in his left, ran lightly
toward him, as though he meant to jam it into his eyes.

The bravest animal can not stand unmoved before such an attack, and the
namesake of the human enemy whisked about and darted out of the cavern
with the Shawanoe close behind him. The former bounded a half dozen
steps, pausing on the very spot where the hostile warrior was first
seen, and facing about, as if to observe whether his foe dare follow him
any further. But Deerfoot had him now where he wished, and he flung the
torch aside among the undergrowth, where it lay smoking for a few
minutes before it went out.

The fierce animal must have been of the opinion that he too had his
antagonist where he wanted him, for, without the least hesitation, he
uttered a snarling growl and made two leaps straight at him. The first
carried him a little more than half the intervening distance, and the
second was meant to bear Deerfoot to the earth.

The young warrior, however, stepped lightly to one side, so that the
wolf missed him altogether, and would have been forced to wheel about
and make a second attack had the chance been given him, but at the
instant it landed, the left hand, grasping the long, keen knife, shot
forward with great force and lightning-like swiftness, and was buried to
the hilt in the throat of the brute.

It was a blow as effective as a cannon ball could have been, for the
knife clove the seat of life in twain, and the beast rolled over on the
earth dead, almost before it could emit a single yelp of agony.

Deerfoot stood a moment surveying the carcass before him, and then, with
no more excitement than he would have shown in speaking to Fred or
Terry, he said: "'Tis a good weapon, and will serve Deerfoot well."

Then he walked to the tiny brook, carefully washed the gleaming blade,
shoved it behind his belt, where it was held in place without the sheath
that clasped the other, and walked back to the cavern. The boys had not
been disturbed by the outcry of the wolf, and Deerfoot, throwing some
more wood on the flames, lay down on the blanket, drew it partly about
him, and in ten minutes was asleep, not opening his eyes again until the
light of morning streamed into the cavern and only a few smoldering
embers were left of the camp-fire.

He smiled when he looked upon the two youths, who were still soundly
sleeping, all unconscious of the stirring events that had taken place
during the darkness. There was no call for a renewal