alarm; which was increased at seeing
several of the wolves--that had been beaten by the others from the
quarry--commence making demonstrations towards himself! Lucien now
trembled for his safety, and no wonder. He was near the middle of the
lake upon slippery ice. To attempt running back to the camp would be
hazardous; the wolves could overtake him before he had got half-way, and
he felt certain that any signs of fear on his part would be the signal
for the fierce brutes to assail him.

For some moments he was irresolute how to act. He had commenced loading
his gun, but his fingers were numbed with the cold, and it was a good
while before he could get the piece ready for a second fire. He
succeeded at length. He did not fire then, but resolved to keep the
charge for a more desperate crisis. Could he but reach the camp there
were trees near it, and one of these he might climb. This was his only
hope, in case the wolves attacked him, and he knew it was. Instead of
turning and running for this point, he began to back for it stealthily
and with caution, keeping his front all the while towards the wolves,
and his eyes fixed upon them.

He had not got many yards, when he perceived to his horror, that the
whole pack were in motion, and _coming after him_! It was a terrible
sight, and Lucien seeing that by retreating he only drew them on,
stopped and held his rifle in a threatening attitude. The wolves were
now within twenty yards of him; but, instead of moving any longer
directly towards him, they broke into two lines, swept past on opposite
sides of him, and then circling round, met each other in his rear. _His
retreat was cut off!_

He now stood upon the ice with the fierce wolves forming a ring around
him, whose diameter was not the six lengths of his gun, and every moment
growing shorter and shorter. The prospect was appalling. It would have
caused the stoutest heart to quail, and Lucien's was terrified. He
shouted at the top of his voice. He fired his rifle at the nearest. The
brute fell, but the others showed no symptoms of fear; they only grew
more furious. Lucien clubbed his gun--the last resort in such cases--and
laid around him with all his might; but he was in danger of slipping
upon the ice, and his efforts were feeble.

Once down he never would have risen again, for his fierce assailants
would have sprung upon him like tigers. As it was, he felt but little
hope. He believed himself lost. The teeth of the fero