The dog Marengo, by a wise instinct, had not attacked the bear, but had escaped to one edge of the table, where he was crouching and cowering with fear, taking care not to put himself in the way of being seen.
The young hunters were now in a worse situation than ever.

They dared not venture out of the trees without the certainty of dropping into the jaws of the monster; and they were suffering pain as they sat straddled across the slender branches of the pines.

Besides, they were thirsty-- thirsty to an extreme degree.

They had taken no water with them in the morning.

The sun was fiercely hot; and, even while engaged in skinning the big-horns, they had been complaining for want of water.