The sudden disappearance of both man and bear would no doubt have sadly
perplexed our young hunters, had it not been for Pouchskin's previous
adventure. With that still fresh in their memory, they were at no loss
to comprehend what had occurred. While eagerly endeavouring to escape
from his antagonist, Pouchskin had, no doubt, forgotten the dangerous
snow-bridge; and, just as before, he had broken through it.
This time, however, it was no laughing matter. Pouchskin was no longer
playing a solitary Jack-in-the-box, but, in all likelihood, he was under
the huge body of the savage monster, in the act of being torn to pieces
by his teeth, or perhaps drowned in the _subnivean_ stream. Whether the
bear had sprung voluntarily after him, or, in the impetus of charging,
had been himself precipitated into the snow chasm without the power of
preventing it, could not for the moment be known. The young hunters
suspected that the bear had fallen in rather against his will; for
certainly he had been seen to go down in rather an awkward and
blundering manner, his hind legs pitching upwards as he broke through.
Whether the plunge had been voluntary or against his will could matter
but little. He must be now upon top of the ex-guardsman; and, knowing
the implacable fury of these animals when roused to resentment, his
young masters had no other idea but that their attendant would be either
drowned or torn to pieces.
As a last hope, however, Alexis rushed on over the snow, holding his
ride before him, and prepared to fire its contents into the bear the
moment he should get sight of the animal.
As he advanced, he could hear a plunging and splashing of water, with
other noises,--as the snorting and growling of the bear, and the
crashing of frozen snow, all mixed up in confusion of sounds.
Concluding that these noises were caused by the struggle still going on
between the man and the bear, he hurried forward. Strange! there came
no voice from Pouchskin!
When within about three paces of the broken edge, an object came under
his eyes, that caused him to halt in his track. That object was the
snout of the bear, that was projected upward above the surface of the
snow. The eyes of the animal were not visible, nor any other part of
it, except the aforesaid snout, and about six inches of the muzzle.
The thought instantly occurred to Alexis, that the bear had reared upon
his hind feet, and was endeavouring to clamber out; and this was true
enough, for the instant after, he was seen to spring perpendicularly
upward, until his whole head and part of his neck became visible. Only
for an instant, however; for Bruin, who now appeared to be playing
Jack-in-the-box, sank once more out of sight, snout and all.
The young hunter was just regretting that he had not taken a snap shot
at the animal's head; but before ten seconds of time had elapsed, the
snout was again popped up by the edge of the hole. In all probability
the bear would make a second attempt to spring out.
Alexis was therefore waiting till the whole head should show itself; but
quick as a flash of lightning, it occurred to him that the brute might
at the second effort succeed in reaching the surface of the snow, and
then he would himself be in danger. To avoid this contingency, he
resolved to fire at once; not at the snout, for, although he could not
have failed to send his bullet through it, he knew that that would not
kill the bear, but only render him more desperately furious, if such a
thing had been possible.
It was the bear's skull he meant to take aim at. From the position of
the animal's snout, of course he could tell exactly where the head must
be, though he could not see it.
Had Alexis been an unskilled marksman, he would have stood his ground;
and, guessing the position of the bear's head, would have fired at it
through the snow. But he did not act in this manner. He had scientific
knowledge sufficient to tell him that his bullet, sent in a slanting
direction, might glance off the frozen crust, and miss the mark
altogether. To ensure its direction, therefore, he instantly glided two
steps forward, poked the barrel of his piece through the snow, until the
muzzle almost touched the head of the bear--and then fired!
For some seconds he saw nothing. The smoke of the gunpowder, as well as
the snow-dust blown up before the muzzle of the gun, formed a dense
cloud over the spot. But though Alexis could not see the effect of his
shot, he could tell by what he heard that his bullet had done good work.
A loud "swattering" at the bottom of the hole proclaimed that the bear
was struggling in the water; while his piteous whines and faint grunting
told that his fierce strength was fast passing away.
As soon as the smoke had cleared off, Alexis upon his knees crept
forward to the edge, and looked over it. There was blood upon the snow;
the side against which the bear had stood was crimsoned with streams of
it; and below, in the water, among the clumps of broken snow-crust,
appeared a dark-brown mass, which Alexis knew to be the body of the
animal.
It was still in motion; but as it was in a prostrate attitude, and
making only feeble efforts, the young hunter knew that the life was
nearly out of it.
It was not this that was now causing him to look down with such an
anxious and troubled countenance. It was his apprehensions for
Pouchskin. Where was he? At the bottom of the crater-like pit Alexis
could see the body of the animal, but nothing of a man--neither arms,
legs, nor body. Could he be under the bear, concealed by the shaggy
hair? Was he hidden under the black water that filled the bottom of the
ravine?--or, horrible thought! was he dead, and had his body been
carried off by the current that rushed rapidly under the snow?
This was not improbable, for Alexis could see that there was a sort of
arched tunnel between the snow and the water, quite large enough to have
admitted the body of a man!
In agony he cried out, calling Pouchskin by name. He was repeating his
despairing invocation, when all at once a loud laugh echoed in his ears,
uttered close behind him. In the laughter he recognised the voice of
Ivan.
Alexis suddenly leaped to his feet, wondering what on earth could be the
cause of this ill-timed merriment. He turned towards Ivan with the
intention of chiding him; but at that moment an object fell under his
eye, that hindered him from carrying his intention into effect. On the
contrary, the sight he saw caused him such joy, that he could not
restrain himself from joining Ivan in his laughter. No wonder. The
sight was odd enough to have drawn a smile from a dying man. A
spectacle more ludicrous could scarce have been conceived.
A little further down the ravine, and about ten paces from where the
boys were standing, an object was seen protruding above the snow. It
was about ten inches in vertical diameter, something less horizontally,
and of a roundish or oval shape. In colour it was almost white as the
snow itself: for, indeed, it was sprinkled over with this material out
of the bosom of which it had just emerged. A stranger coming upon the
ground might have been sorely puzzled to make out what it was; but not
so Ivan, who, on first beholding it, as it popped upward through the
frozen crust, recognised it as the head of Pouchskin. Alexis also made
it out at the first glance; and it was the comic twinkle of Pouchskin's
eyes--denoting that no great damage had happened to him--that led Alexis
to join his brother in the laughter.
Their merriment, however, was of short continuance--only an involuntary
burst, for a moment's reflection told them that Pouchskin, although they
saw him alive, might nevertheless have sustained some serious injury;
and both at the thought hastened up towards the head.
On getting close to it, however, Ivan was unable to control himself, and
once more gave way to a fit of involuntary laughter. The head of the
old guardsman, standing up like a sphinx above the frozen surface,--his
grizzled hair powdered all over with snow like the poll of some grand
flunkey,--his long moustache loaded with it,--his eyes sparkling and
twinkling, and his features set in a serio-comic expression,--all
combined to form a picture that it was difficult to contemplate with
seriousness.
Alexis, however, anxious to ascertain as to whether Pouchskin had
received any dangerous wound, did _not_ this time join in his brother's
mirth; and, as soon as they came near enough, his inquiries were
directed to that end.
"Only scratched a bit, masters!" answered the old guardsman,--"only
scratched a bit--nothing much; but the bear--the bear! where has the
brute gone?"
"To his long home," answered Alexis; "you need be under no further
apprehension about him. I think your knife must have well-nigh settled
his account, for he was unable to get out of the hole again; but,
fortunately, I have finished him with a bullet, and it only remains for
us to haul his carcass up and take the skin off it. First, however, let
us endeavour to extricate you, my good Pouchskin; and then you can tell
us by what means you have managed to make an escape that certainly
appears miraculous!"
So saying, Alexis, assisted by Ivan, commenced digging away the hard
crust that surrounded the neck of Pouchskin; and kept on at it, until
they had uncovered his shoulders. Then seizing him by the arms--one on
each side--they drew him up, till his feet once more rested on the
surface of the snow.