“An excellent suggestion,” Professor Crowell agreed.
With the exception of a half dozen men of the road crew who had some tasks to attend to, they all retired to the large, comfortably furnished recreation room where an enormous stone fireplace almost covered one wall. Sandy, Jerry and Lou Mayer sat cross-legged directly in front of the blazing logs, on a thick bearskin robe that was spread-eagled on the floor.
“Man!” Jerry whispered in an awed voice, lifting the huge head and inspecting the gleaming fangs that were still frightening even in death. “I think if I ever ran into one of these babies I’d just roll over and die before he laid a paw on me.”
Lou Mayer poked one of the clawed forepaws with his toe. “Well, it’s a sure bet you’d die if he ever did lay one of those paws on you. They’re as big as dinner plates.”
Superintendent MacKensie, slouched in an old-fashioned rocker, sucked his pipe gravely. “I’ve seen them kill a horse with one swipe.”
“You’ve seen them?” Sandy asked.
MacKensie smiled reminiscently. “As a matter of fact that fellow did kill my horse. I was hunting with a party up on Kodiak Island. I blundered around a rock right into the beggar. He rose up on his hind legs, caught my horse with one blow in the choppers and that was it. I managed to jump free. Then I pumped five shots into him. They might as well have been darts. He would have got me for sure if the guide hadn’t dropped him with a brain shot.”
“Powerful beasts,” Professor Crowell acknowledged. “The Roman Emperor Nero used to pit bears against lions in the arena. And frequently they killed the lions.”
“It’s a lucky thing we did bring all those guns along—” Jerry began, than caught himself as Sandy and Lou Mayer stiffened visibly. “Well, it’s a good idea with mankillers like this running loose,” he finished lamely.
Superintendent MacKensie laughed. “So you expect to do some hunting while you’re up north, do you?” he said to Professor Crowell. He turned to Dr. Steele. “Of course, the customs officials plugged up the barrels of your weapons, didn’t they?”