A WARY QUARRY 73 



the wolves sat as if in solemn conclave to discuss the 

 risks. Retreating marks equally showed that they 

 were not disposed to take them. They even left 

 their cards as close to the bait as possible, as if past 

 masters in the art of studied insult. Sometimes after 

 taking poison they are said to have the capacity of 

 ejecting the contents of their stomachs. This I 

 imagine is assumed rather than proved, and has for 

 its basis the fact that the poisoned meat is taken away, 

 but the dead wolf is nowhere to be found, although a 

 wide search is made for him. 



Wolves are fleet of foot, and can run down deer in 

 the forest. The safety of the latter lies in reaching 

 the lake and taking to the water. The wolf does 

 not care for swimming, and the deer can easily out- 

 distance him. In winter, when the snow is thick and 

 the lakes are frozen, he has the advantage of his prey. 

 His short legs do not sink as deeply in the snow as 

 the slender limbs of the buck or doe. The treachery 

 of the animal is one of its worst phases. Although it 

 rarely makes an open attack on a traveller of recent 

 years, it has been known to pursue him for miles, 

 generally travelling in packs of four or five for this 

 purpose. The ranger going back on his track can 

 trace all the brutes' movements. Where the man 

 stopped for a few moments, they stopped, then took 

 up the trail again, but never showing themselves. 

 Had faintness or accident overtaken the man, the 

 beasts would have been upon him in a moment. When 



