264 WILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



slipping upon their haunches, sailed onward, presenting a perfect 

 picture of helplessness and baffled rage. Thus I gained nearly a 

 hundred yards at each turning. This was repeated two or three 

 times, every moment the animals getting more excited and baffled. 



" At one time, by delaying my turning too long, my antagonists 

 came so near that they threw the white foam over my dress as 

 they sprang to seize me, and their teeth clashed together like the 

 spring of a fox-trap. Had my skates failed for one instant, had I 

 tripped on a stick, or caught my foot in a fissure in the ice, the 

 story I am now telling would never have been told. I thought all 

 the chances over ; I knew where they would first take hold of me 

 if I fell ; I thought how long it would be before I died, and when 

 there would be a search for the body that would already have its 

 tomb ; for oh ! how fast man's mind traces out all the dead colours 

 of death's picture, only those who have been near the grim original 

 can tell. 



" But soon I came opposite the house, and my hounds — I knew 

 their deep voices — roused by the noise, bayed furiously from the 

 kennels. I heard their chains rattle ; how I wished they would 

 break them, and then I would have tried ' turn about is fair play.' 

 The wolves, taking the hint conveyed by the dogs, stopped, and 

 after a moment's consideration turned and fled. I watched them 

 until their dusky forms disappeared over a neighbouring hill. Then, 

 taking off my skates, limped up to the house, half cured of romance 

 in the woods and tired of the name of wolf. 



" But even yet, I never see a broad sheet of ice in the moon- 

 shine without thinking of that fetid, snuffling breath, and those 

 fearful things that followed me so closely down the frozen 

 Kennebec." 



As the tale ended, an unseen auditor, who from his covert in 

 the bushes was indignant at my account of his people, yelped out, 

 Oo, who-oo, who — oo — o — ah, aigh. 



" Hear the vowels," said the Doctor, " a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes 

 w and y." 



" Drat the cuss ! " quoth Mike, throwing a blazing knot into 

 the bushes, " has he got no decency ? " 



