284 Chapter VI. 



dark that there is hardly a chance of finding- anything. 

 If it is a bear he will come again. At this season, when 

 he is so hungry, he will hardly go right away from all the 

 good food for him here on board. I struck about with 

 my arms to get a little heat into me, then went below 

 and to bed. The doo-s went on barking 1 , sometimes 



o o 7 



louder than before. Nordahl, whose watch it was, went 

 up several times, but could discover no reason for it. As 

 I was lying reading in my berth I heard a peculiar 

 sound ; it was like boxes being dragged about on deck, 

 and there was also scraping, like a dog that wanted to 

 get out, scratching violently at a door. I thought of 

 ' Kvik,' who was shut up in the chart-room. I called 

 into the saloon to Nordahl that he had better go up 

 again and see what this new noise was. He did so, but 

 came back saying that there was still nothing to be seen. 

 It was difficult to sleep, and I lay long tossing about. 

 Peter came on watch. I told him to go up and turn the 

 air-sail to the wind, to make the ventilation better. He 

 was a good time on deck doing this and other things, 

 but he also could see no reason for the to-do the doo-s 



o 



were still making. He had to go forward, and then 

 noticed that the three dogs nearest the starboard gang- 

 way were missing. He came down and told me, and 

 we agreed that possibly this might be what all the 

 excitement was about ; but never before had they taken 

 it so to heart when some of their number had run 

 away. At last I fell asleep, but heard them in my 

 sleep for a long time." 



