the silence of the night. For a long time
I watched the sparks, then little by little I began to get drowsy,
without my being aware.

If I had been compelled to busy myself with getting the wood, I could
have kept awake, but seated before the fire with nothing to do, I became
so sleepy, and yet all the time I thought that I could manage to keep
awake.

I sprang up suddenly, awakened by a violent barking! It was night. I
probably had slept for a long time and the fire was almost out. No
flames lit the hut now. Capi was barking loudly, furiously. But,
strange! there was no sound from Zerbino or Dulcie.

"What's the matter?" cried Vitalis, waking up.

"I don't know."

"You've been to sleep, and the fire's gone out."

Capi had run to the opening, but had not ventured outside. He stood on
the threshold barking.

"What has happened?" I asked in my turn.

In answer to Capi's barks came two or three mournful howls. I recognized
Dulcie's voice. These howls came from behind our hut and at a very short
distance.

I was going out. But Vitalis put his hand on my shoulder and stopped me.

"First," he said, in a tone of command, "put some wood on the fire."

While I obeyed, he took a sprig from the fire and blew it out until only
the point remained burning. He held the torch in his hand.

"Come and see what is the matter," he said; "you walk behind me. Go
ahead, Capi."

As we went out there was a frightful howl. Capi drew back, cowering
behind us in terror.

"Wolves! Where are Zerbino and Dulcie?"

What could I say? The two dogs must have gone out while I slept. Zerbino
had waited until I was asleep and had then crept out, and Dulcie had
followed him. The wolves had got hold of them! There was fear in my
master's voice when he asked for the dogs.

"Take a torch," he said, "we must go to their aid."

In our village I had heard them tell terrible stories of wolves, yet I
could not hesitate. I ran back for a torch, then followed my master.

But outside we could see neither dogs nor wolves. On the snow we could
see only the imprint of the two dogs' paws. We followed these traces
around the hut, then at a certain distance we could see a space in the
snow which looked as though some animals had been rolling in it.

"Go and look for them, Capi," said my master; at the same time he
whistled to attract Zerbino and Dulcie.

But there was no barking in reply; no sound disturbed the mournful
silence of the forest, and C