just
got to go through to the end."

"We will, all right, Aleck, never fear. I was just holding back to see
if my eyes would get a little more accustomed to the dark over there;
but now we can go on again. Ready all the while, are you?"

"Yes, indeed I am, Thad. Now I think I can see what you said I would."

"Meaning her yellow eyes glistening with fierce madness; because
there's nothing more ready to fight a hundred enemies than a mother
wolf with whelps. Steady, forward we go, slow but sure!"

"All right, Thad; I'm as cool as anything now; all my excitement seems
to have gone when there's real danger afoot," remarked Aleck, in an
even voice that backed up his words.

"I knew that would be so, Aleck," replied the other, in a low tone.
"But I can begin to see the figure of the wolf now; can you?"

"Yes, and she's standing over something that seems to move," the other
replied.

"That must be the cubs; yes, listen to them growl, would you? Young
as they are they understand that an enemy is near. Ten to one the hair
on each little back is standing up like bristles, right now. But seems
to me we've gone about as close as we ought to, Aleck?"

Thad came to a halt. The light of the lantern showed them a dim, half
crouching figure ahead. It was the mother wolf. Undoubtedly she might
have found means of escape by retiring further into the place; but
nothing would induce her to abandon her whelps. And Thad found himself
obliged to admire this valor in the animal even though necessity
compelled him to rid the country of pests by wiping out the entire
brood of wolves, whelps as well as mother.

CHAPTER XXIV.

ALECK COMES INTO HIS OWN AT LAST.

"Do you think we're close enough, Thad?" whispered Aleck, as they bent
forward, and strained their eyes to make out the dim gaunt figure that
blocked all further progress, and which they knew full well must be
that mother wolf.

"Yes," answered the other, in the same cautious tone; "if we went any
further on, I'm afraid the beast would fly at us; and in that case you
know, we'd have a harder time taking aim."

Thad had managed to set the lantern down on a level place, where, he
hoped it would stand little danger of being knocked over, in case there
was anything in the nature of a fight between themselves and the wolf.

This allowed him the free use of both his arms, which of course was
the main idea he had in view, when getting rid of the lantern.

Of course Thad