out it was
perhaps two or two miles and a half in diameter. On the west it was
separated from the island below it--a high, black dome of sienite--by
a narrow channel of a hundred and fifty yards. Hundreds of seals lay
basking in the sun along the edges of the ice-field; and, as we were
watching them, we saw a bear swim across the channel and climb on to
the ice-field. Landing, he gave his shaggy sides a shake; then, making
a short run, seized upon a seal, off which he was soon breakfasting.

"We'll spoil his fun!" exclaimed Kit. "Bring up one of those solid
shots, Wade. We've got two bear-skins; but we shall want one apiece. I
propose to have an overcoat next winter out of that fellow's hide."

The howitzer was loaded with the six-pound iron ball. Kit undertook to
do the shooting this time. The distance was, we judged, somewhere from
three-fourths of a mile to a mile. The rest of us got our glasses, and
went back toward the stern to watch the effect of the shot. Of course
it is hap-hazard work, firing at so small an object at so great a
distance, with a cannon, from the deck of a vessel in motion.
Nevertheless Kit made quite a show of elevating the gun and getting
the range. Presently he touched off. The first we saw of the shot was
its striking on the ice-field at a long distance short of the bear.
The bits of ice flew up smartly, and the ball must have ricochetted;
for we saw the ice fly up again quite near the bear, and then at
another point beyond him. It probably went over him at no great
height. The creature paused from his bloody feast, looked round, and
then ran off a few rods, and stood sniffing for some moments, but soon
came back to the seal. Whether it was the report, or the noise of the
ball whirring over, which had startled him, was not very evident.

"Not an overcoat!" laughed Raed.

"It's my turn now," said I, uncovering my _smaller_ cannon. "I'll make
the next bid for that overcoat."

I put in a little less than half a gill of powder this time, and
wrapped a thin patch round the ball to make it fit tightly. It was all
we could do to drive it down. The gun was then capped and cocked. I
moved the screw to elevate it about an inch, and, watching my chance
as the schooner heaved, let drive. But the bear kept on eating. There
was a general laugh.

"Didn't even notice you!" cried Kit. "I can overbid that!"--taking up
the powder to reload the howitzer.

"Not before I bid again," said I.

And at it we