by Roy J. Snell
CHAPTER XXIV A WILD MIX-UP
Just when Joe, trapped in the sleeping-bag, with the ponderous bearmoving near him, was wondering what had happened to Jennings, he felthimself suddenly lifted from the ice and shaken till his teeth rattled.Then suddenly he went crashing upon the hard surface beneath him.
He guessed well enough what had happened: The bear had seized thesleeping-bag and having lifted it as a cat lifts a rat, had shaken itviolently. Then the deerskin had given way beneath Joe's weight and hehad gone down with a thump.
"What next?" his agitated mind asked him. "What next?"
He could only guess at what happened next. Inside his sleeping-bag hecould see nothing. But that something tremendous was happening he wasforced to believe.
From the mouth of the bear there came a sudden sound like the hissing ofa cat, and after that such a tumbling and thrashing as he had never heardtell of.
Over and over the bear appeared to roll. There were sounds of tearingcanvas and straining ropes. Once the bear rolled across his feet and fora second he feared he would be lamed for life. Then suddenly the soundceased. He only knew one thing, which was that something heavy rested onhis sleeping-bag.
To realize what had really happened we must follow Jennings as heproceeded to meet this strange and novel situation. Being more fortunatethan Joe, he had succeeded in wriggling from his sleeping-bag and ingrasping his rifle before the bear saw him. He had been engaged in thebusiness of getting a bead on the bear's ponderous head when there came asudden tearing at the ropes of the tent. The next instant it doubled upand came flapping down upon him.
If you are able to imagine what it might be like to be caught in a netwith a whale, you have some notion of Jennings' position at this time.The tent had enveloped both him and the bear. Together they rolled overand over. One moment it seemed he would be crushed to death and the next,as an opening appeared, a new rent in the canvas, it seemed that he mightbe freed.
At last, with a mighty effort, he wrenched himself loose and, much to hisown astonishment, found that he still grasped his rifle in his left hand.
The bear was still thrashing about. Joe was still buried beneath thetent. Jennings was just trying to figure out the next move, when he heardone of the dogs let out a wild ki-yi-yi of fright.
Wheeling about, he saw a huge bear grasping a dog by the middle of theback with his teeth and attempting to carry him away. Since the dog waschained to a sled and six other dogs were also chained to that sled, itwas necessary for him to drag the sled and six very reluctant dogs afterhim.
"Be funny if it wasn't serious," said Jennings grimly as he took steadyaim at the beast's head. Three times his automatic rifle barked. The bearcrumpled up in a heap.
There was, however, not a second to be wasted. As he turned he foundhimself staring at a towering white apparition. This apparition, whichstood some three feet above his head, had red gleaming eyes and a lollingtongue. The second bear had escaped from the tent. Angered by hisexperience and the death of his companion, he was ready for battle withthese strange invaders of his domain.
"Want satisfaction, do you?" said Jennings grimly. "Well! There! Takeit!"
With a movement that for speed and accuracy could not be beaten, hethrust the muzzle of his rifle at the base of the beast's skull andfired.
Thus a second bear had just been bagged by Jennings when Joe camecreeping out of his sleeping-bag. For a few seconds he sat rubbing hisshins. Then suddenly his face lightened with a smile as he sang out:
"We killed the bear! Betsy and I killed the bear."
"Well, anyway," smiled Jennings, "you're going to have one of yourdearest wishes granted. Your old dorgs, Ginger, Pete, Major and Bones,won't have to be fed to the starvin' explorers. Here's a day's rationsfor a regiment of soldiers. I bet that big bear weighs a ton and a half."
"Whoop-ee!" cried Joe springing to his feet and rushing over to embracehis astonished friend, Ginger. "That's sure good news to us!"
"Sixteen inches between the ears," pronounced Jennings after measuringwith his hands the skull of the fallen Goliath of the North. "Some bear!"
"Some bear, I'd say!" echoed Joe.
"There's a day's work to be done on the tent," said Jennings. "He rippedit up something awful. But we'll have to make it do at least till we meetMunson."
"Yes, and till we get ashore."
"Guess so. Lend a hand and let's see what shift we can make for a winkmore of sleep before we march on."
In a few moments Joe and Jennings were curled up in their sleeping-bags,snoring as if they were safe in bed at home.