now poor Butts went tearing along like a maniac in his flannel shirt and trousers. He was a miserable and curious object, for his body, besides being very long, was uncommonly lankey, and his legs and arms seemed to go like the wings of a windmill. Never since the day of his birth had David Butts run at such a pace, in such light clothing, and in such severe frost !

A long line of low hummocks hid him from the brig. The moment he passed these he came in sight of her and began to yell.

"Wot on airth is yon ?" exclaimed Joe Davis, who chanced to be looking over the gangway when this remarkable object appeared.

"The wild man o' the North himself, or my name aint Jim," said Crofts, turning pale.

"Why, it's Davy Butts I do believe," cried Sam Baker, who came on deck at that moment.

Just then the bear came tearing round the end of the hummocks in full chase.

"Hurrah! hallo! ho!" roared the men who had crowded on deck at the first note of alarm. Sam Baker seized a heavy ash handspike, about five feet long, and was on his way to meet his comrade before the others had gained the ice. They were not slow, however.

Some with muskets,

some with pistols and cutlasses, and some with nothing but their fists-all followed Sam, who who was now far ahead.

Baker passed Davy without a remark and ran straight at the bear, which stopped on seeing such a big powerful man running so furiously at him, and flourishing a bludgeon that would almost have suited the hand of a giant. But polar bears are not timid. He rose on his hind legs at once, and paid no attention whatever to the tremendous crack that Sam dealt him over the skull. The blow broke the handspike in two, and the foolhardy seaman would soon have paid for his rashness with his life had not friendly and steady hands been near. Nothing daunted, he was about to repeat the blow with the piece of the handspike that was still in his grasp, and the bear was about to seize him with its claws, each of which were full two inches long, when the first mate and Gregory came running towards them side by side; the first armed with a rifle, the doctor with pistols.

"Too late," gasped Gregory.

"We must fire," said Mansell, "and risk hitting Sam. Here, doctor, you are a good shot; take

the rifle."

The young man obeyed, dropped on one knee and took aim, but did not fire. Sam was between him and the bear. A sudden movement changed their positions. The side of the monster came into view, and in another instant it was stretched on the ice with a bullet in its brain.

CHAPTER VII.

IT

A GREAT BATTLE WITH THE WALRUS.

T need scarcely be said that there was a jovial feast that night at supper. The bear's tongue was cooked after all, but the impudent tongues of the party were not silenced, for they almost worried the life out of poor Davy for having run away from a bear.

Soon after this event the preparations for spending the winter were completed; at least as far as the fitting up of the vessel was concerned.

"This morning," writes Gregory in his journal, "C we finished housing over our Arctic home. The Hope is very snug, lined with moss and almost covered with snow. A sail has been spread over the quarter-deck like an awning.; it is also covered with moss and snow. This, we hope, will give much additional warmth to our house below. We all live together now, men and officers. It will require our united strength to fight successfully against that terrible enemy John Frost. John is king of the Arctic regions undoubtedly!

"Dawkins got a cold-bath yesterday that amused the men much and did him no harm. For some time past we have been carrying moss from the island in large bundles. Dawkins got leave to help, as he said he was sick-tired of always working among stores. He was passing close to the fire-hole with a great bundle of moss on his back, when his foot slipped and down he went. This hole is kept constantly open. It is Baker's duty night and morning to break the ice, and have it ready in case of fire, The ice on the surface was therefore thin; in a moment nothing was to be Fortu

seen of poor Dawkins but his bundle ! nately he held tight on to it, and we hauled him out soaked to the skin. The thermometer stood at 35° below zero, the coldest day we have had up to this time; and in two minutes the unfortunate man's clothes were frozen so stiff that he could scarcely walk! We had to break the ice on his legs and arms at the joints, and even then he had to be half hoisted on board and carried below. We all dress in seal-skin and fox-skin garments now. Dawkins had on a rough coat made of white and grey foxes; trousers of the same; boots of sealskin, and mittens ditto. When all this was soaked and frozen he was truly a humbling sight!

"The undressing of him was a labour of difficulty as well as of love. However, when he was rubbed dry, and re-clothed, he was none the worse.

Indeed, I am inclined to think he was much the better of his ducking.

"To-morrow we are to make some curious experiments with boats, sledges, and kites. The captain is anxious to take our largest boat over the ice as far to the south as possible and leave her there with a quantity of provisions, so that we may have her to fall back upon if any misfortune should befall the brig, which I earnestly pray that God may forbid.

66

'Davy Butts, who is an ingenious fellow in his way, says that we can sail a boat on the ice almost as well as on the water, and that we may drag sledges by means of kites if we choose. The captain means to attempt a journey to the north with sledges in spring, so, if the kites answer, Butts will have done us good service. But I have my

doubts.

"The nights are closing in fast; very soon we shall be without the sun altogether. But the moon is cheering us. Last night (28th October) she swept in a complete circle round the sky all day as well as all night. She only touched the horizon, and then, instead of setting, she rose again as if the frozen sea had frightened her.

"October 30th.-Baker came in to-day and reported open water about six miles off, and walrus sporting ir it. I shall set out to-morrow on a hunt."