o be completely
hid behind the bit of canvas.

"Oh the haythen, I see it now!" exclaimed O'Riley, his face puckering up
with fun. "Ah, but it's a cliver trick, no doubt of it!"

"What a capital dodge!" said Fred, crouching behind the hummock, and
watching the movements of the Esquimaux with deep interest.

"West, hand me the little telescope; you'll find it in the pack."

"Here it is, sir," said the man, pulling out a glass of about six inches
long, and handing it to Fred.

"How many is there, an' ye plaze?"

"Six, I think; yes--one, two, three,--I can't make them out quite, but I
think there are six, besides the one on the ice. Hist! there he sees
him. Ah! Meetuck, he's too quick for you."

As he spoke, the seal on the ice began to show symptoms of alarm.
Meetuck had approached to within shot, but he did not fire; the wary
Esquimaux had caught sight of another object which a lump of ice had
hitherto concealed from view. This was no less a creature than a
walrus, who chanced at that time to come up to take a gulp of fresh air,
and lave his shaggy front in the brine, before going down again to the
depths of his ocean home. Meetuck, therefore, allowed the seal to glide
quietly into the sea, and advanced towards this new object of attack.
At length he took a steady aim through the hole in the canvas screen,
and fired. Instantly the seal dived, and at the same time the water
round the walrus was lashed into foam, and tinged with red. It was
evidently badly wounded, for had it been only slightly hurt it would
probably have dived.

Meetuck immediately seized his harpoon, and rushed towards the
struggling monster, while Fred grasped a gun, and O'Riley a harpoon, and
ran to his assistance. West remained to keep back the dogs. As Meetuck
gained the edge of the ice the walrus recovered partially and tried,
with savage fury, to reach his assailant, who planted the harpoon deep
in its breast, and held on to the rope while the animal dived.

"Whereabouts is he?" cried O'Riley, as he came panting to the scene of
action.

As he spoke, the walrus ascended almost under his nose, with a loud
bellow, and the Irishman started back in terror as he surveyed at close
quarters, for the first time, the colossal and horrible countenance of
this elephant of the northern sea. O'Riley was no coward, but the
suddenness of the apparition was too much for him, and we need not
wonder that in his haste he darted the harpoon far ov