Lightning was not quicker than the flash of Eiseeyou's strong right arm as he sank the harpoon deep in the seal's neck. Then both Eskimos sprang to their feet and braced themselves. Away went the rawhide line singing through their mittened hands, and whistling against the edge of the ice. At last it came taut with a mighty jerk. Both men braced themselves. The rope cut into Tunkine's waist until he thought it would cut him in two, but it held and the seal came racing back, but was soon off in another direction.
Again the rope tightened, and the two hunters strained with all their strength. Again and again this happened, but each time they braced and the rope held. Five, ten, fifteen minutes went by. The fight was nearly over. Poor nik-suk must soon come to his airhole to breathe again. Then they would finish him.
So Eiseeyou gradually drew him in while Tunkine waited with the spear. Finally the beautiful head again appeared. This time Tunkine finished poor nik-suk with his spear and together they hauled him out on to the ice.
They loaded the seal, which was of the little-ringed species, on to one of the komatiks, and they went forward rapidly.
They were reminded that they had wasted valuable time, for this was really a bear hunt, and not a seal hunt.
So for hours the three dog teams ranged back and forth over the icefloe. Some of the way the going was smooth, but often they had to turn this way and that to avoid small bergs which had been frozen into the floe. There were many fox tracks on the ice, but no signs of Bruin. Finally, when they had travelled about ten miles to the Northward, and had traversed the ice field in every direction and were becoming discouraged, they came upon the fresh trail of the great bear. Every few feet there were blood-spots, which indicated that she had been successful in her hunting. The Czarina had probably found a seal pup, or perhaps a walrus calf.
The dogs, all eagerness, yelped to be off; but Eiseeyou did not think it wise to cut them loose until they located the bear.
At last they came in sight of the mighty hunter making for the shore, and Eiseeyou gave word to cut loose the dogs.