ey had not quite doubled the Cape of Newhope, and were about to round
the point which concealed the spot that had been named Wreck Bay, when
they suddenly found themselves face to face with a Polar bear!

Bruin was evidently out for an evening stroll, for he seemed to have
nothing particular to do.

Surprise lit up alike the countenances of the men and the visage of the
bear. It was an unexpected meeting on both sides. The distance between
them was not more than thirty feet. Leo was the only one of the party
who carried a rifle. More than once during the voyage had Leo seen and
shot a bear. The sight was not new to him, but never before had he come
so suddenly, or so very close, upon this king of the Arctic Seas. He
chanced at the time to be walking a few yards in advance of the party in
company with Oolichuk and Benjy.

The three stopped, stared, and stood as if petrified.

For one moment, then they uttered a united and half involuntary roar.

Right royally did that bear accept the challenge. It rose, according to
custom, on its hind legs, and immediately began that slow, but deadly
war-dance with which the race is wont to preface an attack, while its
upper lip curled in apparent derision, exposing its terrible fangs.

Leo recovered self-possession instantly. The rifle leaped to his
shoulder, the centre of the bear's breast was covered, and the trigger
pulled.

Only a snap resulted. Leo had forgotten to load! Benjy gasped with
anxiety. Oolichuk, who had held himself back with a sparkling smile of
expectation at the prospect of seeing the Kablunet use his
thunder-weapon, looked surprised and disappointed, but went into action
promptly with his spear, accompanied by Akeetolik. Leo's rifle, being a
breech-loader, was quickly re-charged, but as the rest of the party
stood leaning on their spears with the evident intention of merely
watching the combat, the youth resolved to hold his hand, despite
Benjy's earnest recommendation to put one ball between the bear's eyes,
and the other into his stomach.

It was but a brief though decisive battle. Those Eskimos were well used
to such warfare.

Running towards the animal with levelled spears, the two men separated
on coming close, so that Bruin was forced to a state of indecision as to
which enemy he would assail first. Akeetolik settled the point for him
by giving him a prick on the right side, thus, as it were, drawing the
enemy's fire on himself. The b