freeze to death."

"If you think they've gone away," Thede replied, "just turn your
light toward the entrance. They're not going to give up their warm
nest without a scrap, and I can't say that I blame them for it."

It was considerably warmer in the cave and, out of the tempest, the
boys were quite comfortable in their thick clothing. They huddled
together at the far end of the cavern, and George kept the light
turned, on the two bears, who were now growling savagely.

"Why don't you shoot?" asked Thede.

"What's the use of shooting until I have to?" demanded George.
"They can come in here if they want to, if they'll only behave
themselves."

"If they try to come in here," declared Thede, "I'll go up in the
air about nine hundred feet."

Although they did not attempt to re-enter the cavern, the bears
kept close to the entrance. It was clear that only the light of
the electric kept them from attacking the boys.

"They'll stay right there till morning," exclaimed Thede, "and
we'll have to shoot them anyway before we can get out. They are
kicking themselves now," he continued with a grin, "because they
let us in here without a battle. I wish we understood bear talk so
that we could learn what they're saying to each other."