git out o' their way the better."

A smothered laugh greeted this solution of the difficulty.

"I think I can give a better explanation--begging your pardon, O'Riley,"
said Captain Ellice, who had hitherto looked on with a sly smile. "More
than a year ago, when I was driven past this place to the northward, I
took advantage of a calm to land a supply of food, and a few stores and
medicines, to be a stand-by in case my ship should be wrecked to the
northward. Ever since the wreck actually took place I have looked
forward to this _cache_ of provisions as a point of refuge on my way
south. As I have already told you, I have never been able to commence
the southward journey, and now I don't require these things, which is
lucky, for the bears seem to have appropriated them entirely."

"Had I known of them sooner, Captain," said Captain Guy, "the bears
should not have had a chance."

"That accounts for the supply of tobacco and sticking-plaster we found
in the bear's stomach," remarked Fred, laughing.

"True, boy, yet it surprises me that they succeeded in breaking into my
_cache_, for it was made of heavy masses of stone, many of which
required two and three men to lift them, even with the aid of
handspikes."

"What's wrong with O'Riley?" said Fred, pointing to that eccentric
individual, who was gazing intently at the bears, muttering between his
teeth, and clenching his cudgel nervously.

"Shure, it's a cryin' shame," he soliloquised in an undertone, quite
unconscious that he was observed, "that ye should escape, ye villains;
av' I only had a musket now--but I han't. Arrah, av' it was only a
spear! Be the mortial! I think I could crack the skull o' the small
wan! Faix, then; I'll try!"

At the last word, before anyone was aware of his intentions, this son of
Erin, whose blood was now up, sprang down the cliffs towards the bears,
flourishing his stick, and shouting wildly as he went. The bears
instantly paused in their game, but showed no disposition to retreat.

"Come back, you madman!" shouted the captain; but the captain shouted in
vain.

"Stop! halt! come back!" chorused the crew.

But O'Riley was deaf; he had advanced to within a few yards of the
bears, and was rushing forward to make a vigorous attack on the little
one.

"He'll be killed!" exclaimed Fred in dismay.

"Follow me, men," shouted the captain, as he leaped the ridge; "make all
the noise you can."

In a moment the surrounding cliffs