hunters were satisfied that a
bear was really in the cave. Indeed, they were not long upon the spot,
till they had still more satisfactory evidence of this fact; for they
could hear the "sniffing" of the animal, with an occasional querulous
growl, as if uttered in answer to the barking of the dog. Beyond doubt,
there was a bear inside.

How was he to be got out? That now became the important question.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

THE STAKED ENCLOSURE.

They waited, for a time, in hopes that he might show his snout at the
little aperture, and all three stood watching it, with guns cocked and
ready. A good while passed, however, and, as no snout made its
appearance, they came to the conclusion that the bear was not to be
caught in that simple way. By the snorting growl they could tell that
he was at no great distance from the entrance, and they thought a pole
might reach him. They tried this, but found that it could be inserted
only in a diagonal direction; and although Pouchskin poised in the pole,
and bent it round like a rattan, he could not touch wool anywhere; while
the bear, though he gave tongue now and then, still kept his place at
the further end of the cave.

No other plan offered, except to cut away the icy mass, and set open the
mouth of the cavity. If this were done, would Bruin be then likely to
come forth? The Quan was confident he would; alleging as his reason,
that, in consequence of the spell of warm weather there had been, the
bear must have fully shaken off his winter drowsiness, and would no
doubt have been abroad long ago, but for the ice preventing his egress
from the den. As soon as that should be removed, he would be pretty
sure to sally out--for hunger, said the peasant, will bring him forth,
if not just at the moment, certainly within an hour or so. At the worst
they could wait a while. Moreover, were the ice removed, they might be
able to reach him with a pole; and that would be certain to put him in
such a rage as would at once tempt him to make a _sortie_.

With this idea, Pouchskin seized his axe, knocked the great icicle into
"smithereens," and was about going to work upon the huge _stalagmite_
that blocked up the entrance, when he was interrupted by the Quan.

"With your leave, master!" said the latter, as he laid his hand upon
Pouchskin's arm to restrain him. "Not so fast, if you please?"

"Why?" asked the ex-guardsman, "don't you intend to unearth the brute?"

"Yes, mast