42 NEIGHBOURS UNKNOWN 



beast being robbed of its prey, he sprang for- 

 ward a couple of paces. Then he stopped, 

 for he could not yet see clearly enough to 

 distinguish what was before him. His blood 

 pounded through his veins. The cold of 

 Eternity was flowing in upon him, here on 

 the naked roof of the world, but he had no 

 feeling or fear of it. Ah 1 he felt was the 

 presence of his foe, there before him, close 

 before him, in the dark. 



Then, once more, the light flooded back, 

 the wide-flung silver radiance, as suddenly 

 and mysteriously as it had vanished. 



Close beside the air-hole, half crouching 

 upon the body of the slain seal, with one great 

 paw uplifted, and bloody jaws open in defiance, 

 stood the bear, glaring at the man. 



Without an instant's hesitation the man 

 hurled his spear. It flew true. But in that 

 same second the bear lifted his paw to ward 

 off the blow. He was not quite quick enough, 

 but almost. The blade struck, but not where 

 it was aimed. It bit deep, but not to the life. 

 With a growl of rage, the bear tore it loose 

 and charged upon the man. 



The antagonists were not more than twenty 

 paces apart, and now a glory of coloured 

 lights, green, red, and golden, went dancing 

 madly over them, with a whispering, rustling 



