irection
towards which the wolves were making.

"That is it!" Charlie excitedly exclaimed. "Another body of wolves
have attacked a passing traveller. Heap the wood on, Stanislas. If
we make a great fire, and they get as far as this, possibly they
could spring off and take refuge here. At any rate, the brands will
be better weapons even than our axes."

The ends of such branches as they were able to move were brought
together, and a few blows with their axes speedily broke off
several of the outer ends of charred wood. These were thrown on,
and the fire soon blazed up high again.

Two more shots were heard, this time close at hand.

They ran into the road. A sledge, with several figures in it, was
coming along at full speed. It was almost surrounded by wolves,
and, as they looked, two of them sprang at the horses' heads; but
two shots again rung out, and they dropped backwards among their
companions, many of whom threw themselves at once upon their
bodies, while the sledge continued on its headlong course.

"Here! here!" Charlie shouted at the top of his voice, waving his
hands to show the direction which they were to take.

A moment later the sledge dashed past them, and swept up to the
fire.

"Seize the blazing brands!" Charlie shouted, as those in the sledge
threw themselves out.

He and Stanislas rolled the two first wolves over with their
pistols, and then joined the others.

The driver had run at once to the horses, and had muffled them, by
throwing his coat over the head of one, and a rug over the head of
the other, and, though snorting and trembling in every limb, they
stood quiet until he had thrown a head rope round each of their
necks, and fastened them to the heaviest of the branches. Then he
seized a handful of fallen leaves, which were exposed by the
melting of the snow above them, and threw them into the fire,
whence a dense smoke poured out.

The wolves had again stopped to devour the two animals that had
been shot, and this gave time to the men, by their united efforts,
to move a heavy branch and place it across two others, whose ends
lay in the fire, so as to form with them a sort of triangular
breastwork, the face of which, next to them, was manned by the two
travellers, their servants, Charlie, and Stanislas, with blazing
brands.

Charlie and his companion hastily loaded their pistols again. The
two gentlemen had each rifles and a brace of pistols, as had their
servants. A lady and ch