one the trappers came back weary, raging, and despairing. In a
short time they all assembled, and soon began to reproach each other.
Ere long one or two had a fight, which resulted in several bloody noses
and black eyes, thus adding to the misery which, one would think, had
been bad enough without such additions. At last they finished their
suppers and their pipes, and then lay down to sleep under the trees till
morning, when they arose in a particularly silent and sulky mood, rolled
up their blankets, strapped their things on their shoulders, and began
to trudge slowly back to the camp on foot.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

WOLVES ATTACK THE HORSES, AND CAMERON CIRCUMVENTS THE WOLVES--A
BEAR-HUNT, IN WHICH HENRI SHINES CONSPICUOUS--JOE AND THE
"NATTER-LIST"--AN ALARM--A SURPRISE AND A CAPTURE.

We must now return to the camp where Walter Cameron still guarded the
goods, and the men pursued their trapping avocations.

Here seven of the horses had been killed in one night by wolves while
grazing in a plain close to the camp, and on the night following a horse
that had strayed was also torn to pieces and devoured. The prompt and
daring manner in which this had been done convinced the trader that
white wolves had unfortunately scented them out, and he set several
traps in the hope of capturing them.

White wolves are quite distinct from the ordinary wolves that prowl
through woods and plains in large packs. They are much larger, weighing
sometimes as much as a hundred and thirty pounds; but they are
comparatively scarce, and move about alone, or in small bands of three
or four. Their strength is enormous, and they are so fierce that they
do not hesitate, upon occasions, to attack man himself. Their method of
killing horses is very deliberate. Two wolves generally undertake the
cold-blooded murder. They approach their victim with the most innocent
looking and frolicsome gambols, lying down and rolling about, and
frisking pleasantly until the horse becomes a little accustomed to them.
Then one approaches right in front, the other in rear, still frisking
playfully, until they think themselves near enough, when they make a
simultaneous rush. The wolf which approaches in rear is the true
assailant; the rush of the other is a mere feint; then both fasten on
the poor horse's haunches and never let go till the sinews are cut and
he is rolling on his side.

The horse makes comparatively little struggle in this deadly as