lf would stand no chance
against him, and even a bear would have more on its hands than it could
well manage I expect; but, come here, boy," said the old hunter to John,
leading the dog outside of the door.

"You'd better leave the dog, John," said Malachi, "the crittur will be
of use here, but of no good to us."

John made no reply, and the hunter continued--

"I say it will be of use here, for the girls might meet with another
wolf, or the house might be attacked; but good hunters don't want dogs.
Is it to watch for us, and give us notice of danger? Why that's our
duty, and we must trust to ourselves, and not to an animal. Is it to
hunt for us? Why no dog can take a deer so well as we can with our
rifles; a dog may discover us when we wish to be hidden; a dog's track
will mark us out when we would wish our track to be doubted. The animal
will be of no utility ever to us, John, and may do us harm, 'specially
now the snow's on the ground. In the summer-time, you can take him and
teach him how to behave as a hunter's dog should behave; but we had
better leave him now, and start at once."

John nodded his head in assent, and then went in-doors.

"Good-by," said John, going up to his mother and cousins; "I shall not
take the dog."

"Won't take the dog! well, that's very kind of you, John," said Mary,
"for we were longing to have him to protect us."

John shouldered his rifle, made a sign to Strawberry Plant, who rose,
and looking kindly at Mrs. Campbell and the girls, without speaking,
followed John out of the hut. Malachi certainly was not very polite, for
he walked off, in company with John and the squaw, without taking the
trouble to say "Good-by." It must, however, be observed that he was in
conversation with Martin, who accompanied them on the way.

The winter had now become very severe. The thermometer was twenty
degrees below the freezing point, and the cold was so intense, that
every precaution was taken against it. More than once Percival, whose
business it was to bring in the firewood, was frost bitten, but as Mrs.
Campbell was very watchful, the remedy of cold snow was always
successfully applied. The howling of the wolves continued every night,
but they were now used to it, and the only effect was, when one came
more than usually close to the house, to make Oscar raise his head,
growl, listen awhile, and then lie down to sleep again. Oscar became
very fond of the girls, and was their invariable compani