Lower down could be seen the open sea, and, rising and falling on the waves were blocks of ice, some large and some small. On one of the largest floes stood a sailor, trying to ward off the attack of a polar bear. The bear had evidently just arrived upon the scene, and was walking around the man, preparatory to making a rush upon him. If he once closed with the sailor there was small chance of the latter escaping with his life. The ice floe, on which they both stood, was now almost stationary, having become wedged in a mass of light, loose pieces that were swaying back and forth on the water. Having taken in this situation at a glance, Polargno did not hesitate an instant, but ran down the shore at his best speed to a spot opposite the ice-floe. The four sailors followed, but they could not equal the speed of the Esquimaux boy, and when they arrived he had taken off his outer suit and boots, retaining only his in-door suit, and light seal-skin boots. The sailors could not imagine what the boy was about, but their attention was absorbed in their comrade who was in such deadly peril, and they paid little heed to Polargno. Two of them had guns, but they found to their dismay, that these were of no use. The distance was too great for them to aim at any particular spot of the beast’s body, and a polar bear is very hard to kill, unless a vital part is struck. If he were only wounded he would be so infuriated that the sailor’s case would be hopeless. And, besides, the bear was now on the farther side of the block of ice, and was thus partly covered from their fire by the man’s body. All this had passed in the space of a very few minutes; and now, while they were wondering what they could do, and watching for a chance to fire, the sailors suddenly discovered that the Esquimaux boy was far on his way to the help of their comrade. He had made no boast of what he was going to do. He had asked for no help. He knew they could not give him any. The thin cakes of ice, which dipped into the water under his light tread, would have sunk with the weight of one of the sailors. He saw that a fellow-creature was in danger of being killed by a ferocious animal; and, at once, without a care for his own personal safety, he went to the rescue. He had, in his belt, his knife and his hatchet, and, on these, and his dexterity and quickness, and knowledge of the ways of polar bears, he relied for success. The sailors watched him, full of admiration for his courage, and for his skill in jumping the floating cakes of ice that one would scarcely expect to bear the weight of a bird. He seemed to select the largest and strongest pieces, by a sort of quick instinct, and bounded from one to another as lightly as a cat. A foot went into the water at nearly every step, but he did not sink. Meantime the bear had advanced upon the sailor, who, it now was seen, had a knife in his hand, prepared to do his best.