doubt the truth ofit--reached us.
"A farmer's sledge drawn by three horses, and on its way to the veryhamlet in which we now dwelt, had been attacked by a bear of monstroussize and terrible ferocity. It was not the horses, however, but humanflesh on which this brute made up his mind to regale himself. He hadsprung from an ambush, alighting in the very centre of the sledge. Thepoor kyoorshik's struggles I trust were brief, but very dreadfulnevertheless; his screams were heard by more than one individual--powerless, however, to render aught of assistance--as the terrifiedhorses plunged madly through the forest, a tragedy being acted behindthem which it makes one's blood run cold even to think of. The poorbeasts pulled up at last with the shattered remains of the sledge, andthe mutilated body of the unhappy driver, at the very door of the littlevillage inn; but of the bear there were no signs save the ghastly workhe had accomplished.
"News like this only served to stimulate our desire for revenge on thisbold and ferocious bear, and we set out in all haste to seek him in theforest. There were four of us, all told, with two moudjiks in twosledges drawn by six horses. We were all armed to the teeth, but thisdid not prevent us from taking proper precautions to avoid a suddensurprise. Farther than the confines of the great forest it wasimpractical to take our sledges; but the horses were unlimbered, andaccompanied us until we came upon the trail of our first bear. Theywere then fastened to trees, and left in the charge of the moudjiks.
"`Now,' said Satiesky, one of my friends, `these tracks are very recent.Mr Bruin cannot therefore be very far away, and as it will be unsafeto go a long distance from our horses, let us try the effects of alittle ruse. I have come all prepared to carry it out.'
"To build a fire, camp-fashion, was with Satiesky the work of but a fewminutes. He piled it in an open space or glade in the forest, so thatthe heat should not bring down the snow from the pines over it. Havinggot it well alight, he hung from the tripod above a three-pound piece ofham, which was soon frizzling away in fine style, and making us allhungry with its fragrance.
"`Let us get under cover, now,' said Satiesky; `if a bear is any wherewithin six versts, you'll soon see him prowl round, licking his chops,and looking for dinner, which pray Providence we will serve up to himhot.'
"We took up a position, as he spoke, as well screened as possible by thesnow-laden branches, and waited. Half-an-hour went wearily past, andafter that every minute seemed interminable. We were rewarded at last,though, but in a way we little expected. Some of us know, to our cost,the terrible bull-like bellow which a bear emits from his stentorianlungs, when he is suddenly disturbed and means mischief. This isintended, no doubt, to startle and paralyse the victim on which he meansto spring. Be this as it may, such was now the sound we heard, yet notanywhere near the fire, but close in the rear of our position. It wasan immense bear, probably the very same that had attacked and killed thepoor sledge-driver; for, as Satiesky afterwards said, having once tastedhuman flesh, he would prefer it to the best bit of bacon that ever wasfrizzled.
"He gave us little time now for consideration. But Satiesky was quick;he discharged his rifle almost point-blank at the charging beast. Downrolled Bruin, not dead, but so dreadfully wounded that it was an easyenough matter for us to dispatch him with our pikes.
"Hardly had he ceased to writhe, when down the wind came the sharp ringof another rifle.
"`Hark!' cried Satiesky, springing out into the open; `that sound comesnot from the direction where we left our horses. There is another partyin the forest as well as ourselves.'
"Satiesky's surmise was right, as he knew a moment afterwards to hissorrow. The strange hunting party had wounded a bear, and werefollowing him up, and, in his desperation, he charged our companion. Hehad no power or time for defence, and next moment we saw him laidsenseless on the snow; while over him stood his terrible antagonist, hiseyes flashing fire, his jaws dripping blood.
"I will not attempt to describe to you, gentlemen, the wild _melee_ thatfollowed. Bar a shot at close quarters with a revolver, there was notime for using fire-arms. With pikes and axes and rifles clubbed, wefought the giant beast until strength succumbed to skill, and he laydead beside Satiesky. With the exception of a few scratches, nobody wasany the worse, and we found, to our delight, that our fallen companionwas merely stunned.
"You should have seen the spread that Jerikoff placed before us thatevening, on our return. Jerikoff excelled himself for once; and itneeded but little wine-drinking, I can tell you, to make the feast passmerrily by.
"Jerikoff would have bear hams all the winter. That was the reason hewas so pleased; that was the reason he invited a pair of inseparablecompanions, in the shape of an old fiddler and a dancing bear, tominister to our amusement after dinner was over.
"Next day we bagged three more bears. We had, however, no adventure tospeak of; they succumbed to their fate with a kind of sleepy dignity,after they had been pitted by some peasants hired for the occasion.
"On this particular day I had wandered some distance away from mycompanions. I had got clear out of the forest, and had climbed aneminence, where I could see well about me, accompanied by an armedservant; but certainly apprehending no danger, for the coast all aroundseemed well clear. I had reckoned without my host, however. My host onthis occasion was an enormous bear, who had probably been asleep in thesun behind a boulder, and a very disagreeable entertainment he hadprovided for me."
"He wasn't very hospitable, then?" said Chisholm, smiling.
"Rather much so, I might say," said the captain; "indeed, he received mewith open arms. He was too affectionate altogether, and even now Ithink I hear the roar of delight he gave vent to as he commenced thefearful hug. I tried to prick him under the ribs with my knife. Itbroke on a bone, which caused the brute to increase rather than diminishthe pressure. I could feel my bones crack, and my breath was squeezedout of me. Why at this awful moment my scared moudjik should hand mehis knife, instead of using it himself, I never could tell; but God gaveme strength to handle it, gentlemen. I had one hand free, and with thatI plunged the weapon into the animal's chest, and we both rolled downtogether.
"That evening two sledges in particular left the forest, going indifferent directions. One dashed along as fast as three horses couldcarry it, towards the house of my dear Adeline's father. It was thenearest house to the forest; therefore thither was I borne, all butlifeless from loss of blood. The other sledge went more slowly, ofcourse, towards the village we had that morning left so merrilytogether. That sledge brought Bruin home. Gentlemen," said thecaptain, concluding his narrative, and once more taking his wife's hand,"I need not tell you how kind the old merchant was to me. Here is aproof of it.
"The house where he and Adeline used to reside is now tenanted by somerelations of ours, for my father-in-law has long since crossed thebourne whence no traveller ever returns; but we often visit the dear oldhome by the lake, and spend a few weeks there. We hope to do so thisChristmas, and if you will but prolong your stay till then and accompanyus, I think I can show you some nice sport."
What could our heroes reply to so kind an invitation, but that theywould be delighted to do so? One of them, indeed, was much moredelighted than either of the other two; and that was Fred Freeman.Would you know the reason why, reader? You may learn it, then, from thefollowing fragment of a conversation which took place between the trioone evening when they were alone together:--
"Chisholm O'Grahame," said Fred, "we used to laugh at poor Frank forbeing so deeply in love with his beautiful Eenie Lyell. You must laughalone now, my boy, for I can feel for him."
"What!" cried Chisholm, delightedly, "Are you too in for it?"
"I fear it's a fact," said Fred; "and so you two can leave me here to myfate, if you choose, and go on with your adventures by yourselves--thatis, if Miss Varde will look kindly on me."
"Ridiculous!" said Chisholm. "No, no, Fred, my lad, engage yourself ifyou like, and return some other day for this charming girl; but roundthe world
with us you come, and, indeed, I think the sooner we start thebetter."
"Heigho!" sighed Fred, and Frank felt for him if Chisholm did not.
CHAPTER NINE.
THE RUSSIAN STEPPES (CONCLUDED).
PLEASANT TIMES--A GLORIOUS HIDE--A HAPPY CHRISTMAS--BOAR-HUNTING--ATTACKED BY WOLVES.
Still pleasantly passed the time of our heroes away at Captain Varde'sdelightful residence. He did all in his power to render them happy andcomfortable; he even invited friends from a distance to visit at thehouse, in case they should be dull in the evenings, with no one to talkto but himself; and very pleasant people they turned out to be. Asautumn wore away, and the days got shorter and colder, they were, ofcourse, confined a good deal to the house; but, what with whist andchess, music
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