--
and its long crescent-shaped claws, protruding from the shaggy covering
of its feet, could be distinctly seen from the top of the cliff. With
these it had just torn one of the pieces of mutton into smaller
fragments, and was eagerly devouring it as the boys arrived on the
height above. It was so busily engaged that it did not notice them.

All three, as we have said, dropped their loads on the ground; and,
after pausing for a moment to look down, ran precipitately back for
their guns. These they got hold of, and examined with care, looking to
their caps and nipples. They had already loaded them, before commencing
to skin the cimmarons. They now stole cautiously back to the ravine,
and again looked over its edge. To their consternation, _not one bear,
but three of these horrid animals_ were busy with the meat below! One
was smaller than either of the others, and differed from them in colour.
It was quite black; and might have passed for a full-grown bear of the
black species. It was not that, however; but a large cub, of which the
other two were the parents.

All three were tearing away at the fresh meat, evidently in high glee,
and not caring to consider whence such a windfall had come, so long as
they were getting the benefit of it. They occasionally uttered loud
snorts--as if to express their gratification--and at intervals the old
male one growled as the cub interfered with his eating. The female, on
the contrary, as she tore the mutton into fragments, kept placing the
daintiest morsels before the snout of her black progeny; and with
playful strokes of her paw admonished it from time to time to fall to
and eat. Sometimes they ate standing erect, and holding the meat
between their fore-paws. At others they would place the piece upon a
rock, and devour it at their leisure. Their jaws and claws were red
with the blood--that still remained in the hastily-butchered meat--and
this added to the ferocious aspect of the trio.

Our adventurers gazed down upon the scene with feelings of the utmost
terror; and no wonder. They had heard such stories of the grizzly bear,
as would have inspired stouter hearts than theirs with feelings of the
kind. They knew that no hunter, when dismounted, ever dares to attack
this animal; and, even when on horseback and armed with his trusty
rifle, he will only venture to do so when the ground is open, and he is
sure of escape through the fleetness of his horse. They knew that