er," replied the Quan; "but something must be done first.
This is a black bear, you must know."

"Well, and what of a black one more than any other?" demanded Pouchskin,
somewhat surprised, for in the forests of Russia, where he had hunted
bears, there were no black ones.

"Don't you know," said the Finn, "that Black Nalle is always bigger and
fiercer than his brown brother? Besides, just at this time he will be
so savage with hunger, that he would eat one of us up the moment he got
out. If that ice was away, I shouldn't like to stand here. Take your
time, master! I think I can show you a better plan, at all events it is
a safer one. It's a way we practise here--when we are sure that a bear
is asleep, and won't interrupt us while we're making ready for him."

"Oh, well," replied Pouchskin, "I'm agreeable to anything you propose.
I'm not particularly desirous of risking another wrestle--not I--I had
enough of that the other day." And as the old guardsman made the
remark, he gave a significant shrug of his shoulders, the wounds upon
which not being yet quite cicatrised, feelingly reminded him of the
rough handling he had received.

"Well then," said the Quan, "if you will help me to cut some strong
stakes, I shall show you a plan by which you may knock old _nalle_ upon
the skull without danger to any of us, or send your bullets through his
brain, if you like better to kill him in that way."

All, of course, agreed to the Quan's proposal; for if the black bear was
as he represented him, fiercer than his brown brethren, it would be no
pleasant prospect to have him loose among them; and in case of their not
being able to shoot him dead on the spot as he rushed out, they might
not only be in danger of getting mauled, but in danger of what they
dreaded almost as much--losing him altogether. He might get off into
the forest; and as there were tracts along the hill-sides, now quite
clear of snow, he might steal away from them beyond recovery. This
would be a disappointment of no ordinary kind. In fact, it might be the
means of keeping them for weeks, or perhaps months, from proceeding on
their journey: since it might be weeks or months before they should fall
in with another chance of obtaining a black bearskin; and until that was
procured they could not turn their faces towards Spain.

With such a prospect then, they were only too ready to agree to any
conditions by which the bear might be safely secured.

The Q