darkening woods as the shadows 

 fell and the yellow moon came up ! 



44 These are the best days of my 

 life," he sang* " These are my 

 golden days!" 



And as he neared the great Spruce 

 Hill, Van yelled a long hurrah ! In 

 case they are still there," he told 

 himself, but really for very joy of 

 feeling all alive. 



As he listened for the improbable 

 response, he heard a faint howling 

 of wolves away over Kennedy's 

 Plain. He mimicked their cry and 

 quickly got response, and noticed 

 that they were gathering together, 

 doubtless hunting something, for now 

 it was their hunting-cry* Nearer 

 and nearer it came, and his howls 



35 



