arry, to fill
your jam-pots," said I. There were whortleberries, and thimble-berries,
blue-berries, raspberries, and strawberries, and many others which, I
reminded her, were now in season. "If we do not get them now, the time
will pass. Lily's fingers, too, will pick them quicker than mine, so
that we shall get double as many as I should get by myself," I observed.

My arguments prevailed, and Lily and I set out, happy as the red-birds
we saw flying in and out among the trees around us.

We had nearly filled our baskets, and I was on my knees picking some
strawberries which grew on the bank of a small stream running through an
open part of the forest, when Lily, who was at a little distance from
me, shrieked out. I was about to spring to my feet and hurry to her
assistance--supposing that she had been frightened by some animal--when
what was my horror to see, close to me, a huge wolf, with open jaws,
ready to seize me! My stick, the only weapon I carried, lay just within
my reach; so I put out my hand and instinctively grasped it, determined
to fight for my own life and Lily's too--knowing how, if the wolf killed
me, it would next attack her.

As I moved the creature snarled, but did not advance any nearer. So,
grasping the stick, I sprang to my feet and swung the weapon round with
all my might, despair giving energy to my muscles. The savage creature
retreated a few paces, astonished at the unexpected blow, snarling, and
eyeing me, as if about to make another attack.

Again Lily shrieked.

"Run, run!" I cried; "I will tackle the wolf."

But she did not move; indeed, she saw that the creature was more likely
to come off victor than I was.

I stood ready to receive the animal, doubtful whether I ought to make
the attack; Lily, in the meantime, continuing to cry aloud for help.
The wolf at length seemed to get tired of waiting for his expected prey,
and giving a fierce howl, he was on the point of springing at me, when a
bullet fired by an unseen hand laid him dead at my feet.

Lily sprang towards me, exclaiming, "You are safe! you are safe, Roger!"
and then burst into tears. She scarcely seemed to consider how I had
been saved. All she saw was the dead wolf, and that I was unhurt.

On looking round, I observed an Indian advancing towards us from among
the trees.

"That must be the man who killed the wolf," I exclaimed. "We must thank
him, Lily."

Lily had ever a great dread of Indians. "We must