378 NANSEM AS A MIGHTY NIMROD 



" 1 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 them, and comes jogging along, following 

 his nose, towards them. 



BEAR CHASES A> HUNTER. 



"Hansen now began to get over his fear of startling him. The bear 

 caught sight of Blessing slinking off to the ship and set after him. Blessing 

 also was now much less concerned than he had been as to the bear's nerves. 

 He stopped, uncertain what to do; but a moment's reflection brought him 

 to the conclusion that it was pleasanter to be three than one just then, and 

 he went back to the others faster than he had gone from them. The bear 

 followed at a good rate. Hansen did not like the look of things, and thought 

 the time had come to try a dodge he had seen recommended in a book. He 

 raised himself to his full height, flung his arms about, and yelled with all the 

 power of his lungs, ably assisted by the others. But the bear came on quite 

 undisturbed. The situation was becoming critical. Each snatched up his 

 weapon— Hansen an ice-staff, Johansen an axe, and Blessing nothing. They 

 screamed with all their strength, 'Bear! bear!' and set off for the ship as 

 hard as they could tear. But the bear held on his steady course to the tent, 

 and examined everything there before (as we have seen) he went after 



them. 



"It was a lean he-bear. The only thing that was found in its stomach 

 when it was opened was a piece of paper, with the names 'Lutkin and Mohn.' 

 This was the wrapping paper of a 'ski' light, and had been left by one of us 

 somewhere on the ice. After this day some of the members of the expedi- 

 tion would hardly leave the ship without being armed to the teeth." 



