orthless.

"How was it possible that none of the dogs detected them?" asked Mr
Ross. "They are generally sleeping in various places around the camp.
I am sure I cannot understand how those brutes, cunning as they are,
could play such a trick upon us."

In response to this one of the men explained that after they had
finished arranging their loads they went out and brought into the camp
all of the dogs, so as to have no trouble in finding them when they
would be required. They stated also that, during the brief time they
tried to get a little sleep, some of the dogs were very restless, and
they had to speak sternly to them to induce them to be quiet. Then he
added:

"The dogs most uneasy were those of Sam's train. Several times they
growled, and were very uneasy. Spitfire was the worst, and acted like a
dog ready for a fight."

The stupid drivers, instead of calling the hunters, who were very sleepy
from the fact that they had had hardly any sleep for several nights
past, sternly threatened the dogs, and thus succeeded in quieting them
down. After a time some disagreeably tainted air reached the sensitive
nostrils of one of the Indian hunters. He did not require a second
sniff to tell him what it indicated. With a bound he was up. Suddenly
rousing his comrade, they rushed out into the gloom of the forest.
Unfortunately for them, the fire was about out, and so at first it was
impossible to see how great had been their loss from these stealthy,
cunning animals. It was when they had rushed back to the camp, and were
rousing up the other men and rebuilding the fire, that the commotion was
made which had so suddenly called up Mr Ross and the boys. A casual
glance had enabled them to see, as we have mentioned, something of the
nature of their loss. On a closer investigation it was found that the
damage was even much greater.

What was to be done? This was the question now discussed, and quickly
was a decision arrived at. It was to organise a party, and have them
get on the trail of the wolverines, and follow them up until they were
reached. It was decided that those dogs which manifested any great
eagerness to pick up and follow on the trail should be the ones
encouraged to push on as rapidly as possible, while the hunters with
their guns should follow as speedily as it could be done in the dense,
gloomy forest.

Spitfire and the rest of Sam's train were the first when taken to the
place to immediately p