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 ffie Icebergs 



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his fore legs contracted strongly, driving his 

 claws like steel hooks into the ice. So he 

 gained the high shelf at last, and lay down 

 with only his ears and eyes showing over 

 the edge as he looked down hungrily at his 

 game. 



Below him was a dizzy incline, steep as a 

 mountain top, polished and glistening with 

 the frost and storms of the centuries, at the 

 foot of which the unconscious seals were 

 basking. Very deliberately Matwock chose 

 his position over the larger seal ; then with 

 his hind legs he pushed himself steadily over 

 the edge, crouching low on his belly with his 

 nose on his fore paws, which were stretched 

 straight out in front of him. Like a flash of 

 light he glanced down over the slope, strik- 

 ing the seal a terrific blow and knocking 

 him end over end as the bear shot over him 

 into the sea. There was a terrible commotion 

 for an instant, which set the sea-birds flap- 

 ping and clamoring wildly; then out of the 

 turmoil Matwock's head arose, gripping the 

 big seal by the neck. He laid his game 

 carefully on the ice shelf, kicked himself up 



