ch coquetted with them instead of attacking, and
drew them a considerable distance away from the island. This would have
been a matter of trifling import if the weather had remained calm, but,
as we have seen, a sudden and violent gale arose.

When the coming squall was first observed the boat was far to leeward of
Paradise Isle, and as that island happened to be one of the most
northerly of the group over which Amalatok ruled, they were thus far to
leeward of any land with the exception of a solitary sugar-loaf rock
near the horizon. Still Leo and his companions were not impressed with
any sense of danger. They had been so long accustomed to calms, and to
moving about in the india-rubber boats by means of paddles with perfect
ease and security, that they had half forgotten the force of wind.
Besides, the walrus was still playing with them provokingly--keeping
just out of rifle-shot as if he had studied fire-arms and knew their
range exactly.

"The rascal!" exclaimed Leo at last, losing patience, "he will never let
us come an inch nearer."

"Try 'im once more," said Anders, who was a keen sportsman, "push him,
paddle strong. Ho! Oblooria, paddle hard and queek."

Although the interpreter, being in a facetious mood, addressed Oblooria
in English, she quite understood his significant gestures, and bent to
her work with a degree of energy and power quite surprising in one
apparently so fragile. Leo also used his oars, (for they had both oars
and paddles), with such good-will that the boat skimmed over the Arctic
sea like a northern diver, and the distance between them and the walrus
was perceptibly lessened.

"I don't like the looks o' the southern sky," said Leo, regarding the
horizon with knitted brows.

"Hims black 'nough--any'ow," said Anders.

"Hold. I'll have a farewell shot at the brute, and give up the chase,"
said Leo, laying down the oars and grasping his rifle.

The ball seemed to take effect, for the walrus dived immediately with a
violent splutter, and was seen no more.

By this time the squall was hissing towards them so fast that the
hunters, giving up all thought of the walrus, turned at once and made
for the land, but land by that time lay far off on the southern horizon
with a dark foam-flecked sea between it and them.

"There's no fear of the boat, Oblooria," said Leo, glancing over his
shoulder at the girl, who sat crouching to meet the first burst of the
coming storm, "but you must h