each other might have been heard to the distance
of several hundred yards.

This was too much for Francois' patience to bear, and he immediately
crept to his gun. He had got hold of the piece, and cocked it; but,
just as he was about to take aim, the owl dropped silently down from the
branch, and, gliding gently forward, thrust out its feathered leg, and
lifted one of the grouse in its talons. The latter had been lying upon
the top of a fallen tree not six feet from the fire! The owl, after
clutching it, rose into the air; and the next moment would have been
lost in darkness, but the crack of Francois' rifle put a sudden stop to
its flight, and with the grouse still clinging to its claws it fell
fluttering to the earth. Marengo jumped forward to seize it; but
Marengo little knew the sort of creature he had to deal with. It
happened to be only "winged," and as soon as the dog came near, it threw
itself upon its back, and struck at him with its talons so wickedly,
that he was fain to approach it with more caution. It cost Marengo a
considerable fight before he succeeded in getting his jaws over it.
During the contest it continually snapped its bill, while its great
goggle eyes kept alternately and quickly opening and closing, and the
feathers being erected all over its body, gave it the appearance of
being twice its real size. Marengo at length succeeded in "crunching"
it--although not until he was well scratched about the snout--and its
useless carcass having been thrown upon the ground, the dog continued to
worry and chew at it, while Basil went on with his narration.

CHAPTER TEN.

BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.

"As soon as I saw the buffaloes," continued Basil, "my first thought was
to get near, and have a shot at them. They were worth a charge of
powder and lead, and I reflected that if I could kill but one of them,
it would ensure us against hunger for a couple of weeks to come. So I
hung my game-bag to the branch of a tree, and set about approaching
them. I saw that the wind was in my favour, and there was no danger of
their scenting me. But there was no cover near them--the ground was as
level as a table, and there was not a score of trees upon as many acres.
It was no use crawling up, and I did not attempt it, but walked
straight forward, treading lightly as I went. In five minutes, I found
myself within good shooting range. Neither of the bulls had noticed me.
They were too busy with one another