t which his favourites had received, rushed after; and,
knocking down the animal with his spear, soon despatched him.

"Harry, who had grown much wiser since his adventure with the skunk, was
rather shy of approaching the porcupine--particularly as he had heard
that this animal possesses the power of shooting his quills to some
distance, and sticking them like arrows into his enemies. Frank
inquired if this were true.

"`No,' I replied; `it is only one of those fabulous stories which the
ingenious French naturalist, Buffon, so much delighted to recount. The
porcupine's quills may be pulled out easily by anything which presses
too rudely against them, such as the mouth of a mastiff; and this
because they are very slightly attached by their roots, and have a barb
upon their tops that takes hold upon any enemy that may attempt to touch
them. This is the only defence the poor animal has got--as it is so
slow of foot that any of its enemies can easily come up with it. But,
notwithstanding its slowness, most of the fierce creatures find it
better to leave the porcupine to himself, and his innocent occupation of
"barking" the trees. He generally proves more than a match for any of
them; and, in fact, neither wolf, panther, nor wildcat, can kill him--as
there is not a spot of his body which they can touch when he prepares
himself for their attack. On the other hand, he frequently kills them--
only in self-defence, however, as he never attacks any animal, but lives
altogether on his simple food, the bark and leaves of trees. The cougar
is often found dead in the woods,--his death occasioned by the
porcupine's quills that are seen sticking in his mouth and tongue. So
also the lynx has been found, as well as many dogs and wolves.'

"So much of the natural history of this strange animal I related to my
companions at the time; but, shortly after, an incident was witnessed by
Harry and myself which showed us that the porcupine, notwithstanding his
bristling armour, had one enemy, at least, who could master him upon
occasions. Although it occurred some months after our fishing
excursion, now that we are speaking of the porcupine, I shall relate
it."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

BATTLE OF THE MARTEN AND PORCUPINE.

"It was in the middle of the winter. A light snow had fallen upon the
ground--just enough to enable us to follow the trail of any animal we
might light upon. Of course, the snow filled us with the idea of
hunt