They knew that hunters, even when in large parties, are often chased by a single bear of this kind, after each of them had given him a shot; for as many as twenty bullets have been fired into the body of a grizzly bear without bringing him to the ground.

All these facts came into the minds of our boy hunters at the moment.

No wonder they felt fear.
They were in a most perilous situation.

The bears occupied the ravine.
There was no other path by which they could get down to their horses.
They had gone almost quite round the butte in their morning search.
They had seen that it was precipitous on all sides, and they had since observed that the space between the ravine and their point of starting was the same.

How, then, were they to get back to camp?
There was no way but one--_down_ the ravine--and the bears would be certain to attack them should they attempt to descend that way.
The boys gazed at each other with terrified looks, repeating what they had to say in muttered whispers.