The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-07-06
siren nth and ferocity of this polar ami

strength and ferocity OF this polar AMI
NAL, and of course knew the full danger
they were exposed to.
AS the great beast trotted toward
them, he caught up his Ratchet and the
fox that he had been SHINING, and, tell
ing Use to run, started after her, drag
ging the fox by the tail.
The bear halted a moment, and then
rushed on in pursuit.
Catching up with Use, Jan seized her
arm, and pulled her r., ward still
faster.
Run faster, Use! run faster!" he
cried.
81 can't, jan" painted Use.
And it almost seemed as if she could
not go another step.
JAMS courage nearly failed him; but,
with q last despairing effort, he pulled
Use forward a few steps. a drift of
snow lay in his path. He set his feet
upon it. The yielding white mass gave
way beneath him. Jan uttered sharp,
involuntary cry, as he and his sister
went down through the snow that
dashed in their faces.
They did not fall far. 1t was mar
row cleft or assure in the ice into which
they had fallen. AS it had been quite
concealed by the drifted snow, the chill
dren were not aware of its existence I'M
til they fell into it.. Almost exhausted,
they lay quite still a moment at the bot
tom.
Presently there was paving and a
snuffing above them, and Jan saw pair
of fierce eyes looking down upon them.
Could the bear reach them? 1t was
only few feet to the top. They hud-
died close together and waited.
No, the savage brute could not quite
reach them, though he tried several
times to do so, stretching down his long,
hairy fore-leg. Once, indeed, the sharp
claws caught Uses jacket, and the poor
girl, trembling, cried out: "Oh, the bear
has got me, JAM"
1t was then Jan thought of his
Ratchet. Holding on to Use with his
left hand, he grasped the weapon with
his right. Two sharp, powerful blows
he struck, and bruin drew up his
wounded paw with ferocious growl.
Use fell back into JAMS arms and be-
gan to cry. She had been very much
frightened.
Jan soothed her the best ne could, and
waited with the Ratchet in his hand foi
any further attacks of their enemy.
But the bear did not choose to modest
them any more. After time he moved
away, slowly and painfully dragging
his MANNED foot over the ice. No SOON
er, however, did Jan show his head than
the animal returned to the cleft again.
The boy did not dare to leave their
refuge, and so concluded to stay where
they were until help came.
The two children remained there all
that day and night. They did not suffer
from the cold, for they were warmly
clad, and their narrow quarters were
sheltered from the wind. They slept
soundly and securely all night
In the morning they were aroused by
the report of a gun not far from them.
Presently voices were heard, and Jan
looked out from their retreat to see half
dozen of their nearest neighbors at
the settlement, who had come to search
for them. They had shot the bear,
which they had found only a short dis
lance from where the children lay.
Jan had no more trouble that spring
with his traps, and bruins skin counter
balanced the loss he had experienced
from the bears depredations. He sold
it for IL riX dollars to the merchant at
the settlement, and to-day it probably
adorns the sledge of some stylish young
Greenlander at Upernavik. - Golden
Days.