ust as Martin and John made their appearance.
Captain Sinclair conversed with the Misses Percival, while the old
hunter spoke to the Strawberry-Plant in her own dialect; the others
either went out or were busy in clearing the table, till Captain
Sinclair took his departure with John and Martin, each armed with a
rifle.

"Well, this has been an exciting day," observed Mr Campbell, a little
before they retired to bed. "We have much to thank God for, and great
reason to pray for His continued protection and assistance. God bless
you all, my children; good night."

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

EMMA SHOOTS A WOLF.

The next morning, a little after daybreak, Martin and John made their
appearance, leading the magnificent dog which Captain Sinclair had given
to John. Like most large dogs, Oscar appeared to be very good-tempered,
and treated the snarling and angry looks of the other dogs with perfect
contempt.

"It is, indeed, a noble animal," said Mr Campbell, patting its head.

"It's a fine creature," observed Malachi, "a wolf would stand no chance
against him, and even a bear would have more on its hands than it could
well manage, I expect; but, come here, boy," said the old hunter to
John, leading the way outside of the door.

"You'd better leave the dog, John," said Malachi, "the crittur will be
of use here, but no good to us."

John made no reply, and the hunter continued, "I say it will be of use
here, for the girls might meet with another wolf, or the house might be
attacked; but good hunters don't want dogs. Is it to watch for us, and
give us notice of danger? Why that's our duty, and we must trust to
ourselves, and not to an animal. Is it to hunt for us? Why no dog can
take a deer so well as we can with our rifles; a dog may discover us
when we wish to be hidden; a dog's track will mark us out when we would
wish our track to be doubted. The animal will be of no utility ever to
us, John, and may do us harm, 'specially now the snow's on the ground.
In the summer-time, you can take him and teach him how to behave as a
hunter's dog should behave; but we had better leave him now, start at
once."

John nodded his head in assent, and then went indoors.

"Good-bye," said John, going up to his mother and cousins; "I shall not
take the dog."

"Won't take the dog! well, that's very kind of you, John," said Mary,
"for we were longing to have him to protect us."

John shouldered his rifle, made a sign to Strawberr