led in from the gallery the newly killed
body of a fox.

[Illustration]

"A fox!" cried Bell.

"My morning's game," answered the doctor, modestly, "and you'll see no
fox was ever wanted more than this one."

"But what is your plan, after all?" asked Altamont.

"I intend to blow the bears up with a hundred pounds of powder."

They all gazed at the doctor with amazement.

"But the powder?" they asked.

"It is in the magazine."

"And the magazine?"

"This passage-way leads to it. I had my own reason for digging this
passage sixty feet long; I might have attacked the parapet nearer to
the house, but I had my own idea."

"Well, where are you going to put the mine?" asked the American.

"On the slope, as far as possible from the house, the magazine, and
the stores."

"But how shall you get all the bears together?"

"I'll take charge of that," answered the doctor; "but we've talked
enough, now to work; we have a hundred feet to dig out to-night; it's
tiresome work, but we five can do it in relays. Bell shall begin, and
meanwhile we can take some rest."

"Really," said Johnson, "the more I think of it, the more I admire Dr.
Clawbonny's plan."

"It's sure," answered the doctor.

"O, from the moment you opened your mouth they are dead bears, and I
already feel their fur about my shoulders!"

"To work, then!"

The doctor entered the dark gallery, followed by Bell; where the
doctor had gone through, his companions were sure to find no
difficulty; two reached the magazine and entered among the barrels,
which were all arranged in good order. The doctor gave Bell the
necessary instructions; the carpenter began work on the wall towards
the slope, and his companion returned to the house.

[Illustration]

Bell worked for an hour, and dug a passage about ten feet long,
through which one might crawl. Then Altamont took his place, and did
about as much; the snow which was taken from the gallery was carried
into the kitchen, where the doctor melted it at the fire, that it
might take up less room. The captain followed the American; then came
Johnson. In ten hours, that is to say, at about eight o'clock in the
morning, the gallery was finished. At daybreak the doctor peeped at
the bears through a loop-hole in the wall of the powder-magazine.

The patient animals had not left their place; there they were, coming
and going, growling, but in general patrolling patiently; they kept
going around the house, which was g