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 XXI.

_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 presently, 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 assault;
he seems paralyzed, and soon falls