ear turned towards him with a fierce
growl, and in so doing, exposed his left side to attack. Oolichuk was
not slow to seize the opportunity. He leaped close up, and drove his
spear deep into the animal's heart--killing it on the spot.

Next day the party returned to the Eskimo camp with the sledge-load of
goods, and the bear on the top.

While steaks of the same were being prepared by Toolooha, Captain Vane
and his new allies were busy discussing the details of the advance.

"I know that the difficulties will be great," he said, in reply to a
remark from the interpreter, "but I mean to face and overcome them."

"Ah!" exclaimed Alf, who was rather fond of poetry:--

"To dare unknown dangers in a noble cause,
Despite an adverse Nature and her tiresome Laws."

"Just so, Alf, my boy, stick at nothing; never give in; victory or
death, that's my way of expressing the same sentiment. But there's one
thing that I must impress once more upon you all--namely, that each man
must reduce his kit to the very lowest point of size and weight. No
extras allowed."

"What, not even a box of paper collars?" asked Benjy.

"Not one, my boy, but you may take a strait-waistcoat in your box if you
choose, for you'll be sure to need it."

"Oh! father," returned the boy, remonstratively, "you are severe.
However, I will take one, if you agree to leave your woollen comforter
behind. You won't need that, you see, as long as I am with you."

"Of course," said Alf, "you will allow us to carry small libraries with
us?"

"Certainly not, my lad, only one book each, and that must be a small
one."

"The only book I possess is my Bible," said Leo, "and that won't take up
much room, for it's an uncommonly small one."

"If I only had my Robinson Crusoe here," cried Benjy, "I'd take it, for
there's enough of adventure in that book to carry a man over half the
world."

"Ay," said Alf, "and enough of mind to carry him over the other half.
For my part, if we must be content with one book each, I shall take
Buzzby's poems."

"Oh! horrible!" cried Benjy, "why, he's no better than a maudlin',
dawdlin', drawlin', caterwaulin'--"

"Come, Benjy, don't be insolent; he's second only to Tennyson. Just
listen to this _morceau_ by Buzzby. It is an Ode to Courage--

"`High! hot! hillarious compound of--'"

"Stop! stop! man, don't begin when we're in the middle of our plans,"
interrupted Benjy, "let us hear what book Butterface means to t