<h2 id="c24"><span class="small">CHAPTER XXIV</span> <br/>A WILD MIX-UP</h2>
<p>Just when Joe, trapped in the sleeping-bag,
with the ponderous bear moving near him, was
wondering what had happened to Jennings, he
felt himself suddenly lifted from the ice and
shaken till his teeth rattled. Then suddenly he
went crashing upon the hard surface beneath
him.</p>
<p>He guessed well enough what had happened:
The bear had seized the sleeping-bag and having
lifted it as a cat lifts a rat, had shaken it
violently. Then the deerskin had given way beneath
Joe’s weight and he had gone down with
a thump.</p>
<p>“What next?” his agitated mind asked him.
“What next?”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[194]</div>
<p>He could only guess at what happened next.
Inside his sleeping-bag he could see nothing.
But that something tremendous was happening
he was forced to believe.</p>
<p>From the mouth of the bear there came a
sudden sound like the hissing of a cat, and
after that such a tumbling and thrashing as he
had never heard tell of.</p>
<p>Over and over the bear appeared to roll.
There were sounds of tearing canvas and
straining ropes. Once the bear rolled across his
feet and for a second he feared he would be
lamed for life. Then suddenly the sound ceased.
He only knew one thing, which was that something
heavy rested on his sleeping-bag.</p>
<p>To realize what had really happened we must
follow Jennings as he proceeded to meet this
strange and novel situation. Being more fortunate
than Joe, he had succeeded in wriggling
from his sleeping-bag and in grasping his rifle
before the bear saw him. He had been engaged
in the business of getting a bead on the bear’s
ponderous head when there came a sudden tearing
at the ropes of the tent. The next instant it
doubled up and came flapping down upon him.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[195]</div>
<p>If you are able to imagine what it might be
like to be caught in a net with a whale, you
have some notion of Jennings’ position at this
time. The tent had enveloped both him and
the bear. Together they rolled over and over.
One moment it seemed he would be crushed to
death and the next, as an opening appeared, a
new rent in the canvas, it seemed that he might
be freed.</p>
<p>At last, with a mighty effort, he wrenched
himself loose and, much to his own astonishment,
found that he still grasped his rifle in his
left hand.</p>
<p>The bear was still thrashing about. Joe was
still buried beneath the tent. Jennings was
just trying to figure out the next move, when he
heard one of the dogs let out a wild ki-yi-yi of
fright.</p>
<p>Wheeling about, he saw a huge bear grasping
a dog by the middle of the back with his teeth
and attempting to carry him away. Since the
dog was chained to a sled and six other dogs
were also chained to that sled, it was necessary
for him to drag the sled and six very reluctant
dogs after him.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[196]</div>
<p>“Be funny if it wasn’t serious,” said Jennings
grimly as he took steady aim at the beast’s
head. Three times his automatic rifle barked.
The bear crumpled up in a heap.</p>
<p>There was, however, not a second to be
wasted. As he turned he found himself staring
at a towering white apparition. This apparition,
which stood some three feet above his
head, had red gleaming eyes and a lolling
tongue. The second bear had escaped from the
tent. Angered by his experience and the death
of his companion, he was ready for battle with
these strange invaders of his domain.</p>
<p>“Want satisfaction, do you?” said Jennings
grimly. “Well! There! Take it!”</p>
<p>With a movement that for speed and accuracy
could not be beaten, he thrust the muzzle of his
rifle at the base of the beast’s skull and fired.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[197]</div>
<p>Thus a second bear had just been bagged by
Jennings when Joe came creeping out of his
sleeping-bag. For a few seconds he sat rubbing
his shins. Then suddenly his face lightened
with a smile as he sang out:</p>
<p>“We killed the bear! Betsy and I killed the
bear.”</p>
<p>“Well, anyway,” smiled Jennings, “you’re
going to have one of your dearest wishes
granted. Your old dorgs, Ginger, Pete, Major
and Bones, won’t have to be fed to the starvin’
explorers. Here’s a day’s rations for a regiment
of soldiers. I bet that big bear weighs a ton
and a half.”</p>
<p>“Whoop-ee!” cried Joe springing to his feet
and rushing over to embrace his astonished
friend, Ginger. “That’s sure good news to us!”</p>
<p>“Sixteen inches between the ears,” pronounced
Jennings after measuring with his
hands the skull of the fallen Goliath of the
North. “Some bear!”</p>
<p>“Some bear, I’d say!” echoed Joe.</p>
<p>“There’s a day’s work to be done on the
tent,” said Jennings. “He ripped it up something
awful. But we’ll have to make it do at
least till we meet Munson.”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[198]</div>
<p>“Yes, and till we get ashore.”</p>
<p>“Guess so. Lend a hand and let’s see what
shift we can make for a wink more of sleep
before we march on.”</p>
<p>In a few moments Joe and Jennings were
curled up in their sleeping-bags, snoring as if
they were safe in bed at home.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[199]</div>
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