270 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



cause of alarm presented itself. Indeed, he had forgotten 

 the circumstance, and rested the gun across his shoulder, 

 when the dog again fell behind him with an affrightened yell. 

 A wolf stood on the sandbank, about thirty yards before him. 

 Armed only with partridge shot, Monsieur de B. considered 

 it most prudent to retreat, and gain a cross road in the rear. 

 He had not returned many yards, when to his horror and 

 astonishment, he beheld another wolf barring his path on that 

 side. Neither as yet had ventured to attack him, and, as he 

 advanced, one retired; but the other would draw closer to 

 his heels. His situation became critical, for night was ap- 

 proaching, and he feared that with it more assailants would 

 be down upon him ; and to this they both howled as if to 

 call a reinforcement, and the sportsman at length felt certain 

 they were answered from the hills. No time was to be lost ; 

 he rapidly advanced on one, and when within twenty paces 

 fired both barrels at him. The wolf fell, wounded, and the 

 other cleared the bank; Monsieur B., following his example, 

 took to his heels, and never took breath till he entered Dijon. 

 On examining the snow the next morning, it was ascertained 

 that he had been hotly pursued to the very gates. As for 

 the wounded wolf, a few bones were all that his comrades 

 had left of him. 



The wolves of Russia are noted for their sagacity. In the 

 thinly settled districts, they are very abundant. The public 

 roads are rendered dangerous by the number and daring 

 character of these fierce animals. Travellers are often at- 

 tacked, and if they are not well-armed, or near to some vil- 

 lage, their destruction is certain. One day some peasants 

 were travelling in a sleigh, when they were suddenly attacked 

 by a large number of wolves. The house, at which they in- 

 tended to stop, was about two miles from the place where 

 they were attacked. They were without weapons of any 

 kind, and their only hope was in flight. Keeping the wolves 

 back as well as they could, they whipped the horses, and 



