us was the effect. So confined was the
place that the sound was as though a cannon had been fired. All the
torches were instantly extinguished but one, and the ice cracked and
fell in great pieces around them. Speedily were the torches relighted.
The bears were wide-awake now. Fortunately, the biggest and fiercest
was stone dead. Sam's aim had been sure, and his bullet had done its
work. Mustagan was now so fiercely attacked by the next largest one
that he could not bring up his gun to his shoulder, but he skillfully
fired from his side and sent a bullet into the heart of his assailant.
This quickly finished him. This second report was, if possible, worse
than the first, and so some seconds were lost in relighting the torches.

"Drop your guns," said Mustagan, "and fight with your axes and knives."

And fight they had to, for the bears were now full of fight and each
went for an opponent. Sam bravely tackled a fine two-year-old with his
axe. He raised it and made a desperate blow to try and split the
animal's skull open. But just as he plunged forward to strike the bear
suddenly rose up and with a side blow struck the axe such a clip that it
fairly flew out of Sam's hands, while the lad, unable to keep his
footing, stumbled forward at the bear's hind feet. He was fortunately
able to reach sideways and seize one of the flaming torches that had
been thrown on the ground, and which was still fiercely burning. He was
none too soon, for already the bear's strong forearms were winding round
him for a hug that he would have long remembered. However, as the
blazing torch was pushed into the bear's face it so suddenly singed his
handsome whiskers that he had to throw up his paws to defend his face.
Finding himself thus free again, Sam was quickly on his feet. Drawing
his knife, he was able to look around. Two or three bears were killed
and others wounded, but so carefully were they using their paws in
parrying the blows of the men that they were fairly holding their own.
One man had a shoulder blade broken, and another's crushed ribs were
making him groan.

"Let us drive them out," said Mustagan, and already it was evident that
the bears' quick instinct had enabled them to catch the scent of the
fresh air through the tunnel.

"Run for your lives!" shouted Mustagan to the two men who had been left
in the tunnel, "and tell Mr Ross and the boys to be ready at the mouth
to receive them."

They lost no time in get