A sun that you could gaze at unflinchingly, for it was rayless, gaze at and wonder.
In all their difficulties the boys appealed to Curtis, for whom, young though he was, they had the very highest respect. On this occasion, however, he owned up, as young folks say, that he was a little puzzled, for there was neither fog nor haze upon the earth, whatever there might be very high up. But yonder was the sun all day long, figuratively speaking, turned to blood.
Mac averred that it wasna canny, and that something was sure to follow.
Well, night followed, anyhow, and a long and dreary one it was, with ne’er a star, although the sky, to all appearance, was cloudless.
About this time it was noticed that the bears got altogether more friendly together. Gruff no longer kept Growley in his corner, and he ceased to show his affection to his “sonsy” wife; I mean he whacked her no more.
For a whole week they were ravenously hungry, and one night they stole more of the frozen seal-flesh, and devoured it, than would have served to feed the dogs for a fortnight.
They were missing that night.
Poor Gruff, and Growley, and Grumpey, and Meg. I am indeed sorry to let them pass out of my story, but they never came again.
Whither they had wandered is, of course, mere surmise, but, owing to the disappearance of the seal-meat, I think there is little doubt that they had found a cave and hidden themselves there to hibernate till spring.
Perhaps (quien sabe?) they will live in the Antarctic regions, and, in future, bears may become a by no means uncommon feature of the scenery.