, when the creature, by a frantic
effort, freeing itself, sprang towards him. Laurence uttered a cry of
terror; for he expected the next moment to see its savage jaws fixed in
his father's throat; but the old man, standing calm and unmoved, fired,
and the animal fell dead at his feet.

"Did ye think, Laurence, that I could not manage a single wolf," he
said, half turning round with a reproachful look towards the boy, who
had not yet recovered from his alarm. "This is a prize worth having,
though. It has not often been my luck to kill a white wolf, and we may
barter this skin with the Crees for six of the best mustangs they have
got. While I skin the varmint, see what the other traps have been
about." Laurence went forward to examine them.

"Here is a foot in one of them," he exclaimed. "The creature must have
gnawed it off, and got away. The other trap has been pulled up. I can
see the tracks it has left, as the animal dragged it away."

"We will be after it, then," cried Moggs. "If it is another white wolf
we shall be well repaid indeed for the loss of our steeds, though we
have to carry our packs till we can reach the fort. Come, Laurence,
help me to finish off this work."

The skin was added to the already heavy load which old Moggs carried,
and the traps hid in a spot which, with his experienced eye, he could
without difficulty find.

"Now Laurence," he exclaimed, "we will be after the runaway."

The keen sight of the old man easily distinguished the marks left on the
ground by the heavy trap as the animal trailed it behind him. The
creature, after going some way along the valley, had taken to the higher
ground, where its traces were still more easily distinguished upon the
crust of the snow which lay there. The white wolf had got some distance
ahead, when at length, to the delight of old Moggs, he discovered it
with the trap at its heels. It seemed to know that its pursuers were
close behind. Off it scampered at a rapid trot, now over the rugged and
broken surface of rocks, now descending into ravines, now going north,
now south, making numerous zigzag courses in its efforts to escape and
deceive the hunters. Still old Moggs pursued, regardless of fatigue,
though Laurence had great difficulty in keeping up with him, and often
felt as if he must drop. His father encouraged him to continue the
chase, promising soon to overtake the creature. At length, however,
Laurence could go no further, and