o was leading the way, suddenly stopped and gazed ahead. A large
wolf was lying in the snow, evidently pretending to be dead. One of
its forepaws was held by the trap, and the hunter drew his axe and
moved forward. As we came near, the beast could stand the strain no
longer, but rose up with bristling hair, champing fangs, and savage
growl. When Oo-koo-hoo had almost reached the deeply marked circle in
the snow where the wolf had been struggling to gain its freedom, he
paused and said:

"My brother, I need your coat, so turn your eyes away while I strike."
A momentary calmness came over the beast, but as the hunter raised his
axe it suddenly crouched, and with its eyes flashing with rage, sprang
for Oo-koo-hoo's throat. Its mighty leap, however, ended three feet
short of the mark, for the trap chain grew taut, jerked it down and
threw it violently upon its back. Instantly regaining its feet, it
dashed away on three legs, and in its effort to escape dragged the clog
through the snow. The bounding clog sent the snow flying, and the
hunter rushed in pursuit, while the wolf dodged among the trees to
escape a blow from Oo-koo-hoo. Then it bolted again, and ran straight
for a few yards until the clog caught and held fast. The hunter,
pressing on with raised axe, had no time to draw back when the brute
sprang for him as it did; luckily, however, his aim was true: the back
of the axe descended upon the wolf's head, and it fell dead. This was
fortunate for the hunter, as unwarily he had allowed himself so to get
between the clog and the beast that the chain almost swung over his
snowshoes. If he had missed his aim, no doubt it would have gone hard
with him.

[Illustration: As the wolf dashed away, the bounding clog sent the snow
flying, and the hunter rushed in pursuit, while the wolf dodged among
the trees to escape a blow from Oo-koo-hoo. Then it bolted again, and
ran straight for a few yards until the clog caught and held fast. The
hunter, pressing on with raised axe, had no time to draw back when the
brute sprang for him . . . See Chapter IV.]

A few slant rays of the sun penetrating the deep gloom of the thick
forest and reminding us that day was fast passing, we decided to camp
there for the night. So we cut a mattress of brush, made a fire, and
refreshed ourselves with supper before we started to skin the wolf.

THE WAYS OF A WOLF

Talk of wolves prevailed all evening, and Oo-koo-hoo certainly had a