"I'm Kernel Cob," said he, "and this is Sweetclover and Jackie Tar," and the cub came forward and shook hands with them, and really he had very nice manners for a bear who lived so far away from nice people and things. "You haven't told me what you are doing way up here." "We're looking for Jackie and Peggs' motheranfather," answered Kernel Cob, "and we believe they are up here near the North Pole. Are we far away from it?" "About a hundred miles or so," said Wak Wak, for that was the cub's name. "Goodness," said Sweetclover, "how are we ever going to walk so far in this dreadful cold." "If you'll come to my cubby hole," said Wak Wak, "we can sit down and talk it over. It's not far." So they came to his cubby hole, they went inside and it was nice and warm and comfortable. "You must stay the night with me," he said. So he covered them over with some pieces of fur and they all went to sleep. But, in the middle of the night, they were awakened by loud yelping, and running to the doorway of the hole they saw thousands and thousands of what looked like little lanterns dancing on the ice. "What are all these lights for?" said Kernel Cob. "Those aren't lights," said the Cub, "those are eyes." "Who's eyes?" asked Sweetclover. "Wolves' eyes," said the Cub. "Stand back inside of the hole," said Kernel Cob, and he drew his sword and stepped outside. On came the wolves, yelping and growling and showing their great yellow teeth. And one by one as they came up to devour our little friends, Kernel Cob's sword flashed, and with each stroke down came a wolf. And when the last one had been slain Kernel Cob wiped his sword upon his coat and went inside. "Well," said Wak Wak, "I'm glad I'm not a wolf. That's the greatest fight I have ever seen." But Kernel Cob put his sword away and lay down to finish his sleep as if nothing had happened. In the morning when they got up they went outside and counted the wolves and they numbered two thousand, three hundred and twenty-one. But Kernel Cob turned his head away, for brave people are always modest and cannot bear to hear themselves praised. Later in the day Wak Wak took them to a friend of his, a pack-dog that he knew. A fine chap he was, and when he had heard our little friends' story, he was very willing to help them. "If you can rig up a sled I'll take you to the North Pole, and very gladly." "Why can't we sit on your back?" asked Jackie Tar. "I can't bear to have anything on my back," answered Speed, for that was his name. "I guess I can take care of the sled," said Jackie Tar, "if I can find some scraps of wood." "There are some staves of an old barrel not far from here," said Speed, "and if you will come with me, you can see for yourselves if they will do." So they went with him, and Jackie Tar found them very good indeed, and in a short while had tied them together.