ANOTHER DEADLY WOUND. 
430 
came a crash: one of them has broken; and, as its nc\i'' 
useless loom was swung heavily into the air by its baffled 
owner, he gave vent to a deep and hasty imprecation and 
ground his clenched teeth in bitter disappointment. Still, 
on we go: there are four more left, and only a few more 
yards to pass. Tlie power of that failing oar seems to 
have been absorbed by the remaining four, for our speed 
is apparentl}^ unchanged. 
Shortly we saw another lurid flame flash through the 
deepening gloom, as the doctor’s bent head bent still 
lower upon the levelled barrel, and at the same instant 
the full report of a heavily-loaded musket broke upon 
our ear. It took no time to reach us noxc ; we were 
within thirty yai'ds of the thrilling scene which was 
apparently but just commencing, and frames that trem- 
bled with excited emotion stood upright in the boat, 
I'eady to rush into the unequal struggle as soon as her 
bow should touch the longed-for beach. 
This last shot was a magnificent triumph of the sure 
eye and steady arm which guided it. The bear, having 
caught sight of his foe behind the boulder, had suddenly 
settled upon his haunches, and, witli expanded mouth 
and open arras, commenced a spring which would, in all 
probabilitj’, have landed him in their very midst. Eut a 
merciful Power arrested him on its verge : the heavy 
ounce-ball struck liiin full in the liead, glanced from the 
unyielding but cracking skull, and brought him down 
like a felled ox. lie came down head first into the soft 
sand with a jar that sooraod to shake the very beach, 
clasped his womided forehead with both paws, and rolled 
his shining head to and fro with a rapid and agonized 
