On this he piled up small bones, which caught readily, and he soon had a bright and almost smokeless fire.

He now took the place of Nessus.

The latter skinned and cut up one of the small bears, and soon had some steaks broiling over the fire.

By this time it was getting dusk without.
When the meat was cooked Nessus satisfied his hunger and then sallied out from the cave and took his post as sentry with his spear close to the angle of the rock, as by this time the natives on the opposite side, being no longer able to see in the gathering darkness, had ceased to shoot.

Malchus ate his food at his leisure, and then joined his companion.
"We must get out of here somehow, Nessus.