ere a more innocent, playful-looking bear. It turned
half away, and began to haul up the snow as if to make its bed there
upon the floe, gazing across at the land the while; then with a swing,
as if it were on a pivot, it swung round.

"Now!" cried Johannes; but there was no need, Steve's eyes were fixed
intently upon the animal as it made a sudden rush.

So did the bull walrus, and the snow rose in clouds, torn up by the
animals making for the sea, which was churned up into foam as first one
and then another of the monstrous, shapeless creatures threw itself in
with a tremendous splash.

So great was the disturbance of snow and water that there was quite a
mist; but Steve was able to see that the two fat calves rolled over into
the sea in time enough to avoid the bear's rush; and almost at the same
moment the bull charged it, and caught it with its head in the flank as
it stood with outstretched muzzle and grinning teeth reaching over the
water, uttering a low, deep roar indicative of its disappointment.

So intent was the bear on the prey which it had missed, that it paid no
heed to the approach of the bull, which, after bustling across the
surface of the snow, struck the bear right in the side and tumbled it
off into the sea with a tremendous splash, following directly after with
a turmoil in the water which was more extensive still.

It was impossible to see what happened then, for the calm, smooth water
seemed now to have been smitten by a storm, but only to calm again, as
Jakobsen pointed along the edge of the floe, where the bear could be
seen swimming steadily away.

"He has got off," said Johannes, "for a wonder."

"Why?" asked Steve; "the walrus couldn't fight a savage beast like
that."

"But they do, sir, sometimes, in defence of their young; and then the
walrus can be a savage beast, too. Think of what tusks they have! I've
seen them thirty inches long, but say there are eighteen or twenty
inches standing out, firm, hard teeth with which the animal can strike
like lightning."

"Straight down, I suppose?" said Steve.

"Straight down, sir? Any way,--side ways, and even upwards; for big,
heavy creatures as they are, they can twist their heads round like a
kitten. I daresay a walrus would get the worst of it on the _ice_, if
the bear could once get a good hug; but when a bull has got a bear in
the water, though he can swim splendidly, he is not at home there like a
walrus, and this one must have