the glow of the
moon. And Wabi knew more than he what was happening. All over that wild
desolation the call of the wolf had carried its meaning. Down there,
where a lake lay silent in its winter sleep, a doe started in trembling
and fear; beyond the mountain a huge bull moose lifted his antlered head
with battle-glaring eyes; half a mile away a fox paused for an instant
in its sleuth-like stalking of a rabbit; and here and there in that
world of wild things the gaunt hungry people of Wolf's blood stopped in
their trails and turned their heads toward the signal that was coming in
wailing echoes to their ears.

And then the silence was broken. From afar--it might have been a mile
away--there came an answering cry; and at that cry the wolf at the end
of his babeesh thong settled upon his haunches again and sent back the
call that comes only when there is blood upon the trail or when near the
killing time.

There was not the rustle of a bough, not a word spoken, by the silent
watchers in the spruce. Mukoki had slipped back and half lay across his
support in shooting attitude. Wabi had braced a foot, and his rifle was
half to his shoulder, leveled over a knee. It was Rod's turn with the
big revolver, and he had practised aiming through a crotch that gave a
rest to his arm.

In a few moments there came again the howl of the distant wolf on the
plains, and this time it was joined by another away to the westward. And
after that there came two from the plains instead of one, and then a far
cry to the north and east. For the first time Rod and Wabi heard the
gloating chuckle of Mukoki in his spruce a dozen feet away.

At the increasing responses of his brethren Wolf became more frantic in
his efforts. The scent of fresh blood and of wounded game was becoming
maddening to the captive. But his frenzy no longer betrayed itself in
futile efforts to escape from the babeesh thong. Wolf knew that his
cries were assembling the hunt-pack. Nearer and nearer came the
responses of the leaders, and there were now only momentary rests
between the deep-throated exhortations which he sent in all directions
into the night.

Suddenly, almost from the swamp itself, there came a quick, excited,
yelping reply, and Wabi gripped Rod by the arm.

"He has struck the place where you killed the buck," he whispered.
"There'll be quick work now!"

Hardly had he spoken when a series of excited howls broke forth from the
swamp, coming nearer and near