he tremendous crack that Sam
dealt him over the skull. The blow broke the handspike in two, and the
fool-hardy seaman would soon have paid for his rashness with his life
had not friendly and steady hands been near. Nothing daunted, he was
about to repeat the blow with the piece of the handspike that was still
in his grasp, and the bear was about to seize him with its claws, each
of which were full two inches long, when the first mate and Gregory came
running toward him, side by side, the first armed with a rifle, the
doctor with pistols.

"Too late," gasped Gregory.

"We must fire," said Mansell, "and risk hitting Sam. Here, doctor, you
are a good shot; take the rifle."

The young man obeyed, dropped on one knee, and took aim, but did not
fire. Sam was between him and the bear. A sudden movement changed
their positions. The side of the monster came into view, and in another
instant it was stretched on the ice with a bullet in his brain.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A GREAT BATTLE WITH THE WALRUS.

It need scarcely be said that there was a jovial feast that night at
supper. The bear's tongue was cooked after all, but the impudent
tongues of the party were not silenced, for they almost worried the life
out of poor Davy for having run away from a bear.

Soon after this event the preparations for spending the winter were
completed; at least as far as the fitting up of the vessel was
concerned.

"This morning," writes Gregory, in his journal, "we finished housing
over our Arctic home. The _Hope_ is very snug, lined with moss, and
almost covered with snow. A sail has been spread over the quarter-deck
like an awning; it is also covered with moss and snow. This, we hope,
will give much additional warmth to our house below. We all live
together now, men and officers. It will require our united strength to
fight successfully against that terrible enemy, John Frost. John is
king of the Arctic regions, undoubtedly!

"Dawkins got a cold-bath yesterday that amused the men much and did him
no harm. For some time past we have been carrying moss from the island
in large bundles. Dawkins got leave to help, as he said he was
sick-tired of always working among stores. He was passing close to the
fire-hole with a great bundle of moss on his back, when his foot
slipped, and down he went. This hole is kept constantly open. It is
Baker's duty night and morning to break the ice and have it ready in
case of fire. The ice o