tirailleur--had
recharged his piece, and was now hastening up to the rescue.

Without going quite close he dared not fire: for in the way that man and
bear were dancing about, there would be as much danger of killing the
one as the other.

All at once, however, they appeared to separate. Pouchskin had torn
himself out of the bear's clutches, and, evidently disinclined to a
renewal of the embrace, was retreating backward, over the snow, still
hotly pursued by the animal.

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. But the pursuer had the
advantage--for while the man was breaking through at every step, the
broad-pawed quadruped glided over the frozen crust without sinking an
inch.

Pouchskin had got a little the start, but his pursuer was fast gaining
upon him. Once or twice, indeed, the bear was close enough to touch
Pouchskin's skirts with his extended snout; but the necessity of rearing
up, before making a stroke with his paw, required him to get still
nearer, and Bruin knew that.

He had, however, got near enough even for this; and had risen on his
hind feet, with the intention of clawing down his victim. 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. They saw the bear spring
forward as if to cover the fallen man; but the next moment their terror
was mingled with astonishment on seeing, or rather _not_ seeing, either
man or bear: both had suddenly disappeared!

CHAPTER TWELVE.

A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.

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 so