fat. He might have escaped
them as easily as if he were in the open woods.

With these ideas, therefore, they were only too anxious to put an end to
the struggle, and secure the game.

The bear could not have offered them a better opportunity. His position
upon the rock rendered him a conspicuous mark, both for the bullets of
the guns and the arrows of Ossaroo. Besides, there was no danger of
wounding Fritz, if good aim was taken by the marksmen.

Good aim _was_ taken--a couple of loud reports echoed through the cave--
one of Ossaroo's arrows whistled, and penetrated the thick shaggy skin--
and the next moment the huge black mass rolled down from the rock, and
lay back uppermost, kicking his paws about in the last throes of death.
Then Fritz leaped upon his upturned breast, seized the white throat
between his jaws, and choked and worried at it till the last breath was
squeezed out of poor Bruin's body, that the next moment lay quite limp
and motionless.

Fritz was now scolded off, and the torches were held near, in order that
the hunters might examine the game they had killed. A splendid specimen
the bear was--one of the biggest and fattest of his kind; and no doubt
would yield them a large amount of the precious "grease."

They had scarcely made this reflection when another of far different
character forced itself upon their minds, and compelled them to stand
gazing at each other with looks of mute inquiry. Each waited for one of
the others to speak; and although no one had yet said a word, all
equally felt that they were in a dilemma.

What dilemma? you will ask. The game had been secured--what difficulty
would there be in dragging it out of the cave, and afterwards taking it
home to their hut?

All this may appear easy enough to you, because you do not yet
understand the situation in which the hunters were placed--you do not
comprehend why they stood gazing upon each other with troubled looks.

Why they did so was simply this:--while examining the carcass of the
bear, they observed that their _torches were burnt out_! Not quite to
the ends, it is true; but so near that they could not be depended on to
light them a score of yards. They were already flickering and burning
dimly--in a few seconds more they would be quite extinguished; and what
then?

Ay, what then? that was the thought that was troubling them--that it was
that caused them to stand looking anxiously towards one another.

Even they th