The morning call., 1892-12-18

a roaring sound like the waves of distant
ocean. Such surroundings will put per.
son into a semi-comatOse state, from W hich
the slightest sound will awaken him with a
start.
Old Jake had about reached this point on
his low perch near the clouds when there
was crash on the ice near by that brought
him TO his senses He ran to the edge and
looked over his canvas, but saw nothing
and came to the conclusion that it must
have been walrus. He had almost lapsed
into Inconsistencies again when the sound
was repeated, and slight as IL as il seemed
TO be echoed for miles over the desolate ice
fields. He strained his eyes trying to find
moving object, but the pale, quiyering light
revealed nothing.
He then went below and looked over the
port side, where the sound seemed TO come
from. He asked the other men on watch
about It, but they had heard nothing, so
tightly were they wrapped up il furs 10
keep out The intense cold. He then climbed
up the ice-c0veTed rigging toward his lonely
perch. bat had gone only about half wav to
the malntop when he heard something be-
hind lin. lie stopped q moment to look
back. and made out huge white form of
some kind coming toward him. bis impulse
was to jump back to the deck. bat for some
reason he could never explain he went
to his place at the masthead. The white
object followed and climbed in through the
lGbber hole, and by this time Jake saw 1t
was large polar bear. he was too fright
eDed 10 do anything, and while Quiyering in
every limb raised the telescope to his eye
mechanically and searched the horizon.
BY this time the bear was up in the cradle
with him. and before Jake could make up
his mind how 10 act the creature grabbed
him by the arm and took the telescope from
him.
Jake was now more surprised than fright
ened, and watched his visitor try to adjust
the glass to It's eye rs II he was at a circus.
The beast made several attempts aud came
near succeeding, while Jake watched SPELL
bound.
At last he concluded he would go, and at
tempted 10 get out by climbing over the
side, but the bear grabbed him and pulled
him back. growing threateningly. Jake
was now frightened again, aud began 20
think OF all the stories he could about the
clutches Of bears.
But nothing seemed to fit his case and he
realized that he was in a most dangerous
position and began TO think of means Of
escape. He called to the watch on deck
below, but they couldn't hear He tried to
get cut under the canvas, but the beast
grabbed him and pulled him back. All this
time II was making desperate attempts to
iooK through the telescope and did not
oother Jake very much, except IL seemed
determined he should not get away.
At last it dro; ped the telescope and
turned. its attention to Jake. 1t began by
humping him with its paws and pus ned
him down In the corner, while ii took a
position over the lubber hole to be sure
that ne didn't get away. 1t growled in
threatening manner ali the time and eyery
move would be met with q growl and
thump from the beasts paws. Jake ex-
pected every moment would be his last, as
ne knew he would have no show with his
Sheathknlfe IL he was attacked In earnest.
by this time dawn Was breaking, and he
could see objects at some distance across
the snow. The bear closed its eyes and
seemed to be going to sleep. but Jake wa.
afraid to move lest IL awaken and Jump on
MN and make an end of the whole thing.
While lying there Jake silently cut
through the canvas on the after side and
saw rope reaching from the mizzen-mast
and fastened just back of his cradle. 1t did
not belong there, but was only fastened In
position 10 keep IL out of the way.
But this was his only means of escape
de would reach out quietly and cut the
rope. and, taking hold of the end, swing
himsel1 out OF the cradle un ill he struck the
miZzen-stay, down which he could slide.
10 swing himself free was but the work
Oh an instant but the bear made a iumn
ana caught hold of his foot But a fe w
vigorous kicks freed him, and then began a
new terror. Perhaps the rope was NOT
strong and would break, or he might mis-
the stay and swing against the mast and be
dashed to death.
The moment In the air seemed years flied
Win horror, and several times jake wished
ne had taken his chances with the bear. To