f they
would attack even a child, although they fight when assailed, and bite
and claw severely."

The Misses Percival now made their appearance. Emma was very merry, but
Mary rather grave. Captain Sinclair, having shaken hands with them
both, said--

"Why, Emma, you appear to have recovered sooner than your sister!"

"Yes," replied Emma; "but I was much more frightened than she was, and
she supported me, or I should have fallen at the wolf's feet. I yielded
to my fears; Mary held up against hers; so, as her exertions were much
greater than mine, she has not recovered from them so soon. The fact
is, Mary is brave when there is danger, and I am only brave when there
is none."

"I was quite as much frightened as you, my dear Emma," said Mary
Percival; "but we must now help our aunt, and get dinner ready on the
table."

"I cannot say that I have a wolfish appetite this morning," replied
Emma, laughing; "but Alfred will eat for me and himself too." In a few
minutes dinner was on the table, and they all sat down without waiting
for Martin and John, who were still busy skinning the wolf.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

THE ANGRY SNAKE.

"Here come Martin and John at last," said Mr Campbell, after they had
been about a quarter of an hour at table.

But he was mistaken; instead of Martin and John, Malachi Bone made his
appearance, and, to their surprise, he was accompanied by his young
squaw, the Strawberry-Plant.

Everyone rose to welcome them, and the Misses Percival went to their
little female acquaintance, and would have made her sit down with them,
but she refused, and took her seat on the floor near the fire.

"She an't used to chairs and stools, miss; let her be where she is,"
said old Bone, "she'll be more comfortable, and that's what you want her
to be, I'm sure. I brought her with me, because I could not carry all
the venison myself, and also to shew her the way in and out of the
house, and how it is fastened, in case of sending a message by night."

"Of sending a message by night," said Mrs Campbell, with surprise,
"why, what possible occasion could there be for that?"

Captain Sinclair and Alfred, who perceived that the old hunter had said
too much, were quite at a loss what to say.

They did not like to frighten Mrs Campbell and the girls about the
Indians, especially as they had just been so much alarmed with the
accident of the morning. At last Alfred replied, "The fact is, my dear
mother, that