api, instead of running off as he was told,
kept close to us, giving every sign of fear. Capi who was usually so
obedient and brave!

There was not sufficient light for us to follow the imprints any
distance. The snow around us was dazzling, but beyond seemed all vague
and obscure.

Again Vitalis whistled and shouted for the missing dogs. There was no
answering bark.

Oh, poor Zerbino; poor Dulcie!

"The wolves have got them," said Vitalis; "why did you let them go out?"

Yes? why? I had nothing to say.

"We must go and look for them," I said after a pause.

I went before him, but he stopped me.

"Where will you look for them?" he asked.

"I don't know; everywhere."

"We can't tell, in this dim light, where they have gone."

That was true, and the snow came up above our knees. Our two torches
together could not penetrate the shadows.

"If they do not reply, it is because they are a long way off," he said.
"We must not go on; the wolves might attack us also. We cannot defend
ourselves."

It was dreadful to have to leave the poor dogs to their fate--our two
friends; friends particularly to me. And the terrible part of it was
that I knew that I was responsible. If I had not slept they would not
have gone out.

My master had turned back to the hut. I followed, looking back at each
step, stopping to listen. I heard nothing, and saw nothing but the snow.

When we reached the hut another surprise awaited us. The branches that I
had thrown on the fire were aflame and lit up the darkest corners of the
cabin, but Pretty-Heart was nowhere to be seen. His coverlets were there
before the fire, but he was not in them. I called. Vitalis called, but
he did not appear.

My master said that when he awoke the monkey was beside him, so it was
while we were out that he had disappeared. With our burning torches
held down to the snowy earth we started out to look for him. We found no
trace of him.

We returned to the hut to see if he were hidden behind some faggots. We
searched for a long time; ten times we looked in the same place, the
same corners. I climbed up on Vitalis' shoulders to look amongst the
branches of which the roof was made. We called again and again, but
there was no answer.

Vitalis seemed angry. I was in despair. I asked my master if he thought
that the wolves could have taken him also.

"No," he said, "the wolves would not dare come into the hut. I am afraid
they got Zerbino and Dulcie when they w