been upon an expedition--and
where, he asserted, the Tibet bear was to be found in considerable
numbers. It would not be dangerous, therefore, to attack it in the
cave, or anywhere else. Such was the opinion of the shikarree.

Karl at length ceased to urge his objections. He began to think that
the bear had not been in pursuit of him, after all,--else it would have
returned out of the cave on not finding him--most likely the cave was
its den, and it was to hide itself there that it had rushed so
determinedly past him. This appeared probable enough, since they had
been waiting a good while, and Bruin had not yet condescended to show
himself upon the ledge.

It was resolved, therefore, that they should all enter the cavern, and
kill the bear if possible.

This resolve, however, was not made without considerable deliberation;
but two reasons were at length brought forward that not only decided the
point in favour of killing the bear, but rendered it a matter of some
consequence that they should succeed in this design.

The first reason was that they really wanted the animal, and it was of
importance to them that it should be killed.

It was not for its fine skin they wanted it--though that might be of use
to them in the cold winter, now near at hand--nor did they want to kill
the bear merely for the pleasure and excitement of the thing. No. They
had a very different object in view. They wanted the carcass, or rather
that portion of it that is termed the "fat." They wanted the "bear's
grease."

For what purpose? you will ask. To make their hair grow? Nothing of
the sort. The hair of all three, from late neglect, was long enough--
quite as long as they could have wished it. Caspar's curls hung over
his shoulders, and Ossaroo's snaky black tresses dangled down his back
like the tail of a horse. Even Karl's silken locks were long enough to
have satisfied the most romantic of refugees. No. They wanted the
bear's fat, not for their hair, but for their kitchen. They wanted it
to cook with, for one thing, but a still more important use they
intended to apply it to,--and that was for making candles! For both of
the above purposes they had need of the bear's fat, since the other
animals which they were accustomed to hunt and kill were chiefly
ruminant animals, with very little fat upon them, and never enough of it
to cook their own flesh.

You who live in a land where there is plenty of lard and butter, can