Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-04-03
NEW VOL. 26--NO. 26.

through the Ice at tue place WuSuSS
the sound came, and then four or five
other heads of seals bobbed up. as If
they had entered the little lake from
that point He knew then that il
must be passage leading TO the sea.
But while the gurgling sound OF the
water came 10 him from the pool,
he heard a slighter and different noise
coming from the mouth OF the cave
by which he had entered. Turning,
he saw, 10 his unspeakable horror,
huge polar bear. its shaggy hide drip
ping water. The beast had seen him
and was hulking along toward him.
Oscar turned and faced it for mo-
ment-but what could he do with his
spear against such an assailant? The
spear could never go through that
shaggy coat and thick hide. How
the animals claws spread and
stretched over the ice as it came
along. Nearer and nearer it came,
now crouching lower, its muzzle thrust
out. and its claws stretching farther
than ever from its feet
There was only one course. Oscar
sprang into the icy water, and in
three or four strokes was close 10 the
ice-cube. His spear and coil of rope
were upon his shoulder, and by driv-
ing the spear into the hard blue cube
he was enabled TO get upon it. 1t
was Just large enough TO bear his
weight; but he was obliged to stand
very still on the middle OF ii TO pre-
vent il from heeling 10 one side and
sliding him into the water. lt was
almost as dark as night in the pool
and Oscar could see the two glover
ing ewes of the bear looking down
upon him But the beast did not
come into the pool. 1t turned away
from the brink, and for two hours
two hours of wet, and cold, and ter
ror-Oscar did not see the bear again.
Then Oscar resolved TO go TO the
top again and sprang into the water,
climbing hastily by the easiest way
TO the floor OF the cavern. To his ut
ter dsmay he saw the great brute ly-
ing on the ice close TO the caves
mouth.
Hour after hour passed, until Oscar
knew that it must be late in the after
noon, for the sun shone yellow on the
ice beyond the mouth of the cavern.
Still his savage jailer made no move;
still Oscar sat. not moving from the
lump OF ice, thinking OF the terror OF
Hilda at his long absence. Still an
other hour went by, and the golden
glow on the ice outside began TO turn
to gray, for the sun was below the
hills that sheltered Upernavik.
Another halfhour Of terror passed,
and then Oscar saw the bear spring
to its feet. thrust out its head, and
make for the opening Of the cavern
Oscar held his breath, and, peering
out. saw a seal slowly crossing the
great ice platform, making for the
rocks. The bear swiftly disappeared,
making after this new prey, and you
NAV be sure Oscar was not long In
getting outside Of this terrible dun
geon.
What was Oscars amazement pres
emily to see the seal stand up, throw
back the fur from its head and
shoulders, and turn into a girl!-yes,
into his own dear sister Hilda!
She shouted aloud and waved her
handkerchief The bear, evidently
disconnected, turned, ran numbering
ly up a gulch, and disappeared into
tangle Of ground-frs.
When the brother and sister met
their JOY was so great that neither
could speak word. Hilda, borrow
ing another kayak, had come to look
for Oscar, and had seen the bear nj
the mouth Of the cave. At once sns-
pecting the cause OF her brothers alb
sence, she went home, got the skin.
and personated seal, with the com
pIete success ! have recorded. st
Nicholas.