The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-09-25

~-S:Aaz'sla
impatient. Also they were
ashamed of being kept in prison
by beasts.
He took Johnson's furnace
paker and thrust it into the stove,
while he made an opening in the
snow wall, or, rather, a partial
opening, for he left a thin sheet
of Ice on the outer side. AS soon
as the poker was red hot, he said
to his comrades, who stood eager
ly watching him, wondering.
This red hot bar will keep off
the bears when they try to get
hold of it, and we shall be able
easily to fire across it without let
ting them snatch away our guns. y
Hatteras withdrew the poker
and plunged it in the wall. The
melting snow made loud kissing
noise, and the two bears ran and
made snatch at the glowing bar;
but they fell back with a terrible
howl, and at the same moment
four shot resounded, one after the
other.
"Hit!" exclaimed Altamont.
"Hit!" echoed Bell.
"eLt us repeat it." said Halter.
as carefully stopping up the
Iopening meantime.
The poker was again thrust in
to the fire, and in a few minutes
was ready for Hatteras to recon.
mence operations.
Altamont and Bell reloaded
their guns and took their places;
but this time the poker would not
pass through.
"Confound the beasts!" ex-
claimed the American.
Whats the matter? Why,
they are piling up block after
block, intending to bury us
alive!"
"Impossible!"
Look for yourself; the poker
can't get through"
1t was worse than alarming.
The bears mean to stifle their
prey. They were heaping up
huge masses, which would make
escape impossible.
Two hours passed. The air
grew close. Every opening was
Theoretically sealed. The stoves
would hardly draw, and it was
evident would soon go out alto
gether for want of oxygen.
Hatteras was the first to see
their fresh danger, and he made
no attempt to hide it from his
companions.
IF that is the case" said Alta
mont, I'VE must get out at all
risks"
YES" replied Hatteras; "but
we must wait till night. We will
make hole in the roof. and let
in some air, and then one of us
can fire out of it on the bears"
at is the only thing we can do,
l suppose" said Altamont.
Night drew on, and the lamp in
the sitting room began to burn
dim for want of oxygen.
At o'clock the final arrange
ments were completed, and all
that remained to do was to make
an opening in the roof.
They had been working away
at this for some minutes, when
Johnson, who had been keeping
watch in the sleeping room,
came in hurriedly.
Whats the matter?" all asked
at once.
mot exactly" said the old
sailor, land yeti
Come out with it," exclaimed
Altamont.
81 hear a peculiar noise?"
"Where?"
Here, on this side, ON the wall
Of the room"
All stopped working and lis
tened. Johnson was right. AL
noise there certainly was on tn.
side wall, as If someone were cut
ing the ice.
'Don's you hear it?" repeated
Johnson.
Hear it? Yes, plain enough
replied Altamont.
us it the bears?" asked Bell.
Most assuredly."
We'll, they have changed their
tactics," said old Johnson, "and
given up the idea of suffocatins
u.s."
'They are going to attack us"
said Bell.
I'VE shall have a hand-to-handl
struggle, that's ALL" said Hatteras
With knife and hatchet then,"l
the American. THE
guns would be useless here"
The noise increased. "They arel
hardly six feet off now" said the
boatswain.
Right, Johnson" replied ALL
lamont; 'be ready for them"
Selling Ratchet, he placed
in fighting attitude,
planting his right foot firmly for-I