a bear's body, moreover, and the vast
stretch between his fore and hind legs give him an additional
advantage--enabling him to distribute his weight over a large surface--
and this is why he can shuffle over ice or snow-crust, that may be too
weak to carry a human being. Every boy knows--at least every boy who
has skated or ventured upon a frozen pond--that by creeping on hands and
knees, or, more certain still, by sprawling along on the breast, ice may
be passed over, that would not bear the same boy in an erect attitude.

Such advantage, then, had the bear which our young hunters were tracking
up; and it would have been well for them--at least for Pouchskin--had
they thought of it. They did not. They supposed that where a great
heavy animal like a bear had gone they might go too; and, without
further reflection, they stepped out upon the deep bed of snow.

Alexis and Ivan being light weights passed over the snow safely enough;
but Pouchskin, weighing nearly as much as both of them--and further
loaded with a ponderous wood-axe and his huge gun, to say nothing of
sundry well-filled pockets and pouches--was more than the crust would
carry. Just when he had got about halfway across, there was heard a
tearing crash; and before the boys could turn to inquire the cause,
Pouchskin had disappeared, and all his _paraphernalia_ along with him!

No, not quite all. There was seen about two feet of the barrel of his
gun above the surface; and as that still pointed upward--while it moved
around the circular hole through which the old guardsman had fallen--the
boys concluded that the piece was in his hands, and that Pouchskin was
still upon his feet.

At the same instant a voice reached their ears--in a hollow sepulchral
tone, like that of a man speaking from the bottom of a well, or through
the bung-hole of an empty cask!

Notwithstanding its _baritone_ notes, the boys perceived that the
exclamations made by the voice were not those of terror, but rather of
surprise, followed by a slight laugh. Of course, therefore, their
attendant had received no injury, nor was he in any danger; and, assured
of this, Ivan first, and then Alexis, broke out into yells of laughter.

On cautiously approaching the trap-like hole, through which Pouchskin
had disappeared, their merriment burst forth afresh, at the ludicrous
spectacle. There stood the old guardsman, like a jack-in-the-box in the
centre of a hollow funnel-shaped cylinder which