inches away,
just where it looks all thick neck. They're waiting; go on."

Steve glanced to right and left, as Johannes crouched down beside
Jakobsen, each man with his lance ready; and then the captain waved his
hand, and they started together, crawling up slowly and silently till
they were within a yard of the level ridge, where all paused as if
animated by the same spirit, thrust the barrels of their pieces toward
the top, and began to seek for the next places to plant their feet so as
to peer over the edge together.

Steve's heart beat with great throbs, and a curious nervous sensation
came over him; but he was in position first, saw that the captain was
ready the next moment, and then turned to the doctor, for it was of
course necessary that all should fire together.

Steve was just in time to hear a sharp ejaculation, and see the doctor
slip and roll down the ice slope, his rifle rattling after him with
plenty of noise; and, knowing that if he were not quick there would be
no shot, he raised himself up with rifle ready, thrust it over the ridge
at the same time as the captain, and then stopped there staring.

"Fire! fire!" came in a whisper from Jakobsen.

"What at?" replied Steve, and the captain laughed good-humouredly.

"Hurt yourself, Handscombe?" he said.

"Hurt myself! Of course I have. I shall be all bruises," grumbled the
doctor. "Why didn't you shoot?"

"How can you ask that when you made noise enough to frighten away all
the walrus in the arctic circle?"

"Are there none there?" said Johannes, who had crept up to Steve's side.

"Not a sign of one."

"Don't say I scared them all away," said the doctor.

"Oh no, sir," replied the Norseman, looking about searchingly. "They
must have seen us ten minutes ago; they're yonder on the ice a quarter
of a mile away. We were very careful, too."

"I am glad I did not frighten them," cried the doctor, rubbing one of
his elbows.

"But it's so disappointing after all that trouble," grumbled Steve.

"Wait a bit, sir," said Johannes, as he watched the herd; "you will have
plenty of chances yet. There are sure to be some disappointments in
walrus-hunting. We must be more careful next time. There are some,
grand bulls there, though," he added thoughtfully; "look at that one's
tusks, Mr Steve--that one drawing himself up out of the water."

"Yes, I was looking at it," replied Steve. "What a monster! It looks
like an elephant without a trunk, an