The odoriferous bear-meat had, no doubt, collected all there were for miles around--in addition to numbers that had been following the trail for days past.

As Basil watched them, he saw they were growing bolder, and gradually approaching nearer.

At length, some of them came upon the spot, where lay the bones of the bear at some distance out from the fire.

These they attacked at once; and through the dim light Basil could see them rushing from all quarters to come in for a share.

He could hear the bones cracking under their teeth, and could see them struggling and worrying the skeleton and each other in a moving mass.
This soon ended.