A Dangerous Plight

re ia an oíd soldier named Jake ecently rctunied toSan Francisco from n Aictic cruise, who has made np this lind iu)t to go on another whaling exjeditiou uo matter what happens. The eason is this: On ono occasion during lis late voyage Jake was on the watch n the lookout eradle at the masthead, and it was night - that is, as much ight as it ever gets up there in summer. The sun had been down about an ïour and would rise again about an ïour later. It was a beautiful sight as the ship ay there in the ice, and the air seemed cintillating with a phosphorescent glow tiat penetrated everywhere and made no shadows. On all sides the pack ice ay close to the vessel and reached for miles in every direction, broken occaionally by a large berg or the f aint outines of another ship. The silence was )rofound. It seemed to produce a roarng sound like the waves of a distant cean. Such surroundings will put a erson in a semicomatose state, from which the slightest sound will awaken urn with a start. Jake suddenly saw something white n the gloom climbing the mast His irst impulse was to jump to the döck, )ut before he could act upon it the vhite object climbod through the lubber ïole, and Jake then saw it was a polar ear. Jake rcalizod that he was in a most dangerous position and began to hink of means to escapa He called to ;he watch on deck below, but they couldn't hear. He tried to get out nnder the canvas, but the beast grabbed lim and puScd him back. It began humping him, and every time Jake atempted to move away it would growL Suddenly his eyes lighted on a rope ïanging to the deck just back of the eradla By this means he thought he could reach tho deck. To swing himself 'ree was but the work of an instant, )Ut the bear made a jump and caught ïold of his foot But a few vigorous ücks freed him, and then began a new terror. Perhaps the rope was not strong and would break, or he niight miss the stay and swing against the mast and be dashed to death. The moment in the air seemed years illed with horror, and severa! times Jake wished he had taken his chances with the bear. To grab the stay and lold on was the most difficult, and ;wice Jake's hands slipped and almost lost it When he reached the deck, he looked np and saw the rope swing back to the eradle, where the bear grabbed it. It ried to do as it had seen Jake do, but lad no sooner Bwung clear than it slipaed and feil to the deck. The crew had