Part 44 (1/2)
”Yes; creep up very cautiously, for they et between them and the sea”
So the boat was rowed close up to the edge of the forced-up ice, and the party landed for their first walrus hunt, Steve shouldering his rifle with the rest
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
THE WALRUS' FOE
To stalk or crawl up to an ani distance upon a level prairie, where there is no sign of bush or tree, not so rass, is a difficult task which it takes a Red Indian to achieve, with his peculiar powers of creeping along the ground al, as it were, upon his crooked fingers and his toes; but out upon a rocky shore, ah to hide a couple of hundredappeared to be simplicity itself, and the three bearers of firear themselves behind the masses of ice with more than one slip and stumble
The scene was brilliant in the extrements so lately deposited by the ice pressure, which was all that remained of the terrible convulsion of nature in which the expedition so nearly ca the cries of the sea-birds and the ripple of the waves on the shore, there was not a sound to be heard The water had regained its balance, so to speak, and to right and left, as far as they could see, there was a dark, open space of about a quarter of a ed ice-piled shore and the pack, with colided along in the now gentle current
In their passage in the boat through the gloomy chas over the ice in the clear sunshi+ne, carrying a heavy rifle and ae mass of piled-up ice, where flat piece after flat piece had been thrust one above the other, and a declaration that it was very hot
”Hist!” whispered Johannes, ith Jakobsen, was their companion on land once more ”A sound ht they would be tah up here,” said Steve ”They can't have seen men before Couldn't alk up to them boldly?”
The Norseman shook his head
”They have other ene strange which they see ht to which they had climbed
”What at? More walrus?”
”No, sir; that shi+ning water We need not have left the boat It is the continuation of the passage we careat blocks of ice right away in and out to the sea”
”All but in that one place not so very far from where we left the boat”
”Yes; the ice-floe was thrust right over it there It may have choked it up, but perhaps there is a way under the ice Great floes like that in ht over such a narrow canal Look what has been done here”
”Then, if we can row right through to the sea that will be grand,” said Steve; ”because it willthe coast in the boat”
”Yes, sir, and so o on now, gentlemen?”
”Yes,” said Captain Marsha now?”
”About a quarter of a ht away toward the sea Be careful to keep out of sight”
The stalk was resule file, keeping to the depressions and rugged passages between the le, for the necessity of keeping out of sight forced all to go down in the most difficult places, and at tiher portions which they had to cross
But the excitement kept theressed till a sheltered nook was reached behind a ridge for of one of the ice-fields which had been forced ashore Here they paused again to regain breath and steadiness of hand, for the exertion was great to reach this advantageous spot, just beyond which the walrus lay, the sea being close at hand There was only a rough slope forle of about thirty-five degrees for thee, take aim each at the one he selected, and fire
Johannes had directed the captain on the course taken, he seeain the straight line marked out when they had been turned aside by an obstacle; and now, after pointing out to the leader where to take his place, and then by signs only indicating the doctor's, he turned to Steve, placed his lips to the boy's ear, and said:
”Creep up sloithout a sound, slip your gun over, and take aim at one of the walrus that is side on to you It is of no use to shoot anywhere; it ht behind the eye, and about six inches away, just where it looks all thick neck They're waiting; go on”