mong the ravenous brutes, and they in turn were
in too much dread of the fire to do more than spring at him and then as
quickly dart back again.

It was an impressive sight and one which could never be forgotten. The
large, noble Newfoundland, standing out in relief against the glare of
the camp-fire, his eyes aflame with anger, every muscle braced, the jaws
parted and his eyes fixed upon the dark bodies plunging over each other,
darting forward and back again, snapping, snarling and furious; the Pah
Utah stretched upon the ground, deliberately smoking, all unheedful of
the deafening clangor and the savage brutes that sometimes approached
almost within striking distance; the two boys, so close to the fire that
they were often scorched by it, gazing at the animals with an expression
of half fear and half wonder, starting when one of them came unusually
near, and now and then sending the fatal bullet among them; the nervous
Irishman, darting hither and thither, taking great care that the fire
was kept fully burning; all these, we say, made a scene impressive in
the highest degree.

Terror, when sharply spoken to, would withdraw from his dangerous
proximity to the wolverines, but almost immediately he stepped forward
to the same spot he first occupied, and his obedience to the commands of
the boys was so sullen and ill-natured that they forebore speaking to
him except when his safety seemed absolutely to demand it.

At times there was an interruption in the clamor, but the wolverines did
not appear to relax their vigilance in the least. It was as if they had
determined to make their evening meal upon the party though they were
forced to wait until morning for it. During these intervals of
comparative silence our friends gained opportunity for the exchange of a
few words, but they were often compelled to shout at the top of their
voices to make themselves heard.

During one of these lulls Elwood spoke to Howard.

"What will take place in the morning, when these creatures are not
afraid of our fire?"

"I think they will go away."

"Perhaps so: but we are not so sure of that."

"Shasta will no doubt turn the whole thing over in his mind, and be
prompt enough to act when the danger comes. I suppose we can take to our
canoes and give them the slip in that manner."

"Yes; the Indian appears to have rather a contemptible opinion of them.
He scarcely heeds their wrangling."

"He is not so timid as we and Tim are; but h