und, and halted, each bringing his piece to the
ready.

After a moment, however, Fritz glided out, and again sprang forward on
the trail. The torches were carried up to where Fritz had made his
temporary pause, and, under their light, a large pile of withered leaves
and grass was made visible. It was the snug den of Bruin--still warm
where his huge carcass had lain; but the cunning brute was no longer
"abed." He had been roused by the noises of his enemies, and had
retreated farther into the cavern.

Fritz was again moving forward along the trail, uttering an occasional
"growl" as he went. He was by no means a fast dog at taking up a scent,
nor yet on the run. These were not his qualities. But he was stanch
and sure, and desperate when once he grappled with the game. So sure
was he, that, whenever he started off upon a trail, you might rely upon
it, with perfect confidence, that the game was before you.

The three hunters thought no longer of looking for the bear anywhere
else than before the snout of Fritz; and, therefore, the chase became
simplified to keeping the hound in view. The nature of the ground--here
covered with blocks of loose stone, there with huge stalagmites--
prevented the dog from making rapid progress. The bear had often
doubled and halted, no doubt having some difficulty himself in making
way in the darkness; and this doubling caused much delay to Fritz; so
much, that the torch-bearers could generally keep him in sight.

Now and again, he became lost to view; and then there was a halt, and
some moments of indecision, which were ended only by the long howl of
the hound echoing through the cavern, and guiding them to his
whereabouts.

You will be surprised that they should at any time have lost the chase.
You will fancy that, by keeping on, they must overtake Fritz in time, or
meet him returning.

Such might have been true, had there been only one passage through this
stupendous cavern; but, instead of one, they saw scores of vaulted
aisles forking at intervals, and traversing in very different
directions. They had long since turned both to the right and the left--
more than once turned--without any other guide than the baying of the
hound, or the view of his yellow body, as he scrambled along the trail.
An immense cavern if was, full of ways, and passages, and halls, and
chambers; many of them so like each other, that the hunters could not
help thinking they were running in a maze, an