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Updated: June 1, 2025
The Indian, after making his boat fast, took the route inland, followed by the other three. After going some three or four hundred yards, he turned to the left, and conducted the party around the shore of the bay which trended in a semicircular or horse-shoe shape. He did not take all of them around; but only one, whom he stationed on the opposite side. This was Pouchskin.
At this moment Alexis would have fired; but, unfortunately, the direction in which Pouchskin was going, kept his body nearly in a line with that of the animal; and Alexis could not fire without danger of hitting him. The chase led across the ravine, and of course over the bed of snow. The pursued was doing his best to escape.
Just at this crisis an accident occurred to Pouchskin or rather Pouchskin committed a mistake which, had it been made five minutes sooner, would most assuredly have cost him his life. The mistake which Pouchskin made, was to drop the iron end of his "oschtol" on the snowy crust between his sledge and the two dogs nearest to it the "wheelers" as we may call them.
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.
It was only for an instant; but a precious instant that was to all three of the hunters. It gave them sufficient time to take to a tree each springing up to the one that was most convenient. Alexis and Ivan being young and nimble, easily accomplished this feat; but it cost Pouchskin an effort; and he came very near making it in vain.
Their silence enabled them to hear what Pouchskin could not placed as he now was and that was a sound that caused the young bear-hunters to start back and look upwards, instead of into the cave. As they did so, a sight met their eyes that drew from both a simultaneous cry, while both at the same instant retreated several paces from the spot, elevating their guns as they went backward.
Ivan and Alexis simultaneously uttered a cry of dismay; but before the dangerous stroke could descend, he for whom it was intended had sunk out of sight! At first, the young hunters believed the blow had been struck, and that Pouchskin had fallen prostrate under it.
It might have been to get rid of these tormentors that Bruin had submerged his body in the water; and so Pouchskin concluded, and also Ivan though both were puzzled by the odd behaviour of the bear, in swimming open-mouthed, and at intervals snapping his jaws as he did. Alexis, however, was a better reasoner; and soon discovered the why and the wherefore of these mysterious demonstrations.
Ivan and Pouchskin got into one tree, while the izzard-hunter and Alexis chose another; and all having secured places where they could command a view of the walled-up entrance without being themselves seen, they waited for daylight and the coming back of the bear. For the light they had not long to wait.
The bullet was heard striking the sticks, and caused the dust to puff out, but it produced no further effect not a move was made by the occupant of that elevated eyrie. Two or three more shots were fired with like effect; and the fusil of Pouchskin was next called into requisition, and brought to bear upon the nest.
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