tood upon the ledge in front of the cavern's mouth.

Each had now possession of his own weapons: Karl, his rifle; Caspar, the
double-barrel; and Ossaroo, his spear, bow and arrows, hatchet and
knife.

There were two torches, each one nearly a yard in length, with handles
that measured nearly another yard. They were made of splints from the
pine-trees, that had been shared off while dressing the latter for the
bridge. They were now quite dry, and, tied together in a bundle, would
burn splendidly. They were no novelty, these torches. They had made
similar ones before, and tried them; and, therefore, they could depend
upon them to give them light within the cave.

They entered without lighting the torches, intending only to use them
when it became necessary. Perhaps, after all, the cave might be of
small extent, though Karl believed that such was not the case. He had
noted that the bear had gone a good way back, as he was able to judge by
his snorts and growling.

This point was soon settled. When they had proceeded many paces from
the entrance, and the light of the sun began to fail them, they could
perceive that the cavern grew wider and higher, and, like a great, black
gateway, yawned far back into the rocks. Apparently, there was no
termination to it!

The tinder which they had prepared was now set on fire; and the ends of
the torches, touched with pine-tree resin, were soon ignited, and began
to blaze.

All at once the cavern shone with a thousand lights, which had not been
hitherto observed. The sparkling stalactites projecting downward from
the roof, with here and there the drops of clear filtered water, gave
back the glare from the torches in a thousand coruscations. It seemed
to our young hunters as though they were treading the famed halls of
Aladdin's palace.

On they marched along the wide passage, holding their torches on high,
and, at intervals, pausing to examine some nook or chamber that opened
right or left--still searching for the bear. As yet, they had seen no
traces of the animal; though, from the excited baying of Fritz, it was
plain to them that either Bruin himself, or some other quadruped, had
passed up the cave before them. The dog was evidently upon a hot scent,
and lifting it as fast as they could follow him.

A little after, Fritz doubled to one side, and appeared busy with some
object by the side of the cave. The hunters were under the impression
that the game had been fo