284 
THE WOLF. 
bounding along from bush to bush, keeping 
pace with the traveller or the muleteer and 
watching an opportunity to sieze one of the 
mules. In France and Germany they still 
abound^ though rewards are offered for their 
destruction.” 
“I should think,” remarked Kate, “that 
it would be a good thing for the‘French and 
German governments to employ some of 
their many troops in hunting wolves. It 
would be putting them to some use; and it 
would not be nearly so expensive as war. 
But perhaps these fine gentlemen might 
consider such a service beneath their dig¬ 
nity.” 
“I think that very probable,” said Miss 
Winston. “One would think that if the 
people were allowed a free use of arms, and 
a suitable reward were offered, the instinct 
of self-preservation would lead them to de¬ 
stroy as many as possible of these mis¬ 
chievous animals. The Prussian govern¬ 
ment has recently adopted these or similar 
measures; and in Switzerland, when a wolf 
appears, the church-bells are rung, the men 
take their rifies, and the intruder is soon 
either killed or driven back to his old 
