the largest pack of wolves that had been seen or heard of in
this part of the country for years. The great northern wolves do not,
as a general thing, hunt in very large numbers, as do the smaller wolves
of the prairies or of the steppes of Russia, or as the brown wolf used
to do in the new settlements of Canada and in some parts of the United
States. A pack of eight or ten of these big, fierce northern wolves was
considered by the Indians as many as generally hunted together; although
sometimes, when a few got on the trail of a large moose or reindeer,
that led them for a long time, they were apt to be joined by others
until they mustered quite a number. So Mustagan's idea was that a
number of small, separate packs had been on the trail--it may have been
for days--of the different deer, which had at length gathered in this
herd. All they could do, of course, was thus to conjecture; but here
was the startling fact--they had encountered the largest pack of great
northern wolves seen in that land for years at least.

There was still something to be done. While a number of dead wolves lay
where they were shot, others badly wounded were making desperate efforts
to escape. These had to be killed, and while some were being dispatched
with axes by the Indians, to the boys was given the pleasure of sending
the deadly bullets into others, and thus quickly putting them out of
misery.

"Be careful," said Mustagan, "as you move around among the apparently
dead ones. Wolves are most treacherous brutes, and sometimes badly
wounded ones will feign to be dead when very far from it. By doing this
they hope to escape the extra bullet or fatal blow of the axe that would
quickly finish them. Then when the hunters are off their guard, or
night comes on, they hope to be able to skulk away."

This cunning feigning of death when wounded or captured is not confined
to wolves. There are several other animals that often try to play
"possum" in this manner.

This warning advice of the old Indian did not come too soon, and
fortunate indeed it was for one of the party.

The skins of some fur-bearing animals are not considered _prime_ when
they are killed in the summer months; the bitter cold of winter very
much thickens and improves the fur. However, sometimes the bears and
wolves are almost as good then as in the colder months, and bring nearly
as high a price in some foreign markets. As soon as the work of killing
the wounded ones