THE WOLF OF MUSKOKA 169 



"Jack was evidently working himself up to 

 desperation, though he could not keep his eyes 

 off the screen. Taking me by the arm he said : 

 ' Come on ! let us buck up and do it.' 



"We entered the hut without a word. The 

 suffocating atmosphere appeared worse than ever, 

 but we did not pause until, as though by mutual 

 consent, each had grasped a portion of the screen, 

 and given it a violent wrench. The result was 

 both alarming and remarkable. A terrible blow 

 struck me upon the brow, and staggering back- 

 wards I fell upon the ground. I must have 

 been knocked insensible, for when I recovered, 

 Jack was bending over me and wiping blood 

 from a wound upon my head. My first words 

 were : * What has happened ? ' The disorder 

 and wreck around answered the query. Our 

 united strength had destroyed the whole structure, 

 and a heavy pole had inflicted a severe blow as 

 it fell. 



" My friend had not escaped entirely without 

 hurt, for he told me he had also been stunned 

 by a mysterious blow. Men tell us that a de- 

 lusion will sometimes vanish with the flowing 

 of blood from a prick from a pin ; certain it is 

 that my nerves were in a far more reasonable 



