, and hurled high into the air, through which it wriggled violently,
and descended with a sounding whack upon the ice. At the same moment a
volley from the hunters sent several balls into the carcass of both
mother and cub; but, although badly wounded, neither of them evinced any
sign of pain or exhaustion as they continued to battle with the
remaining dogs.

The dogs that had already fallen in the fray had not been used to
bear-hunting; hence their signal defeat. But this was not the case with
the others, all of which were old campaigners; and Poker especially,
although not old in years, was a practical fighter, having been trained
not to attack but to harass. The systematic and steady way in which they
advanced before the bear, and retired, right and left, leading her into
a profitless pursuit, was very interesting to witness. Another volley
from the hunters caused them to make off more rapidly, and wounded the
cub severely, so much so that in a few minutes it began to flag. Seeing
this, the mother placed it in front of her, and urged it forward with
her snout so quickly that it was with the utmost difficulty the men
could keep up with them. A well-directed shot, however, from Fred Ellice
brought the old bear to the ground; but she rose instantly, and again
advanced, pushing her cub before her, while the dogs continued to
embarrass her. They now began to fear that, in spite of dogs and men,
the wounded bears would escape, when an opportune crack in the ice
presented itself, into which they both tumbled, followed by the yelping,
and we may add limping, dogs. Before they could scramble up on the other
side, Meetuck and Fred, being light of foot, gained upon them
sufficiently to make sure shots.

"There they go," cried Fred, as the she-bear bounced out of the crack
with Poker hanging to her heels. Poker's audacity had at last
outstripped his sagacity, and the next moment he was performing a
tremendous somersault. Before he reached the ice, Meetuck and Fred fired
simultaneously, and when the smoke cleared away the old bear was
stretched out in death. Hitherto the cub had acted exclusively on the
defensive, and intrusted itself entirely to the protection of its dam;
but now it seemed to change its character entirely. It sprang upon its
mother's body, and, assuming an attitude of extreme ferocity, kept the
dogs at bay, snapping and snarling right and left until the hunters came
up.

For the first time since the chase beg