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black and white animal trotting down the trail. It was Pal, returning
from an excursion of his own into the woods.

For a short distance the wolf slipped along parallel to the dog, but to
leeward so that no scent betrayed his presence. Several times he could
have sprung upon his unsuspecting prey, but caution restrained him. He
had seen Pal before but always protected by a man with a heavy club or
gun. Now, though the man was not visible, the wolf was suspicious, and
not inclined to rush into danger.

It was not long, however, before he decided that the Hermit was not
about. Gradually he closed in, and Pal, for the first time scenting this
deadly enemy, gave a frightened bark, then bravely turned at bay with
his back against a tree. He was no match for the wolf and all would have
been over in a moment had not the big skunk unwittingly stepped between
them.

Ordinarily the skunk did not court trouble; on the other hand, he did
not run away from it. Thus, when he beheld the wolf apparently bearing
down upon him, he was startled, but not to the point of losing his head.

Immediately he assumed the defensive. He noticed Pal backed up to the
tree, but of dogs he had no fear. It was the wolf upon whom his battery
was turned. Pal, at sight of the newcomer, backed discreetly away and
then fled for his life. The wolf, however, was not so fortunate, for,
before he saw his mistake, he had leaped. In his effort to save himself
he turned a complete backward somersault and wallowed upon the snow, his
eyes smarting and blinded and his lungs gasping for breath. A moment
later he was racing away in a vain endeavor to escape from himself,
while the skunk returned to his den quite unshaken by the encounter.

A few nights after the skunk's little affair with the timber wolf he
returned to the clearing from which he had purloined the fat duck. Much
to his disappointment he found the building protected against
four-footed marauders and, though the same enticing odour drifted to his
nostrils, he was unable to gratify his appetite. In the course of his
wanderings he discovered a small structure with latticed front, in which
was a good-sized opening. The skunk walked up indifferently and looked
within; then his eyes brightened and he stepped quickly inside to
procure the chicken's head lying in a corner. As he did so, he heard a
click behind him and jumped back, only to find his retreat cut off by a
board which had fallen into place acr