In truth she was a monster; and even though the life seemed to have completely left her, the boys thought it well to wait a good many minutes before going any nearer. After some time, when there could be no longer any doubt, they scrambled down the way they came, and, unloosing Oscar, approached the cave from the front. Oscar bounded on ahead with eager leaps, and catching sight of the big black body, rushed furiously at it. But the moment he reached it he stopped, smelled the body suspiciously, and then gave vent to a strange, long howl that sounded curiously like a death lament. After that there could be nothing more to fear; so the three boys climbed up on the shelf and proceeded to examine their quarry. She was very large, and in splendid condition, having been feasting upon unlimited berries for weeks past. "Now for the cubs," said Archie. "The job’s only half done if we leave these young rascals alone. I’m sorry they’re too big to take alive. Ha, ha! Oscar says they’re at home." Sure enough the hound was barking furiously at the mouth of the cave, which he appeared none too anxious to enter. "Bruce, suppose you try what damage your buckshot would do in there," suggested Archie. "All right," assented Bruce, and, going up to the mouth, he peered in. Two pairs of gleaming eyes that were much nearer than he expected made him start back with an exclamation of surprise. But, quickly recovering himself, he raised his gun and fired right at the little round balls of light. Following upon the report came a series of queer cries, half-growls, half-whimpers, and presently all was still. "I guess that did the business," said Bruce. "Why don’t you go in and see?" asked Archie. "Thank you. I’d rather not; but you can, it you like," replied Bruce. "Very well, I will," said Archie promptly, laying down his gun. And, drawing his hunting-knife, he crawled cautiously into the cave. Not a move or sound was there inside. A little distance from the mouth he touched one soft, furry body from which life had fled, and just behind it another. The buckshot had done its work. The cubs were as dead as their mother. The next thing was to get them out. The cave was very low and narrow, and the cubs pretty big fellows. Archie crawled out again for a consultation with the others. Various plans were suggested but rejected, until at length Archie called out,— "I have it! I’ll crawl in there and get a good grip of one of the cubs, and then you fellows will catch hold of my legs and haul us both out together." And so that was the way they managed it, pulling and puffing and toiling away until, finally, after tremendous exertion, they had the two cubs lying beside their mother on the ledge. "Phew! That’s quite enough work for me to-day," said Fred, wiping the perspiration from his forehead. "For me too!" chorused the others.