, the bear continued to lessen the distance between it and its
prey, while simulating the greatest innocence and assuming to be
thinking of anything but making an attack. So playful a creature,
enjoying itself thoroughly in the sunshine, could never have approached
a walrus herd before. Now it was rolling legs upward, and giving itself
a peculiar wriggle, as if to scratch its back; then it was sitting up
like a cat, and reaching round to have a lick at the part of its person
which had just been rubbed in the ice. A minute later it was on its
flank, with all four legs stretched out, and its muzzle in the snow; and
all these changes were made with the most extreme deliberation, and as
if the animal was intent only upon its own enjoyment, and was as
sportive as the unwieldy fat calves rolling about near their mothers a
short distance away.

"It's all over," said Steve suddenly; for the animal had shuffled a
little nearer to the herd, and then lain down with its head from them,
and apparently gone to sleep.

The doctor and Captain Marsham, tired of watching the bear, had started
off with their pieces, leaving Steve with the two Norsemen, so that the
lad's last remark was addressed to his companions.

"No," said Jakobsen, smiling; "the sport has hardly begun."

"Right," said Johannes. "Why, Mr Steve, you do not think that
treacherous great brute would take all that trouble for nothing, do
you?"

"I don't know, I do not understand bears," replied Steve; "I only say
look at him. Why, Johannes, if we had had the boat through, what a
capture we might have made--the bear and plenty of walrus!"

"Perhaps, sir," replied the Norseman drily.

"What do you mean?"

"We might have failed to get within shot."

"And if we had, lost the walrus all the same," said Jakobsen.

"Yes," said Johannes, "you are never sure of one of those great beasts."

"Well, let's follow the captain," said Steve; "I'm getting a little
cold."

"Won't you stay and see the end of the bear's game, sir? He has
finished his nap, and has begun to have another roll."

The man was correct, for the bear had rolled itself over, turned, and
had another roll over, bringing itself apparently within some twenty
yards of a couple of the smallest calves, which were stretched out in
clumsy bulk close to the edge of the ice, where it was about ten feet
above the glistening water.

"Now for it," said Jakobsen; "he means mischief at last."

But never was th