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 THE LARGE POLAR BEARS. T45 other cord would be the signal that the sledge was filled with fuel at the shed, or unloaded at the house. A very clever plan, certainly ; but two things might defeat it. The door of the shed might be so blocked up with ice that it would be very difficult to open it, or the bears might come down from the roof and prowl about the court. Two risks to be run ! Long, Mac-Nab, and Rae, all three volunteered for the perilous service ; but the Sergeant reminded the other two that they were married, and insisted upon being the first to venture. When the Lieutenant expressed a wish to go himself, Mrs Barnett said earnestly, " You are our chief ; you have no right to expose yourself. Let Sergeant Long go." Hobson could not but realise that his office imposed caution, and being called upon to decide which of his companions should go, he chose the Sergeant. Mrs Barnett pressed the brave man's hand with ill-concealed emotion ; and the rest of the colonists, asleep or stupefied, knew nothing of the attempt about to be made to save their lives. Two long ropes were got ready. The Sergeant wound one round his body above the warm furs, worth some thousand pounds sterling, in which he was encased, and tied the other to his belt, on which he hung a tinder-box and a loaded revolver. Just before starting he swallowed down half a glass of rum, as he said, '* to insure a good load of wood." Hobson, Rae, and Mac-Nab accompanied the brave fellow through the kitchen, where the fire had just gone out, and into the passage. Rae climbed up to the trap-door of the loft, and peeping through it, made sure that the bears were still on the roof. The moment for action had arrived. One door of the passage was open, and in spite of the thick furs in which they were wrapped, all felt chilled to the very marrow of their bones ; and when the second door was pushed open, they re- coiled for an instant, panting for breath, whilst the moisture held in suspension in the air of the passage covered the walls and the floor with fine snow. The weather outside was extremely dry, and the stars shone with extraordinary brilliancy. Sergeant Long rushed out without a moment's hesitation, dragging the cord behind him, one end of which was held by his companions ; the outer door was pushed to, and Hobson, Mac-Nab, and Rae went back to the passage and closed K