In another instant the
fierce wolf would have sprung at my uncle's throat, and might have taken
his life; or, at all events, have severely injured him, and that before
we could get near enough to render him any assistance. It all depended
on Mike's steady aim, therefore; and although I was a good shot, still I
was thankful that he had the gun.

He fired; and the brute, the moment that it was making its spring, fell
over, snarling and hissing, with its shoulder broken. A blow on the
head from my uncle's axe finished its existence.

"You have rendered me good service, Laffan," said my uncle, when we got
up to him. "Had you not taken steady aim, that brute's fangs would have
been at my throat in another moment."

"Faix, thin, Mr Mark, it is only what I would have wished to be done,"
answered Mike. "And if you ever catch sight of a bear about to give me
a hug, or such a brute as this at my heels,"--and he gave the dead wolf
a kick--"you will be afther shooting him, sure enough!"

"Well, Mike, we shall then be quits. In the meantime I am your debtor,"
answered my uncle, laughing. Notwithstanding the danger he had been in,
he was quite unmoved. His cheek had not lost its ruddy glow, nor did a
limb tremble.

We quickly skinned the wolf, and hung the hide up to the branch of a
tree a little way from the bank, where it would be concealed from any
passers-by. We did not wish to encumber ourselves with it in the
meantime, and we hoped to find it on our return. We were not likely to
forget the spot, any more than those boys in the "old country" would do,
who, as I have heard, are taken to certain landmarks and whipped, in
order that they may afterwards bear them duly in mind.

We were thankful that the wolf which had attacked my uncle was alone, as
it would have been unpleasant to find ourselves followed by a howling
pack; and we now regretted that we had not all of us brought our guns.

Trudging on some miles further, we came upon a part of the river which
had not been frozen over until after the snow fell. Here, the ice being
clear, we put on our skates, and glided merrily along towards the spot
where we understood the lumberers were at work.

CHAPTER THREE.

A TERRIFIC SNOWSTORM--KEPENAU'S TIMELY APPEARANCE--WE VISIT KEPENAU'S
CAMP--HIS HOSPITALITY--AN INDIAN'S DREAD OF THE "FIRE WATER"--WE BID
ADIEU TO OUR INDIAN FRIENDS--OUR ARRIVAL AT THE LOGGING ENCAMPMENT--
JACQUES MICHAUD TAKES A FANCY TO MIKE--JAC