The Winter Night. 227 



of the fugitives, It caught sight of me, and stopped 

 astonished, as if it were thinking, ' What sort of insect can 

 that be ? ' I went on to within easy range ; it stood still, 

 looking hard at me. At last it turned its head a little, 



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and I aave it a ball in the neck. Without moving a 



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limb, it sank slowlv to the ice. I now let loose some 



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of the dogs, to accustom them to this sort of sport, but 

 thev showed a lamentable want of interest in it ; and 



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' Kvik,' on whom all our hope in the matter of bear- 

 hunting rested, bristled up and approached the dead 

 animal very slowly and carefully, with her tail between 

 her legs a sorry spectacle. 



" I must now give the story of the others who made the 

 bear's acquaintance first. Hansen had to-day begun to 

 set up his observatory tent a little ahead of the ship on 

 the starboard bow. In the afternoon he got Blessing 

 and Johansen to help him. While they were hard at 

 work they caught sight of a bear not far from them, 

 just off the bow of the Fram. 



" ' Hush ! Keep quiet, in case we frighten him,' says 

 Hansen. 



" ' Yes, yes ! ' And they crouch together and look at 

 him. 



" ' I think I'd better try to slip on board and announce 

 him,' says Blessing. 



" ' I think you should,' says Hansen. 



" And off steals Blessing on tiptoe, so as not to frighten 

 the bear. By this time Bruin has seen and scented 



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