The two fugitives held their breath, and Nessus sat with an arrow in the string ready to shoot.

The brand, however, gave but a feeble light, and the native, picking up the bodies of three of the young bears, which lay close to the entrance, threw them over his shoulder, and crawled back out of the cave again.

As they heard his departing footsteps the fugitives drew a long breath of relief.
Nessus rose and made his way cautiously out of the cave.

He returned in a minute.
"They have taken the rope with them," he said, "and it is well, for when they have searched the valley tomorrow, were it hanging there, it might occur to them that we have made our way up.

Now that it is gone they can never suspect that we have returned here." "There is no chance of our being disturbed again tonight, Nessus.