bark which these animals usually utter.

[Illustration:]

"He's an ole male. He dreadful angry, and I s'pect some other one near
here. Yes, there he comes;" and Regnar pointed to another opening
between two massive floes, from whence, sounding a valorous defiance to
his challenger, emerged a second seal, even larger than the first. With
mutual animosity they darted towards each other, and the next moment
were engaged in a terrific combat.

So quick were their evolutions as they fought, now above and now below
the surface of the water, that the eye could scarcely distinguish which,
for the moment, had a temporary advantage, although one was much darker
in hue, and more beautifully marked than the other. They sprang into the
air, they dived beneath the surface, they threw their heavy bodies
against each other, they tore each other with teeth and claws, and the
water was covered with bloody foam.

La Salle watched the fray with divided interest. It was a new and
interesting lesson in natural history, and he wanted the huge skins and
blubber of the combatants, who fought on unconscious of their hidden
audience, and the deep interest taken in their movements. Half a dozen
times La Salle had raised his huge gun to fire, and lowered it again,
unable to get a sure aim, so sudden were the changes of the conflict. At
last, wearied but unconquered, both lay almost motionless upon the
water, tearing at each other's throats like bull-dogs who have fought to
mutual exhaustion.

As his heavy weapon settled into deadly aim, Regnar touched La Salle's
shoulder. "No shot heavy enough for those fellows; must have bullet.
That hood turn anything but rifle-ball."

By the side of the hummock lay a short piece of pine board, once the
movable thwart of the float. La Salle beckoned to Peter. "Make me out of
this a stout, sharp-headed arrow, with a heavy shaft." Peter doubtfully
drew his _waghon_ and split off a piece, which in about a minute was
whittled into a short, stout arrow, headed only with a wooden point, the
largest diameter of which fitted pretty accurately to the bore of the
heavy piece. La Salle, meanwhile, had drawn his shot, and motioning to
Peter to load a barrel of his own gun in like manner, turned to watch
the waning conflict, which, notwithstanding the exhaustion of the
combatants, had evidently produced little more damage than a few savage
flesh wounds.

In another moment Peter had fitted another arrow to his own gun