sank down on a hill, over which they
had just climbed, and were about to descend to a valley below them.

"Rest there till I come back, then, boy," exclaimed the hardy old
trapper, a slight tone of contempt mixed with his expression of pity.
"The wolf I must have, even though he leads me a score of miles further.
Here, take the tinder-box and axe, and make a fire; by the time I come
back we shall need some food, after our chase."

Having given Laurence the articles he mentioned, with a handful of
pemmican from his wallet, he hastened down the hill, in the direction
the wolf had taken along the valley.

Young Laurence was too much accustomed to those wilds to feel any alarm
at being left alone; and as soon as he had somewhat rested, he set to
work to cut a supply of dried branches from the surrounding shrubs, with
which he quickly formed a blazing fire. The pemmican, or pounded
buffalo meat, further restored his strength, and he began to think that
he would follow in the direction his father had taken, to save him from
having to ascend the hill. When he began to move, however, he felt so
weary that he again sank down by the side of the fire, where in a short
time he fell asleep. Wild dreams troubled his slumbers, and
long-forgotten scenes came back to his mind. He was playing in a garden
among flowers in front of a neat and pretty dwelling, with the waters of
a tranquil lake shining far below. He heard the gentle voice of one he
trusted, whose fair sweet face ever smiled on him as he gambolled near
her. The voice was hastily calling him, when suddenly he was lifted up
and carried away far from her shrieks and cries. The rattle of musketry
echoed in his ears, then he was borne down a rapid stream, the waters
hissing and foaming around. Now numberless Indians, in war-paint and
feathers, danced frantically before his eyes, and huge fires blazed up,
and again shrieks echoed in his ears. Then a monstrous animal, with
glaring eyeballs, burst into their midst, putting the Indians to flight,
and scattering their fires far and wide, yelling and roaring savagely.
He started up, when what was his horror to see the fierce white wolf his
father had been pursuing rushing towards him with the chain and trap
still trailing at his heels. Spell-bound, he felt unable to rise. In
another moment the enraged wolf would be upon him, when a rifle shot
rang through the air, and the wolf dropped dead close to where he lay.

"Art saf