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Penellan decided to keep their skins, which would be of no little use; but he did not think for a moment of eating their flesh. Besides, the number of men to feed was now much decreased. The bodies of Vasling, Aupic, and Jocki, thrown into a hole dug on the coast, were soon rejoined by that of Herming.
Louis fired, but the bear did not appear to be hit, for he leaped with a bound towards the top. The whole mast shook. Vasling uttered a shout of exultation. "Herming," he cried, "go and find Marie! Go and find my betrothed!" Herming descended the cabin stairs.
Herming was trying to drag her up. Louis was seized with a desperate rage. He stiffened himself to bend Vasling's loins; but at this moment the combatants felt themselves seized in a powerful embrace. The bear, having descended from the mast, had fallen upon the two men. Vasling was pressed against the animal's body. Louis felt his claws entering his flesh. The bear, was strangling both of them.
Turquiette and Jocki, the Norwegian, struggled fiercely. Gervique and Gradlin, suffering horribly, were not even conscious of what was passing around them. Nouquet soon received a stab in the side, and Herming turned to Penellan, who was fighting desperately. André Vasling had seized him round the body.
A third bear was directing his way towards the ship's prow. Vasling paid no attention to him, but, followed by Herming, went to the aid of Jocki; but Jocki, seized by the beast's paws, was crushed, and when the bear fell under the shots of the other two men, he held only a corpse in his shaggy arms.
The mate, seeing Herming, cried out, "Help, Herming!" "Help, Misonne!" shouted Penellan, in his turn. But Misonne was rolling on the ground with Aupic, who was trying to stab him with his cutlass. The carpenter's hatchet was of little use to him, for he could not wield it, and it was with the greatest difficulty that he parried the lunges which Aupic made with his knife.
"We are only two, now" said Vasling, with gloomy ferocity, "but if we yield, it will not be without vengeance!" Herming reloaded his pistol without replying. Before all, the third bear must be got rid of. Vasling looked forward, but did not see him. On raising his eyes, he perceived him erect on the barricading, clinging to the ratlines and trying to reach Louis.
They were Jocki and Herming, the only two sailors of the crew of the Norwegian schooner who were left. "My friends, we are saved!" said Louis. "My father! Marie! You have exposed yourselves to so many perils!" "We do not regret it, my Louis," replied the father. "Your brig, the 'Jeune-Hardie, is securely anchored in the ice sixty leagues from here. We will rejoin her all together."
Louis and Penellan descended to the cabin, and Marie fell into their arms. Herming, mortally wounded, had been carried to a berth by Misonne and Turquiette, who had succeeded in getting free. He was already at the last gasp of death; and the two sailors occupied themselves with Nouquet, whose wound was not, happily, a serious one. But a greater misfortune had overtaken Louis Cornbutte.
"Help! help! Herming!" cried the mate. "Help! Penellan!" cried Louis. Steps were heard on the stairs.
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