nd ball. And loaded with ball it was effective enough at fifty yards
or so, but far from certain in accuracy at a greater distance.

"Let's work down through the brush as far as we can," suggested Bobby,
"and then I'll crawl down on him, if he'll let me, for a good close
shot."

Slowly they crawled, and cautiously, looking at nothing and paying
attention to nothing but the seal, which, presently becoming conscious
of danger perhaps, grew restless; and though Bobby was not as near his
game as he should have wished, he threw up his gun and fired. The
bullet, after the manner of bullets fired from shotguns at long range,
went wide of its mark, and the seal, after the manner of seals, slipped
gently into the water and was gone.

"There he goes!" exclaimed Bobby in disgust, springing to his feet. "If
I had only had a rifle!"

"Yes," said Jimmy, "you'd have--"

Jimmy's sentence was cut short by the sound of a heavy tread behind
them, and wheeling about our young hunters discovered a big polar bear,
in the edge of the brush and not twenty yards away. It had apparently
been aroused from an afternoon sleep, and not being partial to human
society was now bent upon an expeditious departure from the vicinity.
Quick as a flash Bobby raised his gun to his shoulder.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" warned Jimmy.

But Bobby did not heed the warning. The bullet from the undischarged
barrel went crashing into the animal's shoulder. The bear stumbled, bit
furiously at the wound, and then in a rage charged upon his now
defenseless enemies.

Polar bears, unless very hungry, or unless
placed in a position where they must defend themselves, will rarely
attack man. But when wounded they are more likely than not to become
furious, and their fury knows no bounds. Bent upon revenge they will
attack viciously and are dangerous enemies. The hunter who wounds a
polar bear without first taking the precaution to prepare for defense or
retreat, tries an exceedingly dangerous experiment.

[Illustration: Quick as a flash Bobby raised his gun to his shoulder]

This was exactly what Bobby had done. The instant he fired the shot he
realized that he had not reached a vital spot. In his eagerness to
secure the bear he took the chance of his single bullet disabling it. A
reckless game it was, but he played it and lost.

Jimmy was unarmed and Bobby had no time to reload, for he knew the bear
would charge immediately.

"Run, Jimmy! Run for your life!"