n so long striving
to attain; they alone in the forest, miles away from the hunt,
pursued and slew this scourge of the province."

He put his horn to his lips. The others who carried similar
instruments followed his example. A triumphant traralira was blown.
All present took off their hunting-caps and cheered, and the hounds
added their barking to the chorus.

"Is it possible, Edward," the marquise said, terrified at the
thought of the danger her son must have run in an encounter with
the dreaded beast, "is it possible that these two alone have slain
this dreadful wolf?"

"It is quite possible, my dear, since it has been done, though,
had you asked me yesterday, I should almost have said that it could
not be; however, there it is. Ernest and his brave young friend
have covered themselves with glory; they will be the heroes of the
department. But we must not stay talking here. We must get Ernest
into bed as soon as possible. A surgeon will be here very shortly.
I sent a messenger on to Dijon for one at the same time I sent to
you."

The marquis stayed outside for a few minutes while the domestics
handed round great silver cups full of spiced wine, and then bidding
good-bye to his guests entered the chateau just as the surgeon rode
up to the entrance.

"Please tell us all about it," his daughters asked him when,
having seen the surgeon set the broken bone and bandage the wound,
operations which Ernest bore with stoical firmness, he went down
to the salon where his daughters were anxiously expecting him. "All
about it, please. We have heard nothing, for Harry went upstairs
with Ernest, and has not come down again."

The marquis told the whole story, how the wolf had made his escape
unseen through the cordon round his lair, and had passed within the
sight of the two boys some distance away, and how they had hunted
it down and slain it. The girls shuddered at the story of the death
of the wood-cutter and the short but desperate conflict with the
wolf.

"Then Ernest has the principal honour this time," the eldest girl
said.

"It is pretty evenly divided," the marquis said. "You see Ernest
brought the wolf to bay by breaking its shoulder, and struck the
first blow as it was flying upon Harry, who had been thrown from
his horse. Then, again, Ernest would almost certainly have been
killed had not Harry in his turn come to his assistance and dealt
it its mortal blows. There is not much difference, but perhaps the
ch