"I'll wait till we have a reserve shot." Meanwhile we heard voices coming out on the floe.

Guard began to bark again, and came jumping from cake to cake out within a few rods of the bear, and rather between us and him.
"Be ready, now," said Kit; when some one of the party on the floe fired on a sudden.
Instantly the bear jumped for the dog; and the dog, turning, leaped for a little cake between him and the boat.

The bear splashed through, and gained the cake Guard had stood on.
Crack--crack! from the floe.
The bear growled frightfully as he felt the bullets, and plunged after the dog.

We both fired as he went down into the water.

Guard's paws were already on the gunwale, when the bear rose, head and paws, and swept the dog down with him, _souse_! A howl and a growl mingled.