Francois and Lucien ran for their guns, and all three having loaded with care, proceeded toward the ravine.

They stayed not to examine the enemy that had been slain.
Thirst urged them on, and they thought only of getting to the spring below.

They were full of hope that the she-bear and her cub had been killed by their first fire, and that they would now find the road clear.
What was their disappointment when, on looking down the ravine, they saw the cub lying doubled up, near the bottom, and the old one standing sentry over it! The cub was evidently dead.

So much the worse--as the mother would not now leave it for a moment, and both were directly in the path.

The latter was moving backward and forward upon a ledge of rock, at intervals approaching the cub and tossing its body with her snout, and then uttering a low querulous moan, that was painful to listen to! The hunters saw at once that their situation was as bad as ever.