134 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



before my ear had caught the sound of the report, a sharp 

 long snarl rose from the thicket, announcing that a wolf 

 was wounded. Eagerly, keenly did I listen; but there 

 came no further sound to tell me of his whereabout. 



" 'I hit him,' shouted Garry, 'I hit him then, I swon ; 

 but I guess not so badly, but he can travel still. Look 

 out you, Archer, he's squatted in the thick there, and 

 won't stir 'till they get close a top on him.' 



"While he was speaking yet, a loud and startling shout 

 arose from the open field, announcing to my ear upon the 

 instant that one or more had broken covert at some un- 

 guarded spot, as it was evident from the absence of any 

 firing. The leader of our squad was clearly of the same 

 opinion; for, motioning to us to spread our line a little 

 wider, he galloped off at a tremendous rate, spurning the 

 snowballs high into the air, accompanied by three of his 

 best men, to stop the gap which had been left through 

 the misapprehension of the Jersey man. 



"This he accomplished; but not until the great wolf, 

 wilier than his comrades, had got off unharmed. He had 

 not moved five minutes, before a small dark bitch-wolf 

 broke away through our line, at the angle furthest from 

 my station, and drew a scattering volley from more than 

 half our men — too rapid and too random to be deadly — 

 though several of the balls struck close about her, I 

 thought she had got off scot free ;but Jem McDaniel — whom 

 you know — a cool, old steady hand, had held his fire, and 

 taking a long quiet aim, lodged his ball fairly in the 

 centre of her shoulders^over she went, and over, tearing 

 the snow with tooth and claw in her death agony; while 

 fancying, I suppose, that all our guns were emptied — for, 

 by my life, I think the crafty brutes can almost reason — 

 out popped two more! one between me and my right hand 

 man — the other, a large dog, dragging a wounded leg 

 behind him, under my horse's very feet. Bob made a 

 curious demi-volte, I do assure you, as the dark brindled 

 villain darted between his fore legs with an angry snarl ; 

 biit at a single word and slight admonition of the curb, 

 stood motionless as though he had been carved in marble. 

 Quickly I brought my rifle up, though steadily enough, 

 and — more, I fancy, by good luck than management — - 

 planted my bullet in the neck, just where the skull and 



