was after she'd fired it,
though."

"The least said the soonest mended, McByle," said the captain coldly.
"You had better hold your tongue, and go and find that rifle. I may as
well tell you, though, that my opinion of your bravery is not very
high."

"Nay, sir, dinna be hard upon a puir mon. Ye dinna ken a' aboot me the
yet."

"I know enough. Don't talk, man; go and find the rifle, and then come
and help the skinning here."

"She will, sir; but, doctor, is her _leg_ brukkit?"

"Eh? Bah! no. A bit s