brother," cried Harry, giving way
to his feelings of affection.

"In mercy I am," answered Fred, looking down at the wounded wolf, whom
he seemed inclined to strike with his whip.

The stranger shouted to them as he advanced. They could not understand
what he said, but they thought it was probably telling them not to
meddle with the wolf. As soon as he came up to the spot he drew a long
knife from a sheath at his side, and in the most deliberate way,
evidently the result of long practice, approaching the brute from
behind, plunged it into her neck.

"Bravo! Bravo!" shouted Fred and Harry. "Thanks--thanks! Oh, how we
wish we could thank you in your own language."

The stranger looked up with a smile on his countenance, and the lads
then recognised him as their new attendant, the Molokani, Steffanoff
Saveleff. They put out their hands to shake his. He smiled again, and
pointed westward through the forest.

"Oh, but we want the skin of the beast," said Fred; "I'll keep it as a
memorial of what you have done for me."

"And we may as well kill the cubs, or they will be growing up, and will
soon become as unamiable as their mother," added Harry, pointing to the
tree.

Steffanoff understood the action which accompanied the remark, and very
soon put an end to the young wolves. Thus, in hunter guise, they took
their way through the forest. The lads chatted freely to their guide,
and though he could not understand a word they said, he looked up every
now and then with one of those pleasant smiles which showed that he
would gladly have talked to them if he could. His step was so elastic
and rapid, that he kept their horses at a short trot the whole way.

The Count and his friends got home soon after they arrived, and Cousin
Giles expressed no small satisfaction at seeing them. This was very
much increased when he heard the risk they had run; and Steffanoff came
in most deservedly for his share of praise for the way in which he had
rescued the lads.

"Tell him," said Cousin Giles to Mr Allwick, "that I was inclined to
serve him before, but that now I am doubly anxious to be of use to him.
Had any accident happened to the two lads, I should never have forgiven
myself."

Cousin Giles being certain that he could depend on the Count, gave him a
sketch of Saveleff's life, for the purpose of gaining his advice and
assistance.

The Count shook his head. "I am afraid that he has very little chance
of success," s