198 NEIGHBOURS UNKNOWN 



centre. A second more, and the churning, 

 snorting mass became wedged almost solid. 

 Snapping silently at whatever was in reach, the 

 wolves were overborne, trodden down with 

 the dead or dying calves. The leader of the 

 pack, with two of the more astute of his 

 followers, succeeded in dragging himself forth 

 upon the packed shoulders of his adversaries, 

 ran over the heaving sea of backs, and raced 

 away through the storm, gored and stream- 

 ing. Soon there was no sign of a wolf any- 

 where to be seen. But still the packed herd 

 went on with its trampling and churning, 

 sullenly resolute to make an end of the 

 matter, till even the sturdy unwounded calves 

 were in danger of being downed, and the 

 weaker ones perished miserably. At last, 

 in some way, the old bull managed to make 

 his orders understood. The milling slackened, 

 the pressure relaxed. Ponderously he shoul- 

 dered his way out, and started off once more 

 toward the north-east. Instantly the herd 

 followed, lumbering at his heels. A few, 

 badly wounded, limped and staggered in 

 the rear, and three cows, their eyes rolling 

 wildly, remained standing over certain shape- 

 less masses that lay trodden into the red 

 snow. For some minutes they stood there, 

 mooing disconsolately ; then, one after the 



