CAPTAIN DAN HENRIE. 441 
He now remembered that these weird and infernal brutes 
always collect in large numbers, to follow in the wake of a 
great prairie fire, and tear the carcasses of those animals 
that are killed; or band together, to chase and drag, down 
those that come through alive, but scorched, blinded and 
staggering, as was his poor horse. They become very 
savage with blood, impunity and numbers, and very. few 
creatures which have escaped from the hungry flames can 
escape from, their yet: more ravenous jaws. The creature, 
at other times, is utterly contemptible for its cowardice; 
but he shuddered when he called to mind the dreadful 
stories ‘he had heard: of its deadly fierceness on such occa- 
sions as this. 
“My God!” he moaned aloud: ‘ Wasn’t it bad enough 
for me to ‘pass that hell of flames back yonder! and have 
I only escaped that to meet a fate a thousand times more 
hideous ?” « 
He looked at his horse; the animal was now, too, partially 
refreshed, and began to be conscious of the new danger as it 
gazed around with staring eyeballs upon the eager and swiftly 
gathering crowd that howled along the bank. He snorted 
in affright, and lifted his head with a wildly mournful 
neigh, that seemed to poor Dan the most piteous sound 
that ever rung upon his ear before. There was some com- 
fort though, the horse had life enough in him to make one 
more run for safety. 
He mounted, and after having fired his rifle, with deliberate 
aim, into the thickest of them, charged right through at full 
speed. They leaped at his feet and attempted to seize his 
horse’s legs, but the animal was too mortally frightened for 
them to impede his way for an instant. Through he trampled, 
and away across the prairie he flies, snorting with terror, and 
moving with as great speed as if perfectly fresh; and away, 
too, in pursuit, swept the yelling herd of wolves. There were 
more than a hundred now, and seemed increasing in numbers 
