the open sky.

But his brain cleared presently, and he sprang to his feet and looked
about him. Where was his friend and companion of the previous day? Where
were the horses he had himself so carefully picketed the evening before?
And what was that snarling, fighting mass just visible in the dawning
light but a few rods distant?

Jimmy found himself very much awake about this time, for it had flashed
upon him that at least a score of prairie-wolves were there before him
and that the yelping that had awakened him came from their throats.

He involuntarily opened his mouth to call out for Mr. Highton, but the
thought came quickly into his mind that a sound from him might draw the
attention of the pack to himself, and this restrained him.

He wondered where Mr. Highton could be, and what it was that the wolves
were fighting over and feasting upon. A terrible fear took possession of
him. Had the creatures killed Mr. Highton while he lay sleeping, and
were they now devouring him?

He dared not venture nearer to investigate. He was afraid to move at all
lest the beasts should hear him. But, after a little hesitation, he
resolved to try to get away to the opposite side of the ravine and there
conceal himself until the pack dispersed.

Jimmy moved cautiously away, but had not gone far when, turning to look
back, he saw half a dozen of the wolves coming toward him at a gallop.

He knew that he could not outrun them, and, looking about for any
possible refuge, he saw, not far away, projecting ten or fifteen feet
above the surface of the ravine, the scraggy branches of a tree, which
overhung the depths beneath it.

With his best speed the boy dashed forward, and, scrambling down the
sides of the gorge until he reached the spot in which the tree was
rooted, he began to climb up its bent and twisted trunk.

The tree was but a small one, and its upper branches were hardly strong
enough to bear his weight, but he climbed upward until they swayed and
bent, and threatened to snap beneath him; then, grasping the largest of
them, one in each hand, and resting his feet on the best support he
could find for them, Jimmy braced himself and awaited his pursuers.

They soon came up, and leaped and howled and snarled about the tree, but
they could not reach their wished-for prey; and, after awhile, they
seemed to realize that they were losing their share--and a slender one
it must have been, or they would never have deserted it--of th