y as we could. I had only
my knife in my belt.

When we reached the foot of the hill we heard the sound of a terrible
snarling struggle down the canyon a ways.

I ran in the direction as fast as I could go, leaving the captain quite
a distance behind. Almost before I knew it I was upon them. A tremendous
wolf, to my eyes he seemed almost as big as a horse, had Santa by the
throat shaking him like a cat does a mouse.

Giving a yell I sprang to the rescue of the dog. Then in a fury the
beast jumped for me with his great snarling teeth. I dodged like a flash
and his impetus carried him past me, but in a second he had turned and
charged again.

This time I was not quite quick enough and was knocked down and he was
standing over me. I could feel his hot, fetid breath. Instinctively I
thrust my elbow up as he shot his jaws down for my throat and I struck
at him with the knife, bringing the blood.

Nothing could have saved me if Santa had not returned to the attack. He
came in like a flash and the wolf had to turn. For a few seconds they
fought over me and I was pretty well trampled. The feet of the wolf were
nearly the size of a bear's.

I struggled out and now thoroughly infuriated I attacked the wolf with
my knife. Again he shook Santa off and came for me. Only a minute had
elapsed in all this struggle. As he sprang, I dodged low and to one
side.

CHAPTER II

AFTER ANTELOPE

The wolf went over me and before he could turn, a shot rang out. The
captain had arrived on the scene.

The wolf threw himself in the air and fell with a thud upon the ground.

"I hope you will go a little slower next time," said the captain,
severely. "It's a wonder that you did not have your throat torn out."

It took me about a minute before I recovered so that I could say
anything, and then I had nothing to say, for it was a foolish and
dangerous performance.

"Why, don't you know that these wolves are about as dangerous customers
as you can find in the mountains?" he remonstrated. "This is certainly a
fine specimen, the king of the pack."

With some difficulty we got the wolf to the camp.

"Let's fool the boys if they are asleep," I said. They were sleeping the
sleep of the just and making a considerable racket about it too. I
leaned his wolfship in position against a rock and propped up his head.
Then I laid down for a moment. "Gracious, Tom!" I whispered, "what's
that over by that rock?"

"Where?" he cried, sitting u