"There's another creature coming along the rocks!" exclaimed Wade. "That's a bear! He's coming out where the black one is!"
"There," said Raed, "you can see now that the bear is much the larger."
"Yes; but a white bear is considerably larger than a black bear," replied Kit.
"Look quick!" cried Wade. "There's going to be a brush! See the black one bristle up!"
"He's got something there he don't want to give up," said the captain.
"Bear says, 'I'll take your place at that,'" laughed Kit. "He walks up to him. By George! did you see the black one jump at him? Bear sent him spinning with his paw. He won't go off. Stands there growling, I'll bet."
"I should really like to know what sort of a beast that is," said Raed. "Captain, have the boat let down, if you please. I would like to go over there."
"Good chance to get another bear-skin," observed Kit. "We need one more."
The boat was lowered; and we four, with Guard, and Weymouth and Don to row, got into it, and paddled across toward where the bear was feeding, and the black creature, sitting up like a dog, watching him. We worked up quietly to within about half a cable's length (three hundred and sixty feet) without disturbing them. It was a pretty large bear: but the black animal did not seem more than two-thirds as large as Guard; and, the nearer we came to it, the more in doubt we were as to its species.