the ledges gave a
better view. "There he goes! take him now!" for we had got a momentary
glimpse of the black animal crossing the crest of a ledge several
hundred yards away.

"Come on, Weymouth!" exclaimed Wade; "and you, Donovan! Let's we
three go after the bear. They'll take care of the _new species_: we'll
go for the _old_."

Kit had run on after Guard. Raed and I followed as fast as we could.
The Newfoundland, chasing partly by sight and partly by scent, was
already a good way ahead; and we soon lost sight of him among the
ledgy hillocks and ridges. We could hear him barking; but the rocks
echoed the sound so confusedly, that it was hard telling where he was.
Hundreds of kittiwakes were starting up all about us too, with such a
chorus of cries that it was not very clear which was dog. Presently we
lost _sound_ of Guard altogether, and wandered on at random for ten or
fifteen minutes, but finally met him coming back. As soon as he saw
us, he turned and led off again; and, following him for thirty or
forty rods, we came to a fissure between two large rocky fragments,
partially overlaid by a third. Guard ran up, and by a bark seemed to
say, "In here!" Kit thrust in his musket, and we heard a growl.

"Holed him!" cried Raed.

"Pretty strong _posish_, though," said Kit, looking about. "If we only
had a big _pry_ here, we might heave up this top rock, and so get at
him."

"I don't suppose there's a tree big enough to use as a lever within a
hundred miles of here," remarked Raed, looking around.

We ran in our muskets, but could not touch the creature. He seemed to
have crept round an angle of one of the bottom rocks, so as to be well
out of reach and out of range. The hole was scarcely large enough to
admit Guard, and the dog did not seem greatly disposed to go in. We
fired our muskets, one at a time, holding the muzzles inside the
opening, hoping to frighten the animal out; but he didn't see fit to
leave his stronghold.

"If we had only a pound or two of powder here," observed Raed,
examining the crevices about the rocks, "I think we might mine this
top rock, and blow it up."

"That will be the only way to get at him," said Kit.

"Well, we can go back to the schooner for some," I suggested.

"Yes," said Kit. "Raed, you and Guard stay here and watch him. Wash
and I will go for the powder."

We started off, and, on getting back to the beach, found Wade, with
Weymouth and Donovan, standing near the boat.