cruel bad look. I would not
have been that fellow's fag at school for any money.

"Well, it's fortunate, Harry, that you are not likely to see much
of him, else I should expect to see you flying at his neck and
strangling him as you did the hound."

Harry joined in the laugh.

"I will restrain myself, Ernest; and besides, he would be an awkward
customer; there's plenty of strength in those shoulders of his, and
he looks active and sinewy in spite of that indolent air he puts
on; but there is the horn, it is time for us to mount."

In a few minutes some thirty gentlemen were in the saddle, the
marquis, who was grand louvetier of the province, blew his horn,
and the whole cavalcade got into motion, raising their hunting
caps, as they rode off, to the marquise and her daughters, who were
standing on the step of the chateau to see them depart. The dogs
had already been sent forward to the forest, which was some miles
distant.

On arriving there the marquis found several woodmen, who had been
for the last two days marking the places most frequented by the
wolves. They had given their reports and the party were just starting
when a young forester rode up.

"Monsieur le marquis," he said, "I have good news for you; the demon
wolf is in the forest. I saw him making his way along a glade an
hour since as I was on my way thither. I turned back to follow him,
and tracked him to a ravine in the hills choked with undergrowth."

The news created great excitement.

"The demon wolf!" the marquis repeated. "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure, monsieur. How could I mistake it! I saw him once four
years ago, and no one who had once done so could mistake any other
wolf for him."

"We are in luck indeed, gentlemen," the marquis said. "We will see
if we can't bring this fellow's career to an end at last. I have
hunted him a score of times myself since my first chase of him,
well-nigh fifteen years ago, but he has always given us the slip."

"And will again," an old forester, who was standing close to Harry,
muttered. "I do not believe the bullet is cast which will bring
that wolf to earth."

"What is this demon wolf?" Harry asked Ernest.

"It is a wolf of extraordinary size and fierceness. For many years
he has been the terror of the mothers of this part of France. He
has been known to go into a village and boldly carry off an infant
in mid-day. Every child who has been killed by wolves for years is
always supposed to have been s