had served to poke up the fire, and ran forward. The
creature now took the alarm, and bounded off at full speed, Boxer and I
following close at its heels. The dog, exerting itself to the utmost,
at last made a spring and fixed his teeth in the hind-quarters of the
wolf, somewhat impeding its progress. This enabled me to get up and
deal several hard blows on the creature's head, one of which, given with
more force, or better aim, brought it to the ground, and Dio coming up,
we quickly deprived it of life. The skin, from the size of the animal
and its rare colour, was of some value, but as we could not carry it
with us, we hung it up to the branch of a tree, on the chance of finding
it on our return, merely taking some of the flesh to reward Boxer for
his vigilance and exertions.

"Dis not good ting to do, Massa Mike," observed Dio, as we returned to
camp; "maybe other wolves come, too many for us, when we sleep, and we
find hard job to get away from them."

"I don't see why, because we have killed one white wolf, we are more
likely to be attacked by the brown ones," I answered; "had we let it
escape, we might with more reason suppose that it would tell its
fellows."

Dio shook his head, but he let the subject drop, and once more, on
reaching camp, we went to sleep, trusting to Boxer to call us if
necessary, and as we could not take the wolf-skin, he benefited most by
the adventure.

The night had been lovely, the stars were still shining brightly
overhead when we awoke. Knowing that it was nearly morning, I proposed
that we should breakfast and ride on. There was daylight sufficient to
enable us to see our way. Boxer, not content with his plentiful supper,
as soon as he saw us moving, started off in the direction of the dead
wolf, and when we were on the point of mounting, reappeared with his
mouth besmeared with blood, showing how he had been employed. From the
way he moved on, I was afraid he had over-eaten himself; he, however,
contrived to keep up with our horses. During the night there had not
been a breath of wind, but as the sun rose, it began to blow fresh from
the east, and soon shifted to the northward, from which quarter a bank
of clouds rising rapidly, formed a dark canopy over the sky. On one
side the sun shone brightly across the prairie, lighting up its vivid
tints of green and brown and yellow, while on the other the whole
country wore a wintry aspect. Every instant the wind became stronge