were altogether as snug as mice.

Then a boat was lowered, and when they looked down they could see Tom
himself get in with shooting-clothes on and a great rifle in his hand. He
waved his cap to them, and Pansy cried: "Hoo-lay!" The boat pulled away
and soon touched the ice; Tom sprang nimbly on shore, and before long he
could be seen only as a little black dot on that dazzling plain of snow.
Then he was observed to stop and kneel down while some huge monster,
yellowish-white in colour, came rushing towards him.

Aralia must have the glass now.

"Oh, the bear! the bear!" she cried in grief. "It is going to kill Tom.
Oh! oh! oh! my brother Tom!"

"Let me see! let me see!" screamed Pansy.

"Look now!" said Aralia with a smile. "Isn't Tom brave?"

Tom was indeed. For Pansy could now see the monster lying dead, and Tom
leaning on his gun, and once more waving his cap. Then men came up and
skinned the bear, and dragged the head and hide and paws to the ship.

[Illustration]

Tom was a splendid shot, and this was his first bear. When he came
aboard, his sisters met him with pleasure, although with tears in their
eyes, for he had run a great risk.

A day or two after this, when still farther north, the children had had